Buckley often regarded his tenor voice as an instrument, a talent most noticeable on his albums Happy Sad, Lorca, and Starsailor. His first marriage was to Mary Guibert, with whom he had a child, musician Jeff Buckley. They divorced in 1968 and after this Buckley would meet with his son only once more. Buckley married second wife Judy Brejot Sutcliffe in 1970 and adopted her son, Taylor.
Born in Washington DC, Buckley,an Irish-American, lived for 10 years in Amsterdam, New York, before moving to southern California, initially to Bell Gardens and later settling in Anaheim in 1965. His experiences with music were through his family, artists such as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland being particular favorites in the household. During his childhood, Buckley was a fan of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis, although country music was his foremost passion. Reflecting this, at the age of 11 Buckley learned how to play the banjo, an instrument which his mother had bought to occupy him following a bout of mumps. He attended Loara High School in Anaheim, California, and, amongst others, made friends with Don Gordon, Larry Beckett, Jim Fielder (original member of Blood, Sweat & Tears) and future wife, Mary Guibert. He was an accomplished high school athlete, becoming a quarterback for the school team in addition to getting a place on the baseball team. During this period playing as quarterback, Buckley broke the first two fingers on his left hand but they never fully returned to normal and made guitar playing more difficult. At the age of 15, Buckley abandoned the banjo and moved on to the guitar, playing with Princess Ramona & The Cherokee Riders, a country and western band. However, the lead singer saw Buckley was uninterested and instead suggested he apply himself to the emerging 1960's folk scene.
Buckley's career began with his 1966 debut Tim Buckley, its mix of pop and folk rock drawing on popular influences of the time. His popularity peaked with second album Goodbye and Hello, a more mature record with avant-garde influences and political sentiments. In the three years that followed Buckley was at his most prolific and experimental, producing four albums of varying styles. Happy Sad and Blue Afternoon showed Buckley's folk roots while Lorca veered to more avant-garde styles. The final album of this period, Starsailor, is a mix of jazz, funk and avant-garde styles, representing his continual evolution in genre. This period, while garnering some critical success, proved disastrous for his record sales as the disparity of his styles caused his fan-base to all but disappear.
Following this Buckley changed genres again, with 1972 release Greetings from L.A., which incorporated the funk, rhythm and blues and soul sounds of the early 1970s in to his music. However, this release and the following album Sefronia did not match up to the success of his previous work. In 1974, having alienated much of his fan-base and squandered money made at his peak, Buckley released Look at the Fool, which was neither well received by the public nor the majority of critics. By this point Buckley had grown disillusioned with the music industry and his drug abuse of the past seven years had affected him.
In spite of this, in early 1975, desperate for musical recognition and an escape from poverty and obscurity, Buckley dropped his drug dependencies and engaged the musical press regarding a live album comeback. Buckley began performing material drawn from his whole career as a response to the desires of his audience, desires he had always spurned in the past. However, Buckley relapsed and on June 28, 1975, he overdosed on heroin. His wife Judy, having earlier put him in bed, was unable to rouse him and paramedics pronounced him dead on arrival. He was 28 years old and was survived by his wife and adopted son Taylor, and his biological son, Jeff (who also died at a young age).
Goodbye and Hello
Tim Buckley Lyrics
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Run by machines and afraid of the tax
Their heads in the grave and their hands on their eyes
Hauling their hearts around circular tracks
Pretending forever their masquerade towers
Are not really riddled with widening cracks
And I wave goodbye to iron
And smile hello to the air
O the new children dance -- I am young
All around the balloons -- I will live
Swaying by chance -- I am strong
To the breeze from the moon -- I can give
Painting the sky -- You the strange
With the colors of sun -- Seed of day
Freely they fly -- Feel the change
As all become one -- Know the Way
The velocity addicts explode on the highways
Ignoring the journey and moving so fast
Their nerves fall apart and they gasp but can't breathe
They run from the cops of the skeleton past
Petrified by tradition in a nightmare they stagger
Into nowhere at all and they look up aghast
And I wave goodbye to speed
And smile hello to a rose
O the new children play -- I am young
Under the juniper trees -- I will live
Sky blue or gray -- I am strong
They continue at ease -- I can give
Moving so slow -- You the strange
That serenely they can -- Seed of day
Gracefully grow -- Feel the change
And yes still understand -- Know the Way
The king and the queen in their castle of billboards
Sleepwalk down the hallways dragging behind
All their possessions and transient treasures
As they go to worship the electronic shrine
On which is playing the late late commercial
In that hollowest house of the opulent blind
And I wave goodbye to Mammon
And smile hello to a stream
O the new children buy -- I am young
All the world for a song -- I will live
Without a dime -- I am strong
To which they belong -- I can give
Nobody owns -- You the strange
Anything anywhere -- Seed of day
Everyone's grown -- Feel the change
Up so big they can share -- Know the Way
The vaudeville generals cavort on the stage
And shatter their audience with submachine guns
And Freedom and Violence the acrobat clowns
Do a balancing act on the graves of our sons
While the tapdancing Emperor sings "War is peace"
And Love the Magician disappears in the fun
And I wave goodbye to murder
And smile hello to the rain
O the new children can't -- I am young
Tell a foe from a friend -- I will live
Quick to enchant -- I am strong
And so glad to extend -- I can give
Handfuls of dawn -- You the strange
To kaleidoscope men -- Seed of day
Come from beyond -- Feel the change
The Great Wall of Skin -- Know the Way
The bloodless husbands are jesters who listen
Like sheep to the shrieks and commands of their wives
And the men who aren't men leave the women alone
See them all faking love on a bed made of knives
Afraid to discover or trust in their bodies
And in secret divorce they will never survive
And I wave goodbye to ashes
And smile hello to a girl
O the new children kiss -- I am young
They are so proud to learn -- I will live
Womanwood bliss -- I am strong
And the manfire that burns -- I can give
Knowing no fear -- You the strange
They take off their clothes -- Seed of day
Honest and clear - Feel the change
As a river that flows - Know the Way
The antique people are fading out slowly
Like newspapers flaming in mind suicide
Godless and sexless directionless loons
Their sham sandcastles dissolve in the tide
They put on their deathmasks and compromise daily
The new children will live for the elders have died
And I wave goodbye to America
And smile hello to the world
The lyrics of Tim Buckley's "Goodbye and Hello" offer a scathing critique of modernity, specifically the idea of progress that leads people towards a soulless, mechanized existence. The first verse likens those who cling to tradition with the aesthetic of the past to antique people, stubbornly living in a world that has evolved beyond them. They are afraid of change and consumed by consumerism, their identities lost in their possessions. The singer, on the other hand, waves goodbye to material possessions, believing they can find freedom and meaning by embracing the natural world.
The second verse introduces "the new children," who are characterized as vibrant and unconstrained. They dance, play, and paint the sky with the colors of the sun, free from the constraints of the past. They are untainted by the baggage of skepticism and apathy that plagues the elderly, and they have the power to effect change. The third verse touches on themes of war, hypocrisy, and oppression. The audience is portrayed as passive and easily manipulated by the media, while vaudeville generals "cavort on the stage" and the "tapdancing Emperor" sings about war being peace. The singer rejects this violent and cynical worldview, smiling hello to the rain and goodbye to murder.
The fourth verse centers around the dynamics of gender, love, and sexuality. Bloodless husbands are criticized for their passiveness, while men who reject traditionally masculine roles are ostracized. Women are left alone, unsatisfied and frustrated with the state of things. The new children, in contrast, embrace womanhood and reject outdated gender norms, unashamedly taking off their clothes and exploring their sexuality. The song concludes by bidding farewell to America and embracing the world as a whole- a call to reject insularity and prejudice and engage with the diversity of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
The antique people are down in the dungeons
The older generation is stuck in old ways and unable to move into the present
Run by machines and afraid of the tax
They are beholden to society and all of its rules while at the same time afraid of the changing times since they don't understand them
Their heads in the grave and their hands on their eyes
They are in denial and don't want to see the reality of their situation
Hauling their hearts around circular tracks
They repeat the same patterns over and over, never able to escape their own routine
Pretending forever their masquerade towers
They are afraid to confront their own problems since they believe they have built a facade that cannot be destroyed
Are not really riddled with widening cracks
When in fact they are unable to understand their own crumbling situation
And I wave goodbye to iron
I let go of my past
And smile hello to the air
And welcome the new, fresh start
O the new children dance -- I am young
The next generation is filled with hope and new beginnings
All around the balloons -- I will live
There is so much life and excitement around me
Swaying by chance -- I am strong
I choose to live in the moment and am confident in myself
To the breeze from the moon -- I can give
I am open to giving my all in every situation, no matter how strange or unfamiliar
Painting the sky -- You the strange
Together we create something beautiful
With the colors of sun -- Seed of day
We use the positive to create a better future
Freely they fly -- Feel the change
We are not afraid of change and evolution
As all become one -- Know the Way
We all work together for a common goal. We know the way to a better future
The velocity addicts explode on the highways
The rush of modern life can be overwhelming for some
Ignoring the journey and moving so fast
They are moving so quickly they don't take the time to enjoy the journey
Their nerves fall apart and they gasp but can't breathe
They are unable to cope with the constant rush and pressure of their lives
They run from the cops of the skeleton past
They are haunted by their past mistakes and run from facing them
Petrified by tradition in a nightmare they stagger
They are stuck in old traditions and are afraid to step into new territory
Into nowhere at all and they look up aghast
They are lost and do not know how to move forward
And I wave goodbye to speed
I choose to slow down and not get caught up in the rush
And smile hello to a rose
I choose to appreciate the beauty of life at a more leisurely pace
O the new children play -- I am young
The next generation is carefree and unencumbered by the weight of the past
Under the juniper trees -- I will live
I will live in harmony with nature and all that surrounds me
Sky blue or gray -- I am strong
I am adaptable and able to handle any situation that comes my way
They continue at ease -- I can give
I give my best effort without stressing out or overthinking
Moving so slow -- You the strange
We are comfortable moving at our own pace
That serenely they can -- Seed of day
We are able to cultivate a sense of peace in all that we do
Gracefully grow -- Feel the change
We are not afraid to change and evolve, doing so with grace and ease
And yes still understand -- Know the Way
We know that change is a necessary part of life and accept it willingly
The king and the queen in their castle of billboards
Those in power use advertising and consumerism to maintain their control
Sleepwalk down the hallways dragging behind
And everyone else blindly follows suit, not realizing their own power
All their possessions and transient treasures
They are so obsessed with their possessions that they forget what truly matters
As they go to worship the electronic shrine
They become obsessed with technology and the newest gadgets
On which is playing the late late commercial
They are so consumed with advertising that they cannot see beyond it
In that hollowest house of the opulent blind
Their lives have become empty and meaningless
And I wave goodbye to Mammon
I choose to let go of materialistic values
And smile hello to a stream
And instead appreciate the simple things in life
O the new children buy -- I am young
The next generation understands that possessions do not bring happiness
All the world for a song -- I will live
We find happiness in all that comes our way
Without a dime -- I am strong
We are strong in ourselves, without the need for monetary wealth
To which they belong -- I can give
We do our best to live in harmony with all those around us
Nobody owns -- You the strange
We understand that true happiness cannot be owned or bought
Anything anywhere -- Seed of day
It can be found anywhere, as long as we are aware of what truly matters in life
Everyone's grown -- Feel the change
We are all growing together and evolving
Up so big they can share -- Know the Way
We understand that true happiness is found in sharing our experiences with those around us
The vaudeville generals cavort on the stage
Those in power often use spectacle and grand gestures to maintain their control
And shatter their audience with submachine guns
They use violence and fear to keep people in line
And Freedom and Violence the acrobat clowns
They use contradictory messages to confuse and manipulate people
Do a balancing act on the graves of our sons
All this violence and manipulation is causing real harm to actual people
While the tapdancing Emperor sings "War is peace"
Those in power justify their actions with empty and harmful slogans
And Love the Magician disappears in the fun
Love and compassion have been lost in the spectacle of the powerful
And I wave goodbye to murder
I will not participate in violent actions to maintain my own power or control
And smile hello to the rain
And instead embrace the natural and peaceful aspects of life
O the new children can't -- I am young
The next generation is innocent and uncorrupted
Tell a foe from a friend -- I will live
They haven't yet learned the negative tendencies of the world
Quick to enchant -- I am strong
They find the beauty and magic in everything
And so glad to extend -- I can give
They are always happy to share their joy and enthusiasm
Handfuls of dawn -- You the strange
They are able to find beauty in things that may seem insignificant or unusual
To kaleidoscope men -- Seed of day
And they are excited to share this perspective with everyone
Come from beyond -- Feel the change
They embody a new and positive way of seeing things
The Great Wall of Skin -- Know the Way
And they realize that we are all the same, no matter what our outward differences may be
The bloodless husbands are jesters who listen
Those who are in unhappy relationships often feel powerless and unable to change their situation
Like sheep to the shrieks and commands of their wives
And instead of standing up for themselves, they meekly follow along with their spouses
And the men who aren't men leave the women alone
Those who do stand up for themselves often do so in a way that is emotionally harmful to their partners
See them all faking love on a bed made of knives
All this is happening while everyone is pretending that everything is okay
Afraid to discover or trust in their bodies
And instead of relying on themselves and their own intuition, they let their emotions and fears control them
And in secret divorce they will never survive
Eventually these relationships will come to an end, since they are based on deceit and fear rather than love and trust
And I wave goodbye to ashes
I let go of the past and all that has been destroyed
And smile hello to a girl
And instead embrace a future filled with love and human connection
O the new children kiss -- I am young
The next generation is filled with love and hope for the future
They are so proud to learn -- I will live
They are excited to learn and grow into something beautiful
Womanwood bliss -- I am strong
They understand the value of true and deep love
And the manfire that burns -- I can give
And they are willing to share their love and passion with others
Knowing no fear -- You the strange
They are unafraid to be themselves and to love deeply
They take off their clothes -- Seed of day
They are free and unencumbered, finally able to be themselves
Honest and clear - Feel the change
And in doing so they bring about a positive change in the world
As a river that flows - Know the Way
They know that life is constantly moving forward, and they are excited to move with it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LARRY BECKETT, TIM BUCKLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind