Fare Thee Well/ Northumberland & The Purple Wave
The Cottars Lyrics

The lyrics to The Cottars' song "Fare Thee Well/ Northumberland & The Purple Wave" speak to a sense of longing and nostalgia for a place that one loves deeply, but must leave behind. The singer is being driven to the central station by someone else, indicating that they are not leaving by choice. The opening lines, "Come drive me down to the central station / I hate to leave my River Tyne / For some damn town that's god-forsaken / Fare thee well, Northumberland," express a strong attachment to the place the singer is leaving behind. The River Tyne is mentioned twice, highlighting its significance to the singer. Northumberland, the county in which the River Tyne is located, is bid farewell.

Despite the sadness of departure, the singer is willing to go "where the lady takes me" but feels uncertain about what the future holds, stating "She'll never tell what's in her hand / I do not know what fate awaits me." The singer's heart "longs to dwell in the borderlands" and "beats for [their] streets and alleys," indicating a strong attachment to their home. The final lines of the song reflect the sadness of leaving and the uncertainty of what's to come, with the repetition of "Roll on, Geordie boy, roll" serving as a farewell to a place and people that the singer dearly loves.