never can say goodbye
Jimmy Somerville & Bronski Beat Lyrics


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No no, never say

Never can say goodbye
No, no, no, no, I
Never can say goodbye

Ev'ry time I think I've had enough
And start heading for the door

There's a very strange vibration
Piercing me right to the core

It says turn around you fool
You know you love him more and more

Tell me why
Tell me why
Is it so?
(i) don't want to let you go

I never can say goodbye, boy uuh
No no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,
No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

I never can say goodbye, boy
Uh no no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,
No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

I never can say goodbye, boy
I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, no, no
I never can say goodbye

I keep thinkin' yhat our problems
Soon are all gonna work out

But there's that same unhappy feelin'
There's that anguish, there's that doubt

It's that same old dizzy hang up
Can't do with you or without

Tell me why
Tell me why
Is it so?
(i) don't want to let you go

I never can say goodbye, boy
Uh no no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,
No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

I never can say goodbye, boy
Uh no no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,
No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

[i never can say goodbye, boy]
[i never can say goodbye, boy]
Ev'ry time I think I've had enough
And start heading for the door

There's a very strange vibration
Piercing me right to the core

It says turn around you fool
You know you love him more and more

Tell me why
Tell me why
Is it so?
(i) don't want to let you go

I never can say goodbye, boy
Uh no no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,
No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

I never can say goodbye, boy
Uh no no no
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no,




No, no, no,
No, no, no, uhu uhu

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jimmy Somerville's song "Never Can Say Goodbye" capture the struggle to let go of a love that is causing pain and uncertainty. The singer keeps thinking that their problems will eventually work out, but the negative emotions persist. The line "there's that same unhappy feeling, there's that anguish, there's that doubt" encapsulates this sense of turmoil. Despite feeling like they should leave, the singer is compelled to stay by a "strange vibration" that tells them they love their partner "more and more." This inner conflict is further expressed through the repetition of "never can say goodbye," emphasizing the inability to move on.


The song highlights the human tendency to cling to the familiar despite the negative consequences, especially in the realm of love. This experience is relatable to many people who have found themselves in toxic relationships or unable to let go of a past love. The emotional intensity of the lyrics is further amplified by Jimmy Somerville's soulful voice and the powerful beat and instrumentation.


Line by Line Meaning

No no, never say
I can never say goodbye to you, no matter how hard I try.


Never can say goodbye
I can't bring myself to say goodbye to you.


No, no, no, no, I
I will not let you go.


Never can say goodbye
I can't bring myself to say goodbye to you.


Ev'ry time I think I've had enough
Every time I try to move on from you,


And start heading for the door
And try to leave,


There's a very strange vibration
I feel a strong, inexplicable sensation,


Piercing me right to the core
That penetrates deep within me.


It says turn around you fool
This feeling tells me to go back to you,


You know you love him more and more
Because I keep falling more and more in love with you.


Tell me why
Can you explain to me,


Tell me why
Why I can't let you go,


Is it so?
Is it because of something we have, some connection we share?


(i) don't want to let you go
I don't want to say goodbye to you.


I never can say goodbye, boy uuh
I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you.


No no no
I just can't do it.


I never can say goodbye,
I can't bring myself to say goodbye to you.


No, no, no,
No matter how much I want to.


No, no, no,
I just can't let you go.


No, no, no, uhu uhu
No matter how hard I try.


I never can say goodbye, boy
I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you.


I keep thinkin' yhat our problems
I keep thinking that our problems,


Soon are all gonna work out
Will eventually be resolved.


But there's that same unhappy feelin'
But this same unhappy feeling keeps haunting me.


There's that anguish, there's that doubt
The pain and uncertainty persist.


It's that same old dizzy hang up
It's that same old problem,


Can't do with you or without
That I can't seem to solve no matter what I do.


Tell me why
Can you explain to me,


Tell me why
Why I can't let you go,


Is it so?
Is it because of something we have, some connection we share?


(i) don't want to let you go
I don't want to say goodbye to you.


I never can say goodbye, boy
I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you.


Uh no no no
No matter how much I try.


I never can say goodbye,
I can't bring myself to say goodbye to you.


No, no, no,
No matter how much I want to.


No, no, no,
I just can't let you go.


No, no, no, uhu uhu
No matter how hard I try.


I never can say goodbye, boy
I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you.


I never can say goodbye,
I can't bring myself to say goodbye to you.


No, no, no, no, no, no
No matter how much I want to.


I never can say goodbye
I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clifton Davis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@gdragonstan

This is a timeless song, Jimmy's voice really shines in this song.🎵

@kencampbell2359

Dancing in my living room in Sept. 2020...I'm 74!!

@rafaelcalderongranja8066

You're cool

@jameskelvin6720

Go Ken! I am too! This song makes you dance.

@johnnyryan7939

@@coffeehead68 Keep on going!

@glynismcgourlick

Good on ya Ken, I dance in my kitchen 😊

@dawnkiernan1585

So is my dad and he's 76.

155 More Replies...

@susanq6398

They all look like they’re having a blast. Gorgeous girls and fabulous fashion. Wish I was there.

@JimmySomerville0fficial.

hello, how are you doing it is nice meeting you here.

@petrastroenreuther9538

i am 65 but i must dancing if i hear this song

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