Lonely Road (song)
{{For|the Paul McCartney song|Driving Rain}}
{{Short description|2024 single by Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Lonely Road
| cover = Machine Gun Kelly & Jelly Roll - Lonely Road.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll
| released = July 26, 2024
| recorded =
| genre =
| length = 3:09
| label = {{hlist|EST 19XX|Interscope}}
| writer = {{hlist|Colson Baker|Jason DeFord|Travis Barker|John Denver|Bill Danoff|Mary Danoff|Taffy Danoff|Steve Basil|Brandon Allen|Nick Long}}
| producer = {{hlist|Barker|Charlie Handsome|BazeXX|SlimXX}}
| chronology = Machine Gun Kelly
| prev_title = El Pistolero
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = Your Name Forever
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Jelly Roll
| type = single
| prev_title = Somebody Save Me
| prev_year = 2024
| title = Lonely Road
| year = 2024
| next_title = Liar
| next_year = 2024
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|b6-JNeXxN3s|"Lonely Road"}}}}
}}
"Lonely Road" is a song by American musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll, released on July 26, 2024. Produced by Travis Barker, Charlie Handsome, BazeXX and SlimXX, it notably interpolates "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver. It is included on the "Pickin' Up the Pieces" deluxe edition of Jelly Roll's tenth studio album, Beautifully Broken.
Background
On an Instagram post, Machine Gun Kelly wrote "We worked on 'Lonely Road' for 2 years, 8 different studios, 4 different countries, changed the key 4 times".{{cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll Drop Video for John Denver-Inspired 'Lonely Road' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/machine-gun-kelly-jelly-roll-lonely-road-video-1235068656/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 26, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Poppy |title=Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll share John Denver-inspired single 'Lonely Road' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/machine-gun-kelly-and-jelly-roll-share-john-denver-inspired-single-lonely-road-3778486 |website=NME |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 27, 2024}}
Composition and lyrics
The song centers on a man whose life is resulting in problems and failure and is now lonely. He reminisces on the joyful moments of his past, wondering what led to his current condition.{{cite web |title=Jelly Roll + MGK Put a New Spin on John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/jelly-roll-mgk-lonely-road/ |website=Taste of Country |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 26, 2024}} The lyrics focus on struggling with love relationships, as well as alcohol addiction to cope with losses.{{cite web |last1=Horvath |first1=Zachary |title=MGK & Jelly Roll Divulge In Their Tragic Pasts On "Lonely Road" |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/829273-mgk-jelly-roll-lonely-road-stream |website=HotNewHipHop |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 29, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Gibbs |first1=Audrey |title=Megan Fox plays pregnant woman in music video for new MGK, Jelly Roll song 'Lonely Road' |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/07/26/megan-fox-mgk-jelly-roll-lonely-road-music-video/74564757007/ |access-date=August 23, 2024 |work=The Tennessean |date=July 26, 2024}}{{cite magazine |last1=Kaufman |first1=Gil |title=Megan Fox Gives Birth, Bunnie XO Struggles With Infertility in Emotional Jelly Roll and MGK 'Lonely Road' Video |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/mgk-jelly-roll-megan-fox-bunnie-xo-cameos-lonely-road-video-1235741062/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 26, 2024}} Machine Gun Kelly sings in the melody of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" on the chorus: "Lonely road take me home / To the place where we went wrong / Where'd you go now?/ It's been a ghost town / And I'm still here / All alone".
Music video
An official music video was directed by Sam Cahill and premiered on July 26, 2024. It stars Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll along with their significant others, Megan Fox and Bunnie XO respectively, and depicts them as mechanics who are struggling to provide for their families. The visual opens with the artists attending a funeral, dressed in all black, before working alongside each other at an automobile repair shop in matching tan jumpsuits. In other scenes, Kelly kisses his pregnant wife's stomach, and Jelly Roll stands in a field as he sings and consoles his wife after they receive a letter confirming an infertility diagnosis. Eventually, after the two couples have a dinner party together, MGK hatches a plan to rob a bank, while Jelly Roll, being an ex-convict, refuses to return to a life of crime. MGK later leaves on his motorcycle and commits the robbery.{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Annie |title=Megan Fox joins Machine Gun Kelly, Jelly Roll in 'Lonely Road' music video |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2024/07/26/Machine-Gun-Kelly-Jelly-Roll-Lonely-Road-video-Megan-Fox/8651722006262/ |website=United Press International |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=July 26, 2024}} He is arrested, but not before delivering the stolen money to his wife. Eight months later, MGK is visited in prison by his wife with their newborn daughter, and kisses his child through the glass. The baby girl in the video is another woman's child and Megan Fox is not actually pregnant.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col 2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Lonely Road" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 5 August 2024|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1796|page=4|date=August 5, 2024}}
| 66 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canada|25|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|62|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2024}} |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2024-08-30|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=August 5, 2024|access-date=August 23, 2024}}
| 4 |
| {{single chart|Slovakia2|58|year=2024|week=43|rowheader=true|access-date=November 25, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|UK|67|date=20240807|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|33|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|18|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=December 8, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|13|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=August 26, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|7|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|23|artist=Jelly Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=December 8, 2024}} |
{{col 2}}
=Monthly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Monthly chart performance for "Lonely Road" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Slovakia (Rádio Top 100){{cite web|url=https://ifpicr.cz/hitparada/40?weekId=2932|title=SK – RADIO – TOP 100: Měsíc 10/2024|publisher=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry|access-date=November 25, 2024|lang=cs}}
| 79 |
|---|
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2024 year-end chart performance for "Lonely Road" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/hot-country-songs|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2024|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 15, 2024}}
| 75 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/hot-rock-songs/|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2024|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 21, 2024}}
| 35 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Machine Gun Kelly (rapper)}}
{{Jelly Roll}}
Category:Machine Gun Kelly (musician) songs
Category:Jelly Roll (singer) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Travis Barker
Category:Songs written by Machine Gun Kelly (musician)
Category:Songs written by Jelly Roll (singer)
Category:Songs written by Travis Barker
Category:Songs written by John Denver