After the success of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", the intended follow-up, "East Side West Side", was released only in Australia due to an argument with Motown head Berry Gordy. The song was written by Ron Welser and Flamingos' member Terry Johnson.
With his brother David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin released a popular cover version of "Stand By Me" (by Ben E. King), taken from The Ruffin Brothers' album, I Am My Brother's Keeper.
Jimmy Ruffin's other hits include "I've Passed This Way Before", "Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got", "Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby", "I'll Say Forever My Love", "It's Wonderful To Be Loved By You" and "Tell Me What You Want".
In 1980 he collaborated with the Bee Gees' musician Robin Gibb, who produced his album Sunrise. From it came the single which would be his last Top 10 UK and U.S. hit: "Hold On To My Love". In 1986 Jimmy Ruffin collaborated with the British pop group Heaven 17, singing "A Foolish Thing To Do" and "My Sensitivity" on a 12" EP record.
In the 1980s, Ruffin moved to live in Britain, where he continued to perform successfully. In December 1984 he collaborated with Paul Weller of The Style Council for his benefit single "Soul Deep." This went under the name of The Council Collective.
Following the 2010 release of his album I Am My Brother's Keeper, Ruffin began writing and recording songs for a new album that was never issued.
In 2012, a compilation album entitled, "There Will Never Be Another You", including his hit songs "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted", and "Hold On To My Love" had been released.
In addition to his brother David Ruffin (deceased), Jimmy Ruffin had three other siblings: Quincy, Rita Mae (deceased) and Rosa (deceased).
Farewell Is A Lonely Sound
Jimmy Ruffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Farewell is a lonely sound
When told to someone you love
You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why
You must leave the one that you love
Saying goodbye to someone you love
You say it's just for a while, then you force a smile
And you hope she'll understand
Then a tear appears in her eyes
As she tightly holds your hand
Then you let her know that it's time to go
You must leave while you can
Oh but, farewell is a lonely sound
When told to someone you love
You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why
You must leave the one that you love
(Farewell farewell my love, farewell farewell my love)
I'm leaving darling, but I'll be, back one day
Ooh every silent step you take
Each one hurts your heart
As you board the train, you feel the pain
That starts as you depart, yeah
You wipe your eyes so she can't see
Cos a man should never cry
Now there's just a trace of her crying face
As you wave to her goodbye, that's why
Farewell is a lonely sound
When told to someone you love
You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why
You must leave the one that you love
I don't wanna leave you baby, I don't wanna say goodbye no, no
Oooh cos it hurts inside, and you wonder why
You must leave the one that you love
Baby baby, farewell is a lonely sound
When told to someone you love
You know you hurt inside as you wonder why (fade)
The lyrics to Jimmy Ruffin's song "Farewell Is a Lonely Sound" speak of the heartbreak and pain that comes with having to leave someone you love. The act of saying goodbye to the one you love is never an easy thing to do, and the song perfectly captures the feelings of hurt and sadness that come with it. When you love someone deeply, the thought of leaving them can be unbearable, and the lyrics reflect that as they describe the tearing apart of two people who care for each other.
The song starts with the repeating line "farewell farewell my love" and emphasizes that the word "farewell" is a lonely sound when told to someone you love. The lyrics reflect on the aftermath of saying goodbye and the heartbreak it causes. The verses also convey how hard it is to say goodbye, and the emotions that one goes through when leaving someone you love. The part about wiping your eyes so your lover doesn't notice the tears comes across as particularly poignant, as it's a sign that you're trying to keep yourself together during such an emotional moment.
Overall, the song speaks to the universal experience of having to say goodbye to someone you love. It captures the pain, the heartbreak, and the sorrow of having to separate from someone you care about deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
Farewell is a lonely sound
The word 'farewell' carries sadness and heartache
When told to someone you love
Parting words with a loved one is really tough
You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why
You feel emotional pain and don't understand why it has to happen
You must leave the one that you love
You have to make the decision to depart from someone you love
Saying goodbye to someone you love
Telling a loved one that you're going to leave is painful
Is so hard for any man
It's one of the hardest things anyone can do
You say it's just for a while, then you force a smile
You try to make them feel better by promising to return soon even if it's untrue
And you hope she'll understand
You wish them to be empathetic of your condition
Then a tear appears in her eyes
The loved one is tearful
As she tightly holds your hand
The loved one holds on tightly for as long as possible
Then you let her know that it's time to go
You alert them that it's time to move on
You must leave while you can
You have to make your move at the right time
Ooh every silent step you take
Every movement you make is difficult and heartbreaking
Each one hurts your heart
Each step causes pain
As you board the train, you feel the pain
The pain lingers as you continue your journey
That starts as you depart, yeah
The pain initiates as you begin to leave
You wipe your eyes so she can't see
You mask your sadness to avoid hurting them more
Cos a man should never cry
It's often perceived as weak if a man shows his sadness
Now there's just a trace of her crying face
You remember the sight of your loved one's crying face
As you wave to her goodbye, that's why
You are reminded of your decision to let them go as you bid your farewell
I'm leaving darling, but I'll be, back one day
You promise to return someday
Farewell is a lonely sound (farewell farewell my love, farewell farewell my love)
The phrase farewell is associated with a feeling of loneliness
I don't wanna leave you baby, I don't wanna say goodbye no, no
You are reluctant to go and find it hard to say farewell
Oooh cos it hurts inside, and you wonder why
The pain of leaving is internal and leaves you questioning why you must go
Baby baby, farewell is a lonely sound
Saying farewell is lonely and difficult, especially in relationships
When told to someone you love
The pain of saying farewell is all the more worse when it's to a loved one
You know you hurt inside as you wonder why (fade)
You feel emotional pain and question why leaving is necessary
Contributed by Adrian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paula Jones
This song was played at my dads funeral, I think it was his way of saying goodbye to my mum. Always brings tears to my eyes😇💙
Elliott Curtis
My old man wanted the same xoxo
Jonathan Clary
I'm Sure Jimmy Ruffin would be pleased to know that his music is still beloved by thousand of his fans.
When i die i want some of his music to be played at my funeral too.
Mark Barnett
going to a wake in croydon parish church 12th august / bring a playlist for a great music fan / she was facebook friend in SPAIN .
Yvonne Clegg
Absolutely loved this song in the 70's. I lost my precious son in 2011 aged 30 and I still play this now for a different reason. The songs can mean so much at different times of your life. x
kev wag
So true, god bless.
Stephen Donnelly
omg so sorry for your loss beaut xx
Harry Donaldson
I lost my youngest sister to breast cancer around the same time and like you this song now holds conflicting memories than first encountered. I hope you've found some kind of peace in your time since.
Stephen Beetham
As a teen falling in and out of love in the 70s this was a huge part of it.
Baz Howell
One of my favourite songs of all time .... Jimmy Ruffin was absolute quality.