That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome
{{Short description|1958 song by Bill Anderson}}
{{Infobox song
| name = That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Bill Anderson
| album =
| B-side = "The Thrill of My Life"
| released = {{Start date|1958|12}}
| recorded = August 1958
| studio = Bradley Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Country|Nashville Sound{{cite web |title=From This Pen: Bill Anderson: Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/from-this-pen-mw0000862595 |website=Allmusic |accessdate=21 July 2020}}}}
| length = {{duration|m=2|s=30}}
| label = Decca
| writer = Bill Anderson
| producer = Owen Bradley
| prev_title = City Lights
| prev_year = 1958
| next_title = Ninety-Nine
| next_year = 1959
}}
"That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" is a song written and recorded by American country singer-songwriter Bill Anderson. It was released as a single in December 1958 via Decca Records and became a major hit. A similar version was released by American country artist Ray Price the same year via Columbia Records.
Bill Anderson version
"That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" was recorded at the Bradley Studios, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were produced by Owen Bradley, who would serve as Anderson's producer through most of years with Decca Records.{{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=Bill |title=From This Pen (Album Information and Liner Notes) |journal=Decca Records |date=June 1965}}
"That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" was released as a single by Decca Records in December 1958.{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}} It spent a total of 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart before reaching number 12 in February 1959. It became Anderson's first major hit as a music artist and his first charting record.{{cite magazine |title="That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bill-anderson/chart-history/csi/ |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=21 July 2020}} It was not first released on a proper album. However, seven years later, it appeared on his compilation From This Pen.
=Track listings=
7" vinyl single{{cite web |title=Bill Anderson -- ''That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" (1958, Vinyl) |url=https://www.discogs.com/Bill-Anderson-Thats-What-Its-Like-To-Be-Lonesome-The-Thrill-Of-My-Life/release/14241289 |website=Discogs |date=November 1958 |accessdate=21 July 2020}}
- "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" – 2:30
- "The Thrill of My Life" – 2:25
=Chart performance=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1958–1959)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|12|artist=Bill Anderson|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 21, 2020}} |
Ray Price version
{{Infobox song
| name = That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ray Price
| album =
| B-side = "Kissing Your Picture Is So Cold"
| released = {{Start date|1958|12}}
| recorded =
| studio = Columbia Studio
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Country|Nashville Sound}}
| length = {{duration|m=2|s=44}}
| label = Columbia
| writer = Bill Anderson
| producer = Don Law
| prev_title = City Lights
| prev_year = 1958
| next_title = Heartaches by the Number
| next_year = 1959
}}
"That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" was recorded at the Columbia Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were produced by Don Law.
"That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" was released as a single by Columbia Records in December 1958.{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}} It spent a total of 19 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart before reaching number 7 in February 1959. It was one of many top ten hits for Price on the Columbia label and was followed by several number one hits as well.{{cite magazine |title="That's What It's Like to Be Lonesomr" (Ray Price) chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ray-price/chart-history/csi/ |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=21 July 2020}} It was not first released on a proper album.
=Track listings=
7" vinyl single{{cite web |title=Ray Price -- "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" (1958, Vinyl) |url=https://www.discogs.com/Ray-Price-Kissing-Your-Picture-Is-So-Cold-Thats-What-Its-Like-To-Be-Lonesome/release/11825562 |website=Discogs |accessdate=21 July 2020}}
- "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" – 2:44
- "Kissing Your Picture Is So Cold" – 2:39
=Chart performance=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1958–1959)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|7|artist=Bill Anderson|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 21, 2020}} |