He retired from performing in 1979. He had many famous hits including, "Kisses Don't Lie", "Are You Teasing Me", "Hey Joe", and many others.
In 2003, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is probably best known for the recording of "Times A-Wastin'" with June Carter.
This Orchid Means Goodbye
Carl Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To-(C)night I (G7)send an (C)orchid
And though I'll al-ways (F)care
This orchid means good-(C)bye to you
and to our love af-(G7)fair
It's (C)just my way to tell you
And I hope that you want (F)cry
But I be-long to (C)some-one else
VERSE 2:
(C)When you (G7)said that you (C)lov-ed me
I knew it wouldn't (F)do
Cause I'm in love with (C)some-one else
I guess I love you (G7)too
But I'm (C)marri-ed to a-nother
What chance of you and (F)I
So I just send an (C)orchid, dear
This (G7)orchid, means good-(C)bye
VERSE 3:
(C)Our love (G7)might have been (C)dif-fer-ent
But I made sa-cred (F)vows
And I can't ever (C)break the heart
that I hold with mine, (G7)now
So (C)please for-get the past dear
as time goes pass-ing (F)by
Cause we can't ever (C)love a-gain
This (G7)orchid means good-(C)bye
In Carl Smith's song 'This Orchid Means Goodbye', the singer uses an orchid to symbolize the end of his affair with his lover. He sends this specific flower to tell her that he can no longer be with her as he belongs to someone else. In the first verse, he acknowledges that he still cares for her but must end things between them. He hopes that she does not cry upon receiving the orchid. In the second verse, the singer reflects on how he knew their relationship was doomed from the start because he was already in love with someone else. He expresses love for his current wife but also admits to loving his past lover. The orchid is a message that he cannot be with her anymore. The final verse has the singer admitting that their love could have been different, but he had already made a commitment to his wife. He cannot break her heart, and the only way to end things is to say goodbye through the orchid. The song is a combination of love and heartbreak, as one relationship ends while another continues.
The lyrics of 'This Orchid Means Goodbye' are an excellent example of the use of symbolism in songwriting. The orchid, a beautiful flower, has more significant meaning in this context. The singer uses it as an instrument to send a message to his lover. He cannot be with her, and she must move on. There is also an element of regret as the singer acknowledges that he might have loved her if things were different. However, he has already made a commitment and must keep his promise. The song's overall mood is melancholic and sad, with a strong sense of finality.
Line by Line Meaning
To-night I send an orchid
I am sending an orchid as a symbol of our goodbye for tonight
And though I'll always care
Despite this being goodbye, I will still always care about you
This orchid means goodbye to you and to our love affair
Through this orchid, I am saying my farewell to you and the love we shared
It's just my way to tell you
Sending this orchid is simply how I have chosen to express my goodbye to you
And I hope that you want cry
I hope that this doesn't make you want to cry
But I belong to someone else
I am with someone else now
This orchid means goodbye
This orchid symbolizes our farewell
When you said that you loved me
When you expressed your love for me
I knew it wouldn't do
I knew that it couldn't work between us
Cause I'm in love with someone else
Because I am in love with another person
I guess I love you too
I suppose I also have feelings for you
But I'm married to another
I am married to someone else
What chance of you and I
What possibility is there for a relationship between us
So I just send an orchid, dear
Therefore, I am sending you an orchid as our farewell
Our love might have been different
Our love could have taken a different path
But I made sacred vows
However, I took sacred vows
And I can't ever break the heart that I hold with mine, now
I cannot bear to break the heart of the one I am with
So please forget the past, dear as time goes passing by
Therefore, please move on from our past relationship as time passes
Cause we can't ever love again
Because there is no possibility for us to love each other again
This orchid means goodbye
This orchid serves as our farewell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BUCK BRYANT, MARK WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind