On a tour … Read Full Bio ↴Ruby Murray was born in Belfast on the 29th of March 1935.
On a tour of Northern Ireland as a child singer in variety shows, she was spotted by producer Richard Afton who encouraged her to go for a career in show business and she made her TV debut at the age of 12 despite the laws regarding child performers although her work was severely restricted until she was 14. Joining Tommy Morgan's touring revue, she was offered a regular spot as a singer on the BBC show Quite Contrary as a replacement for Joan Regan.
Signing a recording deal with Columbia, her first hit single was the ballad Heartbeat which hit the top 10 at the end of 1954 and was quickly followed by her first and only number one Softly Softly. It was during the early months of 1955 as Columbia released further Ruby Murray songs, that she found herself dominating the charts as Happy Days And Lonely Nights, Let Me Go lover and If Anyone Finds This I Love You joined Heartbeat and Softly Softly in the charts giving her five simultaneous entries on that week in March, all of them eventually peaking inside the top 10. Two further hits followed in 1955, Evermore and I'll Come When You Call but at the end of 1955, the tide of Rock n Roll could be held back no more and singers like Ruby Murray, sweet and innocent and belonging to a fast disappearing world were swept aside.
During the mid 1950s she expanded her activities, starring in her own TV show, appearing at The London Palladium in the show Painting The Town with Norman Wisdom and she even had one film role in A Touch Of The Sun with Frankie Howerd and Dennis Price. While appearing in a summer season at Blackpool, she met and married Bernie Burgess, a member of the vocal group The Jones Boys. A couple of minor hits followed, Real Love and Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye which was her final appearance in the charts almost at the end of the decade. Her marriage did not last and she remarried Ray Lemar settling in Torquay, Devon. A wave of nostalgia has kept her name in the public consciousness for over half a century, reflecting on a bygone age when singers were clear and every word was pronounced beautifully. EMI put together a compilation of her hits on CD in their EMI years series in 1989 including songs that regularly featured in her act, standards such as Mr Wonderful, Scarlet Ribbons and It's The Irish In Me and updated this with the release of EMI Presents The Magic Of Ruby Murray in 1997 and a triple CD, Anthology The Golden Anniversary Collection in 2005, the 50th anniversary of her peak successes on the charts. A play by Marie Jones about her life, called Ruby opened in Belfast in 2000. Ruby Murray remained active in cabaret and nostalgia shows until her death on the 17th December 1996 from liver cancer after a period of illness. (from allmusic.com)
Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye
Ruby Murray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
I'll see you again,
Bit I don't know when
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye.
Wind is a-blowin', the rain starts to fall,
Train is a-tootin' its long lonesome call.
Countin' the days till he's comin' back.
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
I'll see you again,
Bit I don't know when
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye.
when he has travelled the land and the sea,
He'll stop his roamin' and come home to me,
Give me a kiss for each tear and each sigh,
Till then my Jimmy, Jimmy goodbye.
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
I'll see you again,
Bit I don't know when
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye.
"Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye" is a touching and poignant song by Ruby Murray that speaks of separation, longing, and the hope of reunion. The song is primarily about a woman saying goodbye to her significant other and wishing him a safe journey as he embarks on a new journey. The singer expresses the sadness she feels at her imminent separation from her beloved and the loneliness she will feel while he is away.
The opening lines, "Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye," are repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the significance and finality of the moment. The repetition also highlights the emotional struggle the singer is feeling as she faces Jimmy's departure. The singer acknowledges that she will see him again in the future, but does not know when that will be, which only adds to the overall feeling of uncertainty and sadness.
The song also touches upon the physical distance between the two with its reference to the wind blowing and rain falling. The train whistle evokes the image of a journey being taken, and the wheels clicking on the track implies that they are moving further and further apart. With each passing day, the singer eagerly awaits Jimmy's return, longing to be reunited with him once again.
Overall, "Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye" is a gentle and bittersweet tune that conveys the universal feeling of separation and the hope of being reunited once again.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
Saying farewell to Jimmy twice.
I'll see you again,
Hoping to meet again in the future.
But I don't know when
Uncertain of when they'll meet again.
Wind is a-blowin', the rain starts to fall,
The weather is getting worse.
Train is a-tootin' its long lonesome call.
The train is making a sad noise as it leaves.
Wheels are a-clickin' their way down the track,
The train wheels are making rhythmical sounds.
Countin' the days till he's comin' back.
Waiting eagerly for Jimmy's return.
When he has traveled the land and the sea,
When Jimmy has finished wandering and traveling.
He'll stop his roamin' and come home to me,
Jimmy will end his wandering and return home.
Give me a kiss for each tear and each sigh,
A request for Jimmy to show love and affection.
Till then my Jimmy, Jimmy goodbye.
Until they meet again, farewell to Jimmy.
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye,
Final goodbye to Jimmy.
Goodbye Jimmy, goodbye.
Final goodbye to Jimmy.
Writer(s): Jack Vaughn
Contributed by Isabelle B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lynda Faye
And thank you for your service, JAMES.
it APPEARS this melody came DIRECTLY and almost EXACTLY from an Italian Original?
WE all cried to this song after the Viet Nam war losses. Freddy Schroder, Muscatine, Iowa, and a few others; but in watching many movies about World War 11 -we "hear " in the movie CLOAK and DAGER, starring Gary Cooper...at NUMBER 24,14 WE HEAR the whole "original song, of which THIS represents the same exact CHORUS MELODY and even in the SAME KEY. Now what's going on here at the Copyright Offices in Italy, that this was "apparently allowed ?" I'm told I'm not "allowed" to place MY new lyrics to an Oldies but Goodies song
melodies at CDBaby, but this has been allowed for DECADES now ? WHAT ? Yes I've heard the "sixteen measure theft approval" and wondered just how those "measure" be they short 2/4's or long 4/4's were allowed, and won't be happy to hear my originals "stolen in groups of sixteen (non-specific-designated with details) MEASURES .
WONDER WHAT HAPPENED HERE, IN ITALY ? OR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ????
Were the copyight offices in both countries deaf until the 70's or what ?
ANYONE; ? How about a few "entertainment attorneys' opinions here ?"
Thanks, I welcome your replies.
LyndaFayeSmusic@gmail.com
Lynda Faye
Of course, and it APPEARS this melody came DIRECTLY and almost EXACTLY from an Italian Original?
WE all cried to this song after the Viet Nam war losses. Freddy Schroder, Muscatine, Iowa, and a few others; but in watching many movies about World War 11 -we "hear " in the movie CLOAK and DAGER, starring Gary Cooper...at NUMBER 24,14 WE HEAR the whole "original song, of which THIS represents the same exact CHORUS MELODY and even in the SAME KEY. Now what's going on here at the Copyright Offices in Italy, that this was "apparently allowed ?" I'm told I'm not "allowed" to place MY new lyrics to an Oldies but Goodies song
melodies at CDBaby, but this has been allowed for DECADES now ? WHAT ? Yes I've heard the "sixteen measure theft approval" and wondered just how those "measure" be they short 2/4's or long 4/4's were allowed, and won't be happy to hear my originals "stolen in groups of sixteen (non-specific-designated with details) MEASURES .
WONDER WHAT HAPPENED HERE, IN ITALY ? OR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ????
Were the copyight offices in both countries deaf until the 70's or what ?
ANYONE; ? How about a few "entertainment attorneys' opinions here ?"
Thanks, I welcome your replies.
LyndaFayeSmusic@gmail.com
Lynda Faye
WE all cried to this song after the Viet Nam war losses. Freddy Schroder, Muscatine, Iowa, and a few others; but in watching many movies about World War 11 -we "hear " in the movie CLOAK and DAGER, starring Gary Cooper...at NUMBER 24,14 WE HEAR the whole "original song, of which THIS represents the same exact CHORUS MELODY and even in the SAME KEY. Now what's going on here at the Copyright Offices in Italy, that this was "apparently allowed ?" I'm told I'm not "allowed" to place MY new lyrics to an Oldies but Goodies song
melodies at CDBaby, but this has been allowed for DECADES now ? WHAT ? Yes I've heard the "sixteen measure theft approval" and wondered just how those "measure" be they short 2/4's or long 4/4's were allowed, and won't be happy to hear my originals "stolen in groups of sixteen (non-specific-designated with details) MEASURES .
WONDER WHAT HAPPENED HERE, IN ITALY ? OR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ????
Were the copyight offices in both countries deaf until the 70's or what ?
ANYONE; ? How about a few "entertainment attorneys' opinions here ?"
Thanks, I welcome your replies.
LyndaFayeSmusic@gmail.com
nfg
What memories. Been trying to find this since 1960 or so. What a beautiful song. Bucket list now completed. 1.17.2023
Mike Jones
Havent heard this since I was 8 years old (fifty years ago) can still see my Mum putting the washing through the mangle by hand to dry it, there was seven of us for her to look after, she,s still going strong 94 this year. Bless her.
Rona Clark
My Mum sang this song as a lullabye for me - I was born in 1952. So wonderful to hear it in its entirety - so beautiful :)
James V Clover
It was the record that was playing on the radio at the exact time of the morning that I left home for the first time to join the Army. I was just 17 years old.
It turned out to be a bitter-sweet memory really, but that's another story.
劉建民
What is another story? A retired soldier, who did the same thing as you did at an early age joining the Army, is interested in your bitter-sweet memory.
Owen Mcdonagh
@劉建民 🤬
barbara palmer
Please tell the other story James
My My
Glad and hope you're still around! And I'm assuming it's the U.S. Army, if not, you're still a Patriot to your whatever country!!
Lynda Faye
And thank you for your service, JAMES.
it APPEARS this melody came DIRECTLY and almost EXACTLY from an Italian Original?
WE all cried to this song after the Viet Nam war losses. Freddy Schroder, Muscatine, Iowa, and a few others; but in watching many movies about World War 11 -we "hear " in the movie CLOAK and DAGER, starring Gary Cooper...at NUMBER 24,14 WE HEAR the whole "original song, of which THIS represents the same exact CHORUS MELODY and even in the SAME KEY. Now what's going on here at the Copyright Offices in Italy, that this was "apparently allowed ?" I'm told I'm not "allowed" to place MY new lyrics to an Oldies but Goodies song
melodies at CDBaby, but this has been allowed for DECADES now ? WHAT ? Yes I've heard the "sixteen measure theft approval" and wondered just how those "measure" be they short 2/4's or long 4/4's were allowed, and won't be happy to hear my originals "stolen in groups of sixteen (non-specific-designated with details) MEASURES .
WONDER WHAT HAPPENED HERE, IN ITALY ? OR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ????
Were the copyight offices in both countries deaf until the 70's or what ?
ANYONE; ? How about a few "entertainment attorneys' opinions here ?"
Thanks, I welcome your replies.
LyndaFayeSmusic@gmail.com
Betty Higginbottom
MY all time favourite singer, I loved her voice from the first time I heard it and still play her music often I have almost all she did, Met her a couple of times, such a Lovely lady XXX RIP Ruby .