So Long
Angela Cartwright/Charmian Carr/Debbie Turner/Duane Chase/Heather Menzies/Ki Lyrics
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And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckoo"
Cuckoo, cuckoo
Regretfully they tell us Cuckoo, cuckoo
To say goodbye
Cuckoo!
To you
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye
Goodbye!
I'm glad to go, I cannot tell a lie
I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly
The sun has gone to bed and so must I
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye!
The song "So Long Farewell" by the cast of The Sound of Music is a farewell tune sung by the Von Trapp children to their guests leaving the party. The song starts with the sounds of a clock ticking and the bells chiming, indicating the passage of time and the inevitability of goodbyes. The children pretend to be a little cuckoo bird, making a funny sound, but they are filled with sadness as they are being compelled to say goodbye.
The first verse is followed by a chorus where each child bids adieu in their own unique manner. The first child says "so long," the second "farewell," the third "auf wiedersehen," indicating a German farewell, and the fourth adds "good night." The chorus is repeated, but this time, the children say goodbye in more languages - French, German and English, respectively.
The children express their sorrow but also indulge in a bit of humor in the later verses. They say they would have liked to taste their first champagne and want to flit, float, fleetly flee, and fly away. The song ends with a final goodbye, where the children say they are happy to go. The song is a heartwarming farewell, a reminder of the impermanence of happy moments, and a tribute to fleeting memories.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
The clock in the hall is clanging in a sorrowful way
And the bells in the steeple too
The bells in the steeple are ringing as well
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
An absurd little bird is in the nursery
Is popping out to say "cuckoo"
The bird is saying 'cuckoo'
Cuckoo, cuckoo
Said twice for emphasis
Regretfully they tell us Cuckoo, cuckoo
Sadly, they tell us it's time to go
But firmly they compel us Cuckoo, cuckoo
They insist that we leave anyway
To say goodbye
To bid farewell
Cuckoo!
One last 'cuckoo' before departing
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
Goodbye in various languages, adding 'good night'
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
Leaving this pleasant environment is regrettable
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
'Adieu' means 'goodbye' in French
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
Said multiple times to emphasize goodbye to everyone
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
More ways of saying goodbye, 'au revoir' is in French
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
Staying to experience new things is tempting
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
Another round of goodbyes
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye
Said with a heavy heart and a sigh
Goodbye!
Final farewell
I'm glad to go, I cannot tell a lie
Leaving is bittersweet, but there's excitement for the future
I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly
Expressing the feeling of quickly departing
The sun has gone to bed and so must I
It's time to leave, just as the sun sets
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Said thrice for a final farewell
Goodbye!
One last goodbye
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind