"Lonely Boy" was co-written by , Jools Holland , and Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics). It was part of the Royal Tea sessions, an album Joe recorded at Abbey Road Studios as a tribute to the British blues-rock heroes who inspired him, such as Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.
: Unlike some of the darker, more introspective tracks on the album, Joe describes "Lonely Boy" as an "over-the-top swinging performance". The lyrics reflect a sense of isolation and feeling like a "classroom fool," but the music is high-energy and horn-heavy. Joe on Later… With Jools Holland! – Joe Bonamassa Joe Bonamassa - Lonely Boy (Later with Jools Holland)
: Joe sought out authentic British voices to help capture the specific "Royal" sound he wanted. He specifically reached out to Jools Holland to inject a classic boogie-woogie feel into the track. "Lonely Boy" was co-written by , Jools Holland
