Haley was born William John Clifton Haley (some sources append "Junior" to … Read Full Bio ↴Haley was born William John Clifton Haley (some sources append "Junior" to his name, but his eldest son states that this is erroneous) in Highland Park, Michigan and raised in Pennsylvania. Many sources (almost universally predating his death in 1981) state that Haley was born in 1927, which is due to Haley knocking two years off his age for publicity purposes in the 1950s. A few recent sources erroneously give a birth year of 1924.

Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.

In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.

After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.

Farewell So Long Goodbye
Bill Haley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So now you′re gonna leave, you think I'm gonna grief
You think I′m gonna cry and you think I'm gonna sigh, I'm not
I′m gonna say to you
Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through

Farewell, so long, goodbye
Farewell, so long, goodbye
You′re leaving me these words of three

Farewell, so long, goodbye

First you say you can, then you say you can't
Then you say you will, then you won′t, then you ramble, I'll go
I′m gonna say to you
Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through

Farewell, so long, goodbye
Farewell, so long, goodbye
You're leaving me these words of three
Farewell, so long, goodbye

I hope you′re satisfied, I know you that you'll oblige
You think I'm gonna yearn, but you got a lot to learn ′cause I′m not
I'm gonna say to you
Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through

Farewell, so long, goodbye
Farewell, so long, goodbye
You′re leaving me these words of three
Farewell, so long, goodbye

Farewell, so long, goodbye
Farewell, so long, goodbye

You're leaving me these words of three
Farewell, so long, goodbye

Overall Meaning

In Bill Haley's song "Farewell So Long Goodbye," the lyrics revolve around a breakup and the singer's refusal to show any signs of grief or sorrow. The singer addresses their departing lover who may expect them to be devastated by the end of the relationship. However, the singer defies these expectations and asserts their strength and independence.

The repetition of the phrase "Farewell, so long, goodbye" throughout the song reinforces the finality of the breakup. The singer repeatedly assures their departing lover that they are ready to move on and that the three little words, "farewell, so long, goodbye," signify the end of their relationship.

The second verse highlights the conflicting emotions and indecisiveness of the departing lover. The singer acknowledges the wavering statements of their partner, who first claims they can, then can't, and then vacillates between saying they will and won't continue the relationship. In response, the singer declares that these uncertainties are enough for them to walk away.

In the final verse, the singer expresses a sense of empowerment and satisfaction in their decision to end the relationship. They dismiss their partner's assumptions that they will yearn for them, emphasizing that the departing lover has much to learn. Again, the three little words serve as a definitive statement of closure.

Overall, "Farewell So Long Goodbye" portrays a strong and independent individual who refuses to be devastated by a breakup. The lyrics suggest that the singer has found the strength to move on and expresses a sense of satisfaction in doing so.

Line by Line Meaning

So now you're gonna leave, you think I'm gonna grief
You have made the decision to leave, assuming that I will be heartbroken

You think I'm gonna cry and you think I'm gonna sigh, I'm not
You believe that I will shed tears and express sadness, but I won't

I'm gonna say to you Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through
I will convey these three words to you, indicating the end of our relationship

First you say you can, then you say you can't
Initially, you claim that you are capable, then you contradict yourself and say you are unable

Then you say you will, then you won't, then you ramble, I'll go
You continue to vacillate between agreeing and disagreeing, and I have decided to leave

I'm gonna say to you Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through
I will express these three words to you, indicating the end of our relationship

I hope you're satisfied, I know that you'll oblige
I expect that you feel content with your decision and will adhere to it

You think I'm gonna yearn, but you got a lot to learn 'cause I'm not
You believe I will long for you, but you are mistaken as I won't

I'm gonna say to you Uh, these three little words and they mean that we are through
I will communicate these three words to you, signifying the end of our relationship

Farewell, so long, goodbye
A final farewell, a prolonged goodbye, an ultimate goodbye

You're leaving me these words of three Farewell, so long, goodbye
Your parting message to me consists of these three words: Farewell, so long, goodbye

Writer(s): Bill Haley

Contributed by Lucy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS