Alone

"Alone" is a song by Ween from the 1991 album The Pod.

Song Details

Recording and Composition

"Alone" is a psychedelic slowcore song. The studio version is in the key of F# major, though Gene Ween's solo performances transposed it up to A# major.

The lyrics were written by Dean Ween, who also sings the lead vocals. The backing music, recorded by Gene and Mean Ween, was originally intended to be a cover of the song "The Bones in the Ground" by Robyn Hitchcock before it became the song "Alone" upon being completed by Dean; Deaner had mistakenly believed it to be original music by Gener, and recorded his own vocals over it. This story was related by Dean Ween in a 2015 Facebook post:

Ok kids, gather around in a circle, for it's Dean ween Story hour! i came home from pumping gas to the Pod and there was this song recorded by Gener and Cribber (Mean ween). I really liked it and Aaron was making tacos at work. I wrote vocals and sang it and when he came back he told me it was a Robyn hitchcock cover they didn't have time to put vocals on it. so we asked Robyn's permission to use it as is, and he said yes. Very nice dude. so here you have it "Alone" by Ween--and the "real version as well.

Alternate Versions

The version that appears on the Big Timmy Wasserman demo tape is the same recording used for the Pod album.

Live Performances

"Alone" has never been played live by Ween. However, Gene Ween played it four times at solo acoustic shows in 2007.

Lyrics

When the life
Inside
No doubt
Has died
And you've turned your head away
You tried to play
And at the end of the day
It's you
Again
Alone

Alone
Confined
The mess in your mind
And you can't relate to them
You've reaped and sown
But little is known
By those who aren't alone
Why should a man
Learn not again
What he has learned before
He's overcome
But must succumb
To what he's living for
He tried and tried
Although survived
He missed
And he's fallen short
Though little known
His heart of stone
Will make him feel
Alone.

Song Themes

Sung by Dean Ween