The Long Goodbye
Brooks & Dunn Lyrics


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I know they say if you love somebody
You should set them free
But it sure is hard to do
It sure is hard to do
I know they say if it don't come back again
Then it's meant to be (so they say)
Those words don't pull me through
'Cause I'm still in love with you
I spend each day here waiting for a miracle
But it's just you and me goin' through the mill
Climbin' up a hill

This is the long goodbye
Somebody tell me why
Two lovers in love can't make it
Just what kinda love keeps breaking a heart
No matter how hard I try
I always make you cry
Come on, baby, it's over let's face it
All that's happening here is a long goodbye

Sometimes I ask my heart did we really
Give our love a chance (just one more chance)
But I know without a doubt
We turned it inside out
And if we walked away
Would it make more sense
But it tears me up inside
Just to think we still could try
How long must we keep running on a carousel
Goin' 'round and 'round and never getting anywhere
On a wing and prayer

This is the long goodbye
Somebody tell me why
Two lovers in love can't make it
Just what kinda love keeps breaking a heart
No matter how hard I try
I always make you cry
Come on, baby, it's over let's face it
All that's happening here is a long goodbye

Long goodbye
(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, goodbye)
Oh-oh, oh
(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh)
Mm, long goodbye
(Goodbye)




(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, goodbye)
Oh, is a long goodbye

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Brooks & Dunn's "The Long Goodbye" tell a painful story of a couple who are unable to make their love work but are struggling to let go of each other. The song opens with the suggestion that if you love someone, you should set them free, but despite the truth of that notion, it is hard to follow through with it. The singer is still in love with their partner, even though they know that it is time to let go. They spend each day hoping for a miracle, but instead, it is just the two of them going through the motions of a relationship that isn't working.


The chorus repeats the refrain of the long goodbye, highlighting the intense pain that comes with knowing that a relationship is over but being unable to move on. The singer asks why two people who love each other can't make it work and wonders what kind of love keeps breaking their hearts. They acknowledge that they always make the other person cry and that it is time to face the fact that the relationship is over. The lyrics are a poignant reminder of the difficulty of letting go of someone you still love, even when it's time to move on.


Line by Line Meaning

I know they say if you love somebody
I understand that the popular belief is that you should let go of someone you love


You should set them free
You should give them their freedom


But it sure is hard to do
But it is difficult to do so


It sure is hard to do
It sure is hard to do


I know they say if it don't come back again
I also know that if it doesn't return then it was meant to be


Then it's meant to be (so they say)
This is what people say


Those words don't pull me through
However, those words do not provide comfort


'Cause I'm still in love with you
Because I still love you


I spend each day here waiting for a miracle
I am waiting for something magical to happen every day


But it's just you and me goin' through the mill
But in reality, we're just dealing with the struggles and hardships of life


Climbin' up a hill
Struggling and climbing up a hill, trying to make things work


This is the long goodbye
This is a long, drawn-out goodbye


Somebody tell me why
Can someone please explain to me


Two lovers in love can't make it
Why can't two people who love each other make it work


Just what kinda love keeps breaking a heart
What kind of love constantly breaks someone's heart


No matter how hard I try
Despite my best efforts


I always make you cry
I always end up making you sad


Come on, baby, it's over let's face it
Come on, it's over, let's accept it


All that's happening here is a long goodbye
All that is happening is that we are dragging out the goodbye


Sometimes I ask my heart did we really
Sometimes I question my heart


Give our love a chance (just one more chance)
Did we give our love a fair chance


But I know without a doubt
But I know for certain


We turned it inside out
We made a mess of it


And if we walked away
If we just walked away from each other


Would it make more sense
Would it be more logical


But it tears me up inside
But it causes me so much pain


Just to think we still could try
Just the mere thought of us trying again causes me pain


How long must we keep running on a carousel
How long must we continue this vicious cycle


Goin' 'round and 'round and never getting anywhere
Going in circles without making progress


On a wing and prayer
Hoping and praying that things will work out


Long goodbye
A drawn-out goodbye


(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, goodbye)
(sound effect)


Oh-oh, oh
(sound effect)


(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh)
(sound effect)


Mm, long goodbye
(sound effect) drawn-out goodbye


(Goodbye)
(sound effect) goodbye


(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, goodbye)
(sound effect)


Oh, is a long goodbye
Oh, this is a long, drawn-out goodbye




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Joseph Gerald Mary Brady, Ronan Keating

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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