For My Sunday Song #414, we are going to go a little country with Paul Laine’s band called DarkHorse. The song is called “Goodbye” and is off the album called “Let It Ride” which was released in 2014, almost 25 years after his rock debut album. This is Paul’s first dive in to the Country genre and saw him head to down to Nashville and work with Steve Ohe. I don’t think the song was a single and the album didn’t do much in the charts here in the States, but it was a country album that country fans missed out on for sure.
The song is a love letter to the woman who left him for another man. He’s heartbroken and looking for closure but doesn’t know how to get that closure as she is gone and he hasn’t been album to properly say goodbye. He loved her so much that the fact she left has scarred him deeply. He wants to see her one more time even if it is just to say goodbye, but he can’t do that if he doesn’t know how why she left and if it isn’t truly over.
The song is a ballad and yes there is a country twang to it, but at its heart, the song is still a melodic rock love song. It has that 80’s rock, ballad sound with a few country guitars such as a slide and steel guitar. Paul’s vocals are so tender and heartbreakingly sad that the emotion from those lyrics oozes out. You can feel the pain he is feeling. His vocals never age and he can still hit these high notes that most artist would kill for. As far as ballads go, they don’t get much better than this. You will see it leans less country and more rock if you listen to the heart of the song.
![](https://2loud2oldmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ab67616d0000b2732168002c5649d8ad580b4f4a.jpg)
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Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. Would this have been a big hit back in the late 80’s, early 90’s? Or is it a little too cheesy? Strip out the country and you have a hit! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday.
“Goodbye”
The say if you love someone let them go
And one day they might come back, but you never know
And I cross my heart I’ll be heading back this time
Cause I know it’s over and you won’t change you mind
[chorus]
Just tell me how do I say goodbye?
How do I get on with my life?
If there is no more you and I
How can I get closure if it’s not over
How do I Say Goodbye
Tell me the truth so I understand
Did you have your heart set on another man
Cause you moved on and I get left behind
And I’m giving up hope that you might change your mind
[chorus]
Please tell me how do I saw goodbye?
How do I go on with my life?
If there is no more you and I
How can I get closure if it’s not over
Help me to mend my broken heart and pick up the life you’ve turn apart
I loved you so long it left a scar
How do I get closure if it’s not over?
How do I say goodbye?
And I cross my heart I’ll be holding back this time
Cuz I know it’s over and you won’t change your mind
[chorus]
Just tell me how do I say goodbye?
How do I get on with my life?
If there is no more you and I , How can I get closure?
Cuz If it’s all over
Help me to mend my broken heart and pick up the life you’ve turn apart
I loved you so long it left a scar
How do I get closure if Its not over?
How do I say goodbye?
How do I say goodbye?
Written by Paul Laine and Steve Ohe
I can’t really say how the song would have done back in the 80s, but it probably should have been released as a single. All I know is that I liked it.
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This is really a great song. First time I have listened to it. It has made me listen to other songs from the same artist.
I love country music and obviously could not let this pass.
Great work there
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Give Laine credit dipping his toes into the sand and trying a different genre. Wasn’t Leppard dicking around with McGraw at around this time? What were they thinking?? lol
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Yeah, and it wasn’t bad I have to admit. Don’t like when rockers go country but I could follow Laine if he did.
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It’s a beautiful, heartfelt anthem in a similar vein to “Need You Now” by Lady A (Antebellum), and I think it should have been a hit, at minimum on the Country charts.
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