Don't Tell Me Goodnight
Lobo Lyrics


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Lying there beside me
With your head resting on my arm
Your body feels so warm
And your hair smells
Like a Sunday morning

I feel you moving closer
And I know what you're gonna say
But girl there's just no way
I'll ever like what you'll be saying

Don't tell me goodnight
It makes me feel so empty inside
And if only I could
I wouldn't sleep at all
Don't tell me goodnight
Just let me drift off slowly away
And dream of you

You reach out and you touch me
Just to let me know you're there
And I can feel your hair




And somehow I don't
Feel like sleeping

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lobo's "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" are a tender exploration of the bittersweet feeling of wanting to stay up all night with a loved one, but knowing that eventually, sleep must come. The song is a conversation between two lovers lying in bed together, with one lover (presumably the singer) voicing his discomfort with the idea of saying goodnight and going to sleep. The singer describes his lover's closeness and warmth, emphasizing the intimacy of their shared moment. He also notes the familiarity of his lover's scent, comparing it to the comforting smell of a lazy Sunday morning.


As the conversation continues, the singer acknowledges that he knows what his lover is going to say. She is going to say goodnight, signaling the end of their intimate time together. However, the singer confesses that the idea of saying goodnight fills him with an unbearable sense of emptiness. He wishes he could stay up all night with his lover, dreaming and talking together.


The song's chorus emphasizes the singer's desire to avoid saying goodnight. He describes the way that saying goodnight makes him feel empty inside and wishes he could simply drift off, dreaming of his lover. The chorus is a plea to his lover to let him stay up, to keep the moment of intimacy alive as long as possible. Overall, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" is a touching and romantic song that captures the complex and contradictory feelings of wanting to both stay awake and fall asleep with a loved one.


Line by Line Meaning

Lying there beside me
I am in a state of calm and comfort lying next to you


With your head resting on my arm
The physical closeness between us adds to the peaceful feeling


Your body feels so warm
I am physically drawn to your warmth


And your hair smells like a Sunday morning
Your pleasant, fresh scent fills me with joy


I feel you moving closer
Your physical movements signify your intention to say goodnight


And I know what you're gonna say
I can predict that you will say 'goodnight'


But girl there's just no way
I cannot bear to hear those words as it fills me with a sense of emptiness


I'll ever like what you'll be saying
The words 'goodnight' will not sit well with me


Don't tell me goodnight
Please refrain from bidding me goodnight


It makes me feel so empty inside
Hearing 'goodnight' will leave me with a feeling of incompleteness


And if only I could I wouldn't sleep at all
I would rather stay awake than be apart from you


Just let me drift off slowly away
I would prefer to quietly fall asleep with you beside me


And dream of you
I will find solace in dreaming of you


You reach out and you touch me
Your touch is comforting and reassuring


Just to let me know you're there
Your touch reminds me that we are together


And I can feel your hair
The sensation of your hair adds to the sensory pleasure of being close to you


And somehow I don't feel like sleeping
Being close to you makes me feel so content that I am not tired enough to sleep




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KENT LAVOIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

sauquoit13456

Exactly forty five years ago today on April 20th, 1975, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" by Lobo peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's 'Easy Listening Top 50'* chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "It's A Miracle" by Barry Manilow...
And at the time, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" was at position #40 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two weeks later it would peak at #27 {for 2 weeks}...
Between 1971 and 1979 the Tallahassee, Florida native had fifteen records on the Easy Listening chart, eight made the Top 10 with four reaching #1, "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" for two weeks in May of 1971, ""I'd Love You to Want Me" for one week in November of 1972, "Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend" for two weeks in January of 1973, and "Where Were You When I Was Falling in Love" for two weeks in September of 1979...
Lobo, born Roland Kent LaVoie, will celebrate his 77th birthday in three months on July 31st, 2020...
* And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Easy Listening's Top 10 on April 20th, 1975:
At #3. "Only Yesterday" by the Carpenters
#4. "The Last Farewell" by Roger Whitaker
#5. "Beer Barrel Polka" by Bobby Vinton
#6. "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" by Tony Orlando & Dawn
#7. "The Immigrant" by Neil Sedaka
#8. "I Don't Like To Sleep Alone" by Paul Anka
#9. "Rainy Day People" by Gordon Lightfoot
#10. "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" by John Denver



All comments from YouTube:

Jeannie Costello

Lobo songs are very sentimental and nice!  Thanks to those who downloaded his songs!

Fynness Solaris

Awesome tune! Even after all these years, I love this song.

Alejandro Gilvonio

Este tema lo viví en 1973 Cuando recién empezaba la secundaria me llegaba al alma y me hacía inspirar otros temas pero no tan buenos como el de Lobo

NIIKA SABOIA

Simplesmente linda..!

Edson almeida6

Simplesmente maravilhosa.Edson almeida(radialista).pesqueira-pernambuco-Brasil.

Catherine Parrish

Love this song

The Virtual Church of the Disillusioned, Depressed, and Downtrodden

Lobo's songs are as smooth as Silk!

sauquoit13456

Exactly forty five years ago today on April 20th, 1975, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" by Lobo peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's 'Easy Listening Top 50'* chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "It's A Miracle" by Barry Manilow...
And at the time, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight" was at position #40 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two weeks later it would peak at #27 {for 2 weeks}...
Between 1971 and 1979 the Tallahassee, Florida native had fifteen records on the Easy Listening chart, eight made the Top 10 with four reaching #1, "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" for two weeks in May of 1971, ""I'd Love You to Want Me" for one week in November of 1972, "Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend" for two weeks in January of 1973, and "Where Were You When I Was Falling in Love" for two weeks in September of 1979...
Lobo, born Roland Kent LaVoie, will celebrate his 77th birthday in three months on July 31st, 2020...
* And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Easy Listening's Top 10 on April 20th, 1975:
At #3. "Only Yesterday" by the Carpenters
#4. "The Last Farewell" by Roger Whitaker
#5. "Beer Barrel Polka" by Bobby Vinton
#6. "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" by Tony Orlando & Dawn
#7. "The Immigrant" by Neil Sedaka
#8. "I Don't Like To Sleep Alone" by Paul Anka
#9. "Rainy Day People" by Gordon Lightfoot
#10. "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" by John Denver

Maria Tomlinson

Lobos songs are so beautiful

Adivaldo silva lima

Linda pra sempre

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