Lonely Road (song) explained

Lonely Road
Cover:Machine Gun Kelly & Jelly Roll - Lonely Road.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll
Released:July 26, 2024
Length:3:09
Chronology:Machine Gun Kelly
Prev Title:El Pistolero
Prev Year:2024

"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".[1] [2]

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.[3] The lyrics focus on struggling with love relationships, as well as alcohol addiction to cope with losses.[4] [5] [6] 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.[7] 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

Weekly charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 66
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[9] 4

Monthly charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[10] 79

Notes and References

  1. Kreps . Daniel . Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll Drop Video for John Denver-Inspired 'Lonely Road' . . August 23, 2024 . July 26, 2024.
  2. Web site: Burton . Poppy . Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll share John Denver-inspired single 'Lonely Road' . . August 23, 2024 . July 27, 2024.
  3. Web site: Jelly Roll + MGK Put a New Spin on John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' . . August 23, 2024 . July 26, 2024.
  4. Web site: Horvath . Zachary . MGK & Jelly Roll Divulge In Their Tragic Pasts On "Lonely Road" . . August 23, 2024 . July 29, 2024.
  5. News: Gibbs . Audrey . Megan Fox plays pregnant woman in music video for new MGK, Jelly Roll song 'Lonely Road' . August 23, 2024 . . July 26, 2024.
  6. Kaufman . Gil . Megan Fox Gives Birth, Bunnie XO Struggles With Infertility in Emotional Jelly Roll and MGK 'Lonely Road' Video . . August 23, 2024 . July 26, 2024.
  7. Web site: Martin . Annie . Megan Fox joins Machine Gun Kelly, Jelly Roll in 'Lonely Road' music video . . August 23, 2024 . July 26, 2024.
  8. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 5 August 2024. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1796. 4. August 5, 2024.
  9. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. August 5, 2024. August 23, 2024.
  10. Web site: SK – RADIO – TOP 100: Měsíc 10/2024. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. November 25, 2024. cs.