It's Sad to Belong
"It's Sad to Belong" is a song written by Randy Goodrum and performed by England Dan & John Ford Coley on their 1977 album, Dowdy Ferry Road. Called a "timeless classic",[1] it peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the easy listening chart.[2] It was one of the earlier pop hits in Goodrum's career.[3]
"It's Sad to Belong" | ||||
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Single by England Dan & John Ford Coley | ||||
from the album Dowdy Ferry Road | ||||
B-side | "The Time Has Come" | |||
Released | April 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1976 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:54 | |||
Label | Big Tree Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Randy Goodrum | |||
Producer(s) |
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England Dan & John Ford Coley singles chronology | ||||
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"It's Sad to Belong" was released in May 1977[4] through Big Tree Records, with the b-side "The Time Has Come".[5] It became one of "a string of hit singles" that England Dan & John Ford Coley had in the mid-1970s.[6][7]
The song topped the adult contemporary (then called "easy listening") chart for five consecutive weeks from June 25 to July 23.[8][9] It also appeared on the top 40 "rack singles" list on June 7.[10] On December 24, it ranked #3 on Billboard's end-of-the-year easy listening chart.[11]
Background
"It's Sad to Belong" is the second track on Dowdy Ferry Road. It is one of only two songs on the album not written by either singer.[12]
The song has been called "bittersweet", telling the story of a married man falling in love with another woman and knowing they cannot be together.[1] Dale Van Atta of the Deseret News observed that it is "the universal divorce anthem - about the alleged monotony of monogamy" and that the duo "[reduces] it to a simple, peaceful chorus" (referring to the line, Yes, it's sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along).[13]
Billboard Magazine described the song as a "sweetly catchy ballad."[14]
It is still performed in concerts by the surviving member of the duo, John Ford Coley.[1]
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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See also
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1977 (U.S.)
References
- Martinez-Belen, Crispina. "MYMP's pre-Valentine show". mb.com.ph, February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 86.
- Minting, Will. "Jay Graydon & Randy Goodrum interview, October 2008". ejazznews.com, November 1, 2008. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- Nite, Norm N. Rock On: The Modern Years: 1964 - Present, Volume 2 (Crowell, 1980), p. 152.
- Koenig, John. Goldmine Records & Prices (Krause Pubns Inc, 2006).
- "Dan Seals to perform Friday". The Sumter Daily Item, November 16, 1985, p. 128.
- "Singer at Doniphan". The Southeast Missourian, May 28, 1986, p. 2.
- Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications).
- Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (Billboard Books, 2000), p. 214.
- Billboard, June 18, 1977.
- Billboard, December 24, 1977.
- "Dowdy Ferry Road - England Dan & John Ford Coley". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- Van Atta, Dale. "Patented simplicity on the 'Dowdy Ferry Road'". The Deseret News, June 10, 1977, p. 20.
- "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. May 14, 1977. p. 70. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3692." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 6, 1977.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3675a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 30, 1977.
- "England Dan John Ford Coley Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- "England Dan John Ford Coley Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: Week Ending July 23, 1977". Cashbox. July 23, 1977.
- "Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 14, December 31 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
- "The Cashbox Year-End Charts: 1977". Cashbox. December 31, 1977.