Cher recorded " Song for the Lonely " in the summer of 2001 in London and intended to include it on her twenty-fourth studio album '' Living Proof '' ( 2001 ) , it immediately became her favorite song . However , after the September 11 attacks , she began thinking of it in a different way . In an interview with '' Larry King Live '' she said that after the attacks , she was listening to the album and when the track began , all of a sudden it took on a completely different meaning for her , specially because of the " when heroes fall in love and war , they live forever " lyric . Cher commented that " Song for the Lonely " was one of the best tracks she has ever had the opportunity to sing , because before the attacks , " we still lived in a world of innocence " . According to the album liner notes , " Song for the Lonely " is " dedicated to the courageous people of New York especially the fire fighters , the police , Mayor Giuliani , Governor Pataki and my friend Liz "
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Song for the Lonely