Born 1943, Yorkshire, UK, Christie started his musical life in 1960 in a duo called the Grant Brothers, and until 1969 he simply fronted bands. In 1969 he signed up with MCA Records. Hits such as Amarillo and I Did What I Did for Maria followed.
Christie sold over 10 million records in the 70s. The 80s saw a slowdown due to changing musical taste, however he was awarded Die Golden Europa by German radio for superb showmanship.
The 90s led to more hits such as the song Sweet September and the Jarvis Cocker song Walk like a Panther.
Peter Kay brought Christie to a whole new generation of youth with the song (Is This the Way To) Amarillo and Avenues and Alleyways.
Christie is still going strong and he got into the football spirit with (Is This the Way To) The World Cup.
Long Gone
Tony Christie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your eyes shining brightly
I'll never forget that glance and your smile
We sat on the floor
Talked five hours or more
When the sun rose at seven we kissed for a while
And it's long gone that we shared our lives
Well it's long gone that you said you love me
But now it's time to forget you
That night was a mild one
The best day of summer
A bottle of wine and your head on my chest
A warm wind was blowing
When the sun started glowing
You told me you're going and wished me the best
I couldn't forget you
That night and our closeness
For me it just seemed I'd known you for years
In a hundred miles distance
I felt your existence
So far from my home I knew you were here
And it's long gone that we shared our lives
Long gone that I met you
And it's long gone that you said you love me
But now it's time to forget you
Time went by slowly
My mind was still covered
With thoughts about you and this wonderful day
Sometimes I came down
To your beautiful town
We met for coffee, you asked me to stay
It took some more years
Till we got together
A long time not knowing and things kept on going
In the end we succeeded
It was you that I needed
We found each other, got finally near
And it's long gone that we shared our lives
And it's long gone that I met you
Well it's long gone that you said you love me
But now it's time to forget you
It's all right, we went different ways
I don't feel any sorrow
And it's all right what happened those days
But I hope I won't meet you tomorrow
It's easy to think
That the hearts of two ramblers
Would fit to each other like one and another
But living your dreams
So far as it seems
Is likely to hurt your lover's esteem
And it's long gone that we shared our lives
And it's long gone that I met you
Well it's long gone that you said you love me
But now it's time to forget you
Now you're far gone, I don't know where you living
Surely I won't await you
You're far gone, not a damn I am giving
I loved you once but now I hate you
The song "Long Gone" by Tony Christie describes the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. The first verse sets the scene of how the two people in the relationship met on a summer day and spent the night talking and kissing until sunrise. The chorus then emphasizes the fact that the relationship is over and that it's time for the singer to forget the person he once loved.
The second verse goes on to describe how the singer couldn't forget about this person and kept thinking about them even when they were not together. Although they lived far away from each other, they still met up occasionally for coffee. The bridge of the song suggests that it's natural for two people who have different dreams and aspirations to eventually go their separate ways. The song ends on a bitter note with the singer admitting that he once loved this person, but now hates them.
Line by Line Meaning
The first time I met you
This is the beginning of a story about a person who met someone for the first time.
Your eyes shining brightly
The person remembers the other person's eyes being full of light and happiness.
I'll never forget that glance and your smile
The person will never forget the way the other person looked at them and smiled.
We sat on the floor
The two people sat on the floor together.
Talked five hours or more
They talked for five hours or more.
When the sun rose at seven we kissed for a while
They sat and talked all night until the sun rose at 7am, and then they shared a kiss.
And it's long gone that we shared our lives
They no longer share their lives together.
And it's long gone that I met you
It's been a long time since they first met.
Well it's long gone that you said you love me
The other person said 'I love you' a long time ago.
But now it's time to forget you
It's time to move on from the other person.
That night was a mild one
The night they spent together was warm and pleasant.
The best day of summer
They remember it being the best day of summer.
A bottle of wine and your head on my chest
They shared a bottle of wine and rested with the other person's head on the singer's chest.
A warm wind was blowing
There was a warm wind blowing outside.
When the sun started glowing
The sun began to rise and the day began anew.
You told me you're going and wished me the best
The other person told the singer they were leaving and wished them well.
I couldn't forget you
The singer couldn't forget the other person.
That night and our closeness
The singer remembers the intimacy they shared on that night.
For me it just seemed I'd known you for years
The singer felt like they had known the other person for years, even though they had just met.
In a hundred miles distance
Even though they were physically far apart, the singer felt the other person's presence.
I felt your existence
The singer felt like the other person still existed, even when they were far away.
So far from my home I knew you were here
The singer knew the other person was close, even though they were far from home.
Time went by slowly
Time passed slowly for the singer.
My mind was still covered
The singer's mind was still occupied by thoughts of the other person.
With thoughts about you and this wonderful day
The singer's thoughts were about the other person and the wonderful day they spent together.
Sometimes I came down
The singer visited the other person.
To your beautiful town
The other person lived in a beautiful town.
We met for coffee, you asked me to stay
The two people met for coffee and the other person asked the singer to stay.
It took some more years
It took several more years for the two people to get together.
Till we got together
They finally got together as a couple after some time.
A long time not knowing and things kept on going
They spent a long time apart without knowing what might happen in the future.
In the end we succeeded
Eventually, they were able to succeed in making a relationship work.
It was you that I needed
The singer needed the other person to be happy.
We found each other, got finally near
The two people finally found each other and were able to be close.
It's all right, we went different ways
It's okay that they went their separate ways in the end.
I don't feel any sorrow
The singer doesn't feel any sadness about it.
And it's all right what happened those days
It's okay to remember what happened between them fondly.
But I hope I won't meet you tomorrow
The singer doesn't want to see the other person again in the future.
It's easy to think
It's easy to make assumptions.
That the hearts of two ramblers
It's easy to assume that two people who wander are perfect for each other.
Would fit to each other like one and another
It's easy to assume their hearts would be as one.
But living your dreams
Living one's dreams can be challenging.
So far as it seems
It may seem far away, but they still have to go for it.
Is likely to hurt your lover's esteem
It's likely to hurt one's partner's self-esteem.
Now you're far gone, I don't know where you living
The singer doesn't know where the other person is living now that they are far apart.
Surely I won't await you
The singer won't be waiting for the other person.
You're far gone, not a damn I am giving
The singer doesn't care now that the other person is gone.
I loved you once but now I hate you
The singer used to love the other person, but now they hate them.
Contributed by Camilla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.