Goodbye Girl
Tarkio Lyrics


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I met her in a poolroom
Her name I didn't catch
She looked like something special
The kind who'd understand
The room was almost spinning
She pulled another smile
She had the grace like pleasure
She had a certain style

Sunlight on the lino
Waken me with a shake
I looked around to find her but she's gone
Goodbye girl
Goodbye girl
Goodbye girl
Goodbye...

She took me to her hotel
Her room on the second floor
A kettle and two coffees
Her number on the door
I said, "I hardly know you"
Agreed we kissed goodnight
I knew that in the morning
Somehow I'd wake to find

Sunlight on the lino
Waken me with a shake
I looked around to find her but she's gone
Goodbye girl
Goodbye girl
Goodbye girl
Goodbye...

I lost my silver bracelet
My clubroom locker keys
The money in the waistcoat
This doesn't bother me
My wife has moved to Jersey
So luck is not the word
If you ever see her
Say "Hello goodbye girl"

Sunlight on the lino
Waken me with a shake
I looked around to find her but she's gone




Goodbye girl (x6)
Goodbye...

Overall Meaning

The song "Goodbye Girl" by Tarkio is a melancholic tale of a young man's brief encounter with a girl that leaves a lasting impression on him. The song opens with the singer meeting the girl in a poolroom, and although he didn't catch her name, he found her to be someone special, someone who understood him. They share a moment, and he is smitten by her grace and style. However, the next morning, he wakes up to find that she is gone, leaving behind only a memory of her.


The second verse takes us to her hotel room, where they share a kettle of coffee and conversation. He admits that he hardly knows her, but they share a goodnight kiss. He knows that in the morning, he will wake up to find that she is gone, just as she was the last time they met. The final verse talks about the singer's losses, including his silver bracelet, clubroom locker keys, and money. The only thing he doesn't regret losing is his wife, who has moved to Jersey. He ends the song by mentioning the girl one last time and bidding her farewell.


"Goodbye Girl" is a moving song that captures the fleeting nature of relationships, and the sense of longing that can accompany them. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a chance encounter that leaves a lasting impact, and the bittersweet feeling of knowing that it will never happen again. The haunting melody and simple arrangement perfectly complement the melancholic tone, making it a song that stays in the listener's mind long after it's over.


Line by Line Meaning

I met her in a poolroom
I first saw her in a pool hall.


Her name I didn't catch
I didn't get her name when we first met.


She looked like something special
She had a unique and attractive appearance.


The kind who'd understand
I felt like she was someone who could empathize with me.


The room was almost spinning
The environment was overwhelming.


She pulled another smile
She had a charming smile and kept using it.


She had the grace like pleasure
She had a graceful manner that was pleasing to watch.


She had a certain style
She had her own unique way of doing things.


Sunlight on the lino
The morning light shining on the linoleum floor.


Waken me with a shake
She woke me up by shaking me.


I looked around to find her but she's gone
When I woke up, she was nowhere to be found.


Goodbye girl
She left and I won't be seeing her again.


She took me to her hotel
She brought me back to her hotel room.


Her room on the second floor
Her hotel room was located on the second floor.


A kettle and two coffees
She made coffee for us using a kettle.


Her number on the door
Her phone number was written on the door.


I said, 'I hardly know you'
I mentioned that we had just met.


Agreed we kissed goodnight
We both agreed to say goodnight with a kiss.


I knew that in the morning
I had a feeling that things would be different in the morning.


Somehow I'd wake to find
I had a feeling that things would change.


I lost my silver bracelet
I misplaced my silver bracelet.


My clubroom locker keys
I lost my keys to my locker at the clubroom.


The money in the waistcoat
I had money in my waistcoat which I lost.


This doesn't bother me
I'm not particularly upset about losing those things.


My wife has moved to Jersey
My wife has relocated to Jersey.


So luck is not the word
I wouldn't say that I'm particularly lucky in my current situation.


If you ever see her
If you happen to see her.


Say 'Hello goodbye girl'
Please say hi and goodbye to her for me.


Goodbye girl (x6)
She's really gone and I won't be seeing her again.


Goodbye...
A final farewell to her.




Contributed by Kylie P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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