1. … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three artists who recorded as The Sandpipers.
1. The Sandpipers were a U.S. pop/folk-rock group.
Founding members Jim Brady, Mike Piano, and Richard Shoff first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir, before deciding to go it alone as 'The Four Seasons'. It was quickly pointed out to them that a group of that name already existed in New York, and they changed their name to The Grads. Although they didn't set the charts on fire with their early recordings, they performed well enough to secure a residency in a Lake Tahoe nightclub, where a friend brought them to the attention of trumpet playing A&M Records boss, Herb Alpert. Alpert was impressed enough to give The Grads a shot, but after a couple of singles without success the group agreed upon a name change to The Sandpipers, apparently unaware that a girl trio in Florida was already using that name. After the name change, their producer, Tommy LiPuma, recommended they record the Cuban song "Guantanamera", and the group finally had their first hit.
Although sidelined by the original trio for reasons which may never become clear, Pamela Ramcier had now become an integral part of The Sandpipers' sound. Her lyricless vocals were used much like a second string section, adding what several reviewers described as an "ethereal" quality to The Sandpipers' sound.
"Guantanamera" charted in the U.S. in September 1966, and in the U.K. the following month, and remains the group's biggest hit. They had many lesser chart entries, including a 'Guantanamera-ised' cover version of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", and songs from the films The Sterile Cuckoo and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Having not had a hit in the previous five years, The Sandpipers finally broke up in 1975.
2. The Sandpipers was a quartet (sometimes The Golden Sandpipers) - Mike Stewart, Ralph Nyland, Dick Byron and Bob Miller - who sang a lot of material for children with Golden Records. This included recording the Mighty Mouse theme - perhaps the original (though on at least some 78 vinyl it's credited to The Terrytooners, Mitch Miller and Orchestra), but in any case likely the version that is now well known.
3. A female trio that recorded in the 1960s. They are most famous for having the Allman Joys as a backing band before their own success.
Never Can Say Goodbye
The Sandpipers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never can say goodbye
Even though the pain and heartache
Seem to follow me wherever I go
Though I try and try to hide my feelings
They always seem to show,
And I always have to say no
Tell me why is it so
That I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
Never can say goodbye
Every time I think I've had enough
And start heading for the door
There's a very strange vibration
Piercing me right through the core
It says, turn around, you fool
You know you love him more and more
Tell me why is it so
Don't wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (don't wanna let you go girl)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh ooh (don't wanna let you go girl)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
Never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
Never can say goodbye
I keep thinking that our problems
Soon are all gonna work out
But there's that same unhappy feeling
There's that anguish, there's that doubt
It's the same old dizzy hangup
Can't do with you or without
Tell me why is it so
Don't wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh oh (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh oh (hey baby)
The Sandpipers' "Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song about the singer's reluctance to let go of a romantic interest. The song discusses the various emotions and thoughts that the singer experiences as they struggle to move on. The lyrics address the fact that no matter how hard the singer tries to deny their feelings or distract themselves, they are unable to say goodbye to their loved one. The first verse explores the pain and heartache that seem to follow the singer wherever they go. Though they try to hide their feelings, their emotions always manage to surface. The second verse expresses the singer's tendency to try to leave when they feel like they've had enough, but they can't seem to escape the strange vibration that tells them to turn around and stay with their romantic interest.
The song's repetition of the title phrase, "never can say goodbye," reinforces the idea that the singer is unable to move on from their lover. The lyrics don't offer any clear solutions or guidance; they simply express the singer's inner turmoil and frustration. The emotive delivery of the song conveys the powerful emotions that the singer feels as they grapple with their inability to move on. Overall, "Never Can Say Goodbye" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and the difficulties of letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
Despite my best efforts, I always struggle to say goodbye
Even though the pain and heartache
Seem to follow me wherever I go
Despite my attempts to move on, I am constantly haunted by difficult emotions
Though I try and try to hide my feelings
They always seem to show
No matter how hard I try to hide my emotions, they inevitably come to the surface
Then you try to say you're leaving me
And I always have to say no
Tell me why is it so
When you try to leave me, I always resist and can't bring myself to let you go, I don't know why
Every time I think I've had enough
And start heading for the door
There's a very strange vibration
Piercing me right through the core
Whenever I try to leave, I am overwhelmed by a strange feeling that keeps me rooted in place
It says, turn around, you fool
You know you love him more and more
Tell me why is it so
This feeling tells me to stay because I love you more and more, but I don't understand why
Don't wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (don't wanna let you go girl)
I can't bear the thought of letting you go and saying goodbye
I keep thinking that our problems
Soon are all gonna work out
But there's that same unhappy feeling
There's that anguish, there's that doubt
I keep hoping our issues will be resolved, but I still feel unhappy, pained, and doubtful
It's the same old dizzy hangup
Can't do with you or without
Tell me why is it so
I keep struggling with the same issue of not being able to live with or without you, and I can't understand why
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ultimately, I can never bring myself to say goodbye to you because I love you too much
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind