Kiss and Say Goodbye
Kate McGarrigle & Anna McGarrigle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just as soon as your plane puts down
Call me on the telephone
But only if you're traveling alone
Counting down the hours
Through the sunshine and the showers
Today's the day
You're finally going to come my way
Let's make a date to see a movie
Some foreign film from gay Paris
I know you like to think you've got taste
So I'll let you choose the time and place
Have some dinner for two
In some eastside rendezvous
Then we'll walk
Arm in arm around the block and talk
Tonight you're mine
Let's not waste time
I do believe the die is cast
Let's try and make the night-time last
And I don't know where it's coming from
But I want to kiss you till my mouth get numb
I want to make love to you
Till the day comes breaking through
And when the sun is high in the sky
We'll kiss and say goodbye
The song "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by Kate and Anna McGarrigle tells the story of a person who is eagerly anticipating the arrival of a long-distance lover. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer urging their partner to contact them as soon as they arrive in town, but only if they are traveling alone. They count down the hours until they can finally see each other again, and make plans for a romantic date night.
The second verse shows the singer's willingness to compromise and accommodate their partner's tastes, suggesting that they go see a foreign film from Paris. The rest of the verse describes their plans for a dinner for two and a romantic walk around the block. The chorus expresses the singer's desire to make the most of their time together, declaring that "tonight you're mine" and urging their partner not to waste time.
The final verse is the most explicit in its expression of physical desire, with the singer wanting to kiss their partner until their mouth gets numb and make love to them until daybreak. The final line of the song, "we'll kiss and say goodbye" suggests that their time together is limited and that they must make the most of it.
Overall, "Kiss and Say Goodbye" is a bittersweet song about the fleeting nature of love and the desire to make the most of our time with the ones we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me when you're coming to town
Please call me as soon as you arrive in town.
Just as soon as your plane puts down
I eagerly await your visit and hope to see you immediately upon your arrival.
Call me on the telephone
Please contact me by phone.
But only if you're traveling alone
I would prefer to see you alone rather than with a group.
Counting down the hours
I am eagerly awaiting your arrival and am keeping track of the time.
Through the sunshine and the showers
No matter the weather, I am excited to see you.
Today's the day
The day we have been anticipating has finally arrived.
You're finally going to come my way
You will finally visit me.
Let's make a date to see a movie
We should plan to go to the cinema together.
Some foreign film from gay Paris
Perhaps we can watch a movie from Paris that is subtitled in English.
I know you like to think you've got taste
I know you have high standards for movies and believe you can choose a good one.
So I'll let you choose the time and place
I trust you to select a suitable movie theater and time for our date.
Have some dinner for two
Let us dine together as a couple.
In some eastside rendezvous
We should dine at a discreet and intimate restaurant somewhere in the eastern part of the city.
Then we'll walk
After dining, we will take a leisurely stroll together.
Arm in arm around the block and talk
We will walk holding each other's arm and converse.
Tonight you're mine
I feel as though I have you to myself this evening.
Let's not waste time
We should seize the moment and make the most of our time together.
I do believe the die is cast
This evening has been planned and decided upon.
Let's try and make the night-time last
We should try to make our time together as long as possible.
And I don't know where it's coming from
I do not know what has caused these feelings to arise.
But I want to kiss you till my mouth get numb
I desire to kiss you so much that my lips become numb.
I want to make love to you
I want to express my love physically.
Till the day comes breaking through
Until the sun rises and the day begins.
And when the sun is high in the sky
Later, when the sun is at its peak.
We'll kiss and say goodbye
Eventually, our time together will come to an end and we must part ways.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: KATE MCGARRIGLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind