Richie quit the band in 1981 for a solo career. He released his self-titled debut in 1982. The album hit No. 3 on the charts and sold over 4 million copies. His follow up album, Can't Slow Down, sold over twice as many copies and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in '84. His third album, '86's Dancing on the Ceiling spawned such hits as Say You, Say Me, Dancing on the Ceiling, and Se La, but would be the end of his commercial success.
His 90's albums such as Back to Front, Louder Than Words, and Time all failed to achieve the previous decade's commercial success. Some of his recent work, such as the album Renaissance, has returned to his older style, hoping to achieve more success.
Goodbye
Lionel Richie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You and me in the wind
I never thought there'd come a time
That our story would end
It's hard to understand
But I guess I'll have to try
It's not easy
To say goodbye
For all the joy we shared
All that time we had to spend
Now if I had one wish
I'd want forever back again
To look into your eyes
And hold you when you cry
It's not easy
To say goodbye
I can remember all those great times we had
There were so many memories some good, some bad
Yes and through it all
These memories will last
Forever
There' peace in where you are
Maybe all I need to know
And if I listen to my heart
I'll hear your laughter once more
And so I got to say
I'm just glad you came my way
It's not easy to say
Goodbye
Goodbye
The lyrics in Lionel Richie’s song “Goodbye” speaks to the emotional process of saying goodbye to a loved one. The opening lines, “I wanted you for life, You and me in the wind,” sets a tone of optimism and hope for a future spent together. However, as the song progresses, the tone shifts to one of sorrow and regret as it becomes clear that the relationship has come to an end. The line, “I never thought there’d come a time, That our story would end” underscores the unexpectedness of the breakup, highlighting the feelings of confusion and heartbreak that often accompany such a difficult experience.
Richie also speaks to the joy of the relationship, and the memories they shared, but ultimately accepting the finality of the situation. The line, “For all the joy we shared, All that time we had to spend” speaks to the happiness they experienced together, while the lyrics “And so I got to say, I'm just glad you came my way” highlights the importance of the person in his life and the gratitude he has towards them. Despite the hurt and pain of a goodbye, Richie also reveals a sense of peace and acceptance towards the end of the song, realizing that their love will always be a part of his life and that there’s comfort in their memories.
Overall, Lionel Richie’s “Goodbye” touches on the different stages of a goodbye. It begins with hope, then moves to despair, and finally ends with peace and acceptance. It’s a powerful song that captures the complexity of loss and the healing process that follows.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted you for life
I had hoped that our love story would last a lifetime
You and me in the wind
We were like two free spirits who enjoyed life's breeze together
I never thought there'd come a time
I never imagined that one day our story would end
That our story would end
Our love story came to an unexpected halt
It's hard to understand
It's difficult to make sense of how our story ended
But I guess I'll have to try
I'll have to make an effort to come to terms with what happened
It's not easy
It's a challenging situation
To say goodbye
To bid farewell to someone dear is never easy
For all the joy we shared
The good times we shared bring back happy memories
All that time we had to spend
We were fortunate to have spent precious time with each other
Now if I had one wish
If I had one thing I could wish for
I'd want forever back again
I'd long for our love story to continue forever
To look into your eyes
To gaze at your beautiful eyes once again
And hold you when you cry
To embrace you and comfort you when you needed it the most
I can remember all those great times we had
I fondly recall all the wonderful experiences we had together
There were so many memories some good, some bad
Our shared memories, both positive and negative, are numerous
Yes and through it all
Despite it all
These memories will last
These memories will forever be etched in my mind
Forever
For eternity
There's peace in where you are
I find solace in the knowledge that you are in a peaceful place
Maybe all I need to know
Perhaps, this is all I need to understand
And if I listen to my heart
If I pay attention to my innermost feelings
I'll hear your laughter once more
I'll be able to recall the beautiful sound of your laughter
And so I got to say
And thus, I have to say
I'm just glad you came my way
I'm grateful that our paths crossed
It's not easy to say
It's difficult to express
Goodbye
Farewell, my love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lionel B. Richie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Linda Horton
had this song for my husbands funeral how true the words are i miss him dearly xxx
Survivrs
Linda, I made my post before reading yours. If my husband dies before me, I will have this played at his funeral also. Even though I'm a Christian, I truly believe there are songs out there that are so beautiful and fitting to be used at funerals, and this is one of them. I'm sorry for your loss!
Cathy Hogstrom
How perfect, Your Husband would have LOVED it. God Bless you🙏🙏
Helen Francis
A VERY GREAT singer/legend, an amazing song (with memories)! Looking forward to the concert this weekend in Cardiff. I would love to meet him!! Tickets were expensive but know doubt, will be worth every penny.
Survivrs
I'm terrified that my husband will die before me because he is almost 6 years older than I am, but I will have this song played at his funeral. I will probably use Kenny Rogers version but I need to hear Lionel sing it without an audience because I love him and his voice.
Ana maria Jannello
Siempre un grande❤️
Duke Masengana
For my dearest childhood friend, Warren Pfarelo Matidza. Gone too soon. Mowed by the brutal angel of death. Leaving, galloping away like a gazelle, never taking a backward glance. Our hearts have never fully recovered from your sudden passing away. This song somewhat evokes a miasma of mixed emotions. That you are gone hurts like a Sabre cut, but the sweet memories you left behind are dearly cherished. Love you bro!
Deb H
Beautifully said
elizabeth ferrari
Simply A GREAT SONG,,,,,WELL SUNG
geminig54
What a beautiful song