‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’: Was the song written on the toilet?

‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ is a song that many South Africans remember from their party days, courtesy of the band Yes.

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But very few people know that the song was written by a South African artist named Trevor Rabin. Even fewer people know the story of the song, which was composed by its author during a trip to the bathroom.

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It’s one of the most successful songs ever written ‘on the toilet’ – but are there more?

‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’: Song written on the toilet

‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ was released in 1983, quickly hitting the top of international music charts as a great song for lonely listeners.

According to music magazine Louder, the origins of the song are a little strange.

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Songwriter Trevor Rabin – who happens to be South African-born – reportedly authored the song while in the bathroom.

There’s a lot you can do with a few minutes, and writing a hit-song is one of them.

YES: ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’

Owner of a Lonely Heart is a song released by the band YES.

If you don’t know, it comes from the studio album 90125. The song also became one of their most famous, and is associated with eighties parties.

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The song was released in the UK, but later also became famous in the United States – and then South Africa.

Did you know that Trevor Rabin is South African?

Listen to the song here

Want to have some memories of parties with really big hair?

If you crank up the volume, you can almost smell the remainder of eighties dance floors and a night’s worth of spilled drinks.

Hey, we didn’t say all of the memories were great – but the song is.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY FRANCOIS JANSEN (‘ALEX J COYNE’)