"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",Martinez-Belen, Crispina. "MYMP's pre-Valentine show". mb.com.ph, February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-04. it peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart. It was one of the earlier pop hits in Goodrum's career.Minting, Will. "Jay Graydon & Randy Goodrum interview, October 2008". ejazznews.com, November 1, 2008. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
"It's Sad to Belong" was released in May 1977Nite, Norm N. Rock On: The Modern Years: 1964 - Present, Volume 2 (Crowell, 1980), p. 152. through Big Tree Records, with the B-side "The Time Has Come".Koenig, John. Goldmine Records & Prices (Krause Pubns Inc, 2006). It became one of "a string of hit singles" that England Dan & John Ford Coley had in the mid-1970s."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.
The song topped the Adult Contemporary (then called "Easy Listening") chart for five consecutive weeks from June 25 to July 23.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. It also appeared on the top 40 "rack singles" list on June 7.Billboard, June 18, 1977. On December 24, it ranked No. 3 on Billboard'''s end-of-the-year easy listening chart.Billboard, December 24, 1977.
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."Dowdy Ferry Road - England Dan & John Ford Coley". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
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. 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).Van Atta, Dale. "Patented simplicity on the 'Dowdy Ferry Road'". The Deseret News, June 10, 1977, p. 20.Billboard described the song as a "sweetly catchy ballad." Cash Box said "The strong point is their seamless harmony, easing a catchy chorus through several refrains." Record World'' said that "the latest single by this duo deals with the 'trying to love two' theme in a way that should find listeners in pop, MOR and country formats in short order."
It is still performed in concerts by the surviving member of the duo, John Ford Coley.
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1977)PeakpositionUS Cash Box Top 100
Year-end charts Chart (1977)RankCanada Top Singles 91US Cash Box US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)
Other versions B.J. Thomas recorded a version of "It's Sad to Belong" in 1977 on his eponymous LP.Discogs - B.J. Thomas 1977
See also List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1977
References
External links