Goodbye My Love

Link to my "Goodbye My Love" playlist on Spotify

The theme of this week’s episode is "Goodbye My Love", and our first song has that same title. It is by Demis Roussos from his album “Forever and Ever” which was released in 1973.

“Arrivederci Roma” by Dean Martin from 1962 has got to be one of the most romantic songs ever recorded, and Dino’s voice makes it even more romantic.

“Io Me Ne Andrei” is by Claudio Baglioni, from 1973. The title of the song means “I would leave”, and he seems to be trying to convince himself to leave, listing all of the reasons why it doesn’t make sense any more to stay, but he doesn’t seem 100% convinced to actually go.

Now let’s listen to “Leaving on a Jet Plane” which was written and recorded by John Denver in 1966, but I’ve chosen the version by Peter, Paul & Mary. They recorded it in 1967 for their album 1700, but it didn’t become a hit for them until 1969 when it was released as a single. It was their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song also spent three weeks at the top of the easy listening chart and also topped the charts in Canada. It reached No. 2 on both the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart in February of 1970. Here is “Leaving on a Jet Plane”.

Now let’s listen to  “Every Time You Go Away” by Paul Young from 1985.

And now, a powerful love song about not being able to go on, without the one you love. Here is “Without You” by Harry Nilsson from 1971.

“Ciao” by Lucio Dalla from 1999 says it all, very simply… just “ciao”...and then “I don’t know whose fault it is”.

Here is “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor from 1970.

“How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” by Michael Bolton from 1989 was written in 1982 by Doug James and Michael Bolton. The ballad has been recorded by many artists around the world, in several languages. It was supposed to have been recorded by the Australian duo “Air Supply”, but when asked for permission to change the lyrics of the chorus, Bolton refused. Subsequently, Laura Branigan recorded it as written, and it became the first major hit for the two songwriters. Bolton's own recording of the song became a worldwide hit in early 1990.

“Perdere L’Amore” by Massimo Ranieri from 1988 is a potent love song. The title means “To Lose Love” and it begins by saying “Now leave. I want to be alone with my melancholy and just float away. I never asked who you were, or why you chose me, but until yesterday I felt like a king.”

Next up is “Gentle on My Mind” by Glen Campbell from 1967. It was written and originally recorded by John Hartford and won four Grammy Awards in 1968, two for Hartford and two for Glen Campbell for his version of the song. Glen Campbell's version has received over 5 million plays on the radio, and he used it as the theme for his TV variety show, “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” between 1969 and 1972. Three versions of the song, by Campbell, by Dean Martin, and by Patti Page, all reached the top ten of the U.S. easy listening chart in 1968. The song is ranked number 16 on BMI's Top 100 Songs of the Century.

Now let’s listen to “Kiss & Say Goodbye” by The Manhattans from 1976.

“What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers from 1979 was written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by The Doobie Brothers (with McDonald singing lead vocals) for their 1978 album “Minute by Minute”. The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammy Awards in 1980 for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

“The Best of My Love” by the Eagles from their 1974 album “On the Border” was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J. D. Souther. It was released as the third single from the album, and it became the band's first Billboard Hot 100 number 1 single. It also topped the easy listening chart for one week, and Billboard ranked it as the number 12 song for 1975.

Be sure to tune in every week for a new episode of Love Songs, featuring host Marcy Coate. See the sidebar for current broadcast days and times.