Honestly, if you've ever felt that weird, selfish tug of wanting someone to stay single just in case you decide you want them later, you've lived the plot of Samantha Fish Better Be Lonely. It is a bit of a "cake and eat it too" situation.
Samantha Fish isn't your standard blues purist, and this track proves it. Released as the third single from her 2021 album Faster, it basically took the traditional blues-rock foundation and threw a glossy, pop-centered curveball at it. It’s gritty. It’s catchy. It’s a little bit mean, if we’re being real.
Fish herself has described the song as lighthearted but definitely self-centered. It’s about "putting someone on ice." You aren't ready to commit, you aren't ready to be theirs, but the thought of them being with anyone else is absolutely out of the question.
The Sound of Samantha Fish Better Be Lonely
When you listen to the studio version, you’re hearing the handiwork of Martin Kierszenbaum. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he’s worked with pop titans like Lady Gaga and Madonna. That influence is all over this track. It has this "louche," devil-may-care energy that feels more like a late-night drive through LA than a swampy Missouri dive bar.
The production is crisp. Too crisp for some old-school blues fans? Maybe. But for everyone else, the way the synth elements mesh with her signature guitar wail is just chef's kiss.
- The Vocals: They are front and center. Fish pushed her voice into a more emotive, textured territory here.
- The Drums: Josh Freese (who has played with everyone from Nine Inch Nails to Foo Fighters) provides a pocket that is tight but has enough "swing" to keep it from feeling like a robot programmed it.
- The Guitar: She actually did away with most of her pedals for this record. She wanted to find the tone in her hands rather than relying on a board full of effects.
Why the "Faster" Album Changed Everything
Before Faster, Samantha was already a guitar hero. She had the cigar box guitars, the slide skills, and the respect of the Memphis scene. But Faster—and specifically tracks like Samantha Fish Better Be Lonely—felt like a pivot toward something bigger.
She wanted to be a "pop-rock monster" for a second. And she pulled it off.
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The album hit number one on the Billboard Blues chart almost immediately. But it also crept onto the Rock and Americana charts. It’s a genre-blurring mess in the best way possible. She basically said, "I can play the blues in my sleep, so let's see what happens if I try to write a hit."
The Lyrics: A Masterclass in Romantic Gatekeeping
"I wish you liked me better, but you don't."
That’s how it starts. It’s an admission of a messy, lopsided dynamic. The chorus is where the "Better Be Lonely" hook really digs in. It’s an ultimatum. She isn't asking him to wait; she's telling him he better be hungry for her touch when she finally decides to come around.
It’s bold. It’s a total power move.
There’s a line about having the "key to lock you down, won't lock you up." It captures that modern relationship anxiety where you want the security of owning someone's heart without the responsibility of actually being in a relationship with them.
The 2024 Live Version vs. The Studio Original
If you find the studio version a bit too "produced," you need to check out the live version she dropped in late 2024.
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Recorded in Nashville, this version strips away the Kierszenbaum gloss and replaces it with raw, blistering energy. It’s loose. It’s freewheeling. This is where you really hear why she’s been sharing stages with Slash and Eric Clapton.
The solo on the live track is a monster. It’s less about the "pop sensibility" and more about the "I am going to melt your face off with this Gibson SG" energy.
- The studio version (2021) is for your "getting ready to go out" playlist.
- The live version (2024) is for when you want to remember why guitar music still matters.
Technical Credits You Might Care About
The song wasn't a solo effort. Aside from Kierszenbaum, the track featured:
- Diego Navaira on bass.
- Tony Lake on engineering.
- Robert Orton on the mix.
It was recorded at The Village in Los Angeles, a legendary spot that has seen everyone from Fleetwood Mac to Dr. Dre. You can hear that "expensive" studio sound in every note.
Is It Actually a Feminist Anthem?
Fish has called it a "feminist anthem in a way."
That might seem weird for a song about being jealous and controlling, but her logic is solid: it’s about a woman writing from her own raw experience without trying to be "likable."
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Usually, in blues and rock, women are either the "wronged lover" or the "mysterious temptress." In Samantha Fish Better Be Lonely, she’s just a person being kind of a jerk because she's focused on her own life and her own career. She’s rebelling against the expectation that she has to be "available" or "nurturing."
She’s on the road. She’s busy. She’s successful. And yeah, she’s a little bit selfish about her time. Honestly? Respect.
How to Get the Tone
If you’re a guitar player trying to figure out how she gets that "Better Be Lonely" sound, start by turning off your distortion pedals.
She’s all about the "clean-ish" break-up. You want an amp that’s just starting to growl when you dig in with the pick. She uses her volume knob on the guitar like a surgical tool.
She often plays a Delaney 512 or her signature white Gibson SG. If you want that specific "cluck" and "snap" from the record, you need to work on your right-hand technique. It’s all about the attack.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Listen:
- Listen for the "Space": In the verses, notice how much room she leaves. The guitar isn't constant; it "stabs" in and out.
- Compare the Versions: Put the 2021 studio track and the 2024 live Nashville recording side-by-side. It’s a masterclass in how a song can evolve from a pop production into a blues-rock jam.
- Watch the Hands: If you watch the music video or live clips, pay attention to her slide work. She doesn't use it for the whole song, but when she does, it’s precise and vocal-like.
- Check Out "Faster": Don't just stop at this single. The whole album, especially "Twisted Ambition," carries this same high-energy, defiant spirit.