Doonican started performing in his home town and featured in the first ever television broadcast from Waterford. He then joined a band which toured Ireland playing the drums. In 1951 he moved to England to join another group, The Four Ramblers who toured and performed on BBC Radio shows broadcast from factories.
He eventually went solo and had a radio show as well as performing concerts and cabaret. In 1963 he was booked to appear on Sunday Night at the London Palladium. As a result of this performance, he was offered his own show on BBC television, lasting for over twenty years and moving to Saturday as its popularity grew. It featured his relaxed crooner style performance sitting in a rocking chair, as well as a number of comic Irish songs, notably "Paddy McGinty's Goat", "Delaney's Donkey", and "Rafferty's Motor Car", on which he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He often wore a cardigan which became a trade mark, and was sometimes compared to American singer Perry Como though Doonican has claimed his main influence was Bing Crosby. As a variety show, there were a number of other acts featured and performers such as Dave Allen had early exposure on the show.
The Palladium performance also kick-started his recording career. Between 1964 and 1973 he was rarely out of the UK Singles Chart, his greatest successes including the singles "Walk Tall", "The Special Years", "What Would I Be", "If The Whole World Stopped Loving", and "Morning"; and the albums 13 Lucky Shades of Val Doonican, and Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently. He also sang the theme song to the film, Ring of Bright Water.
He stopped performing in 2009 and spent a lot of his free time in Spain (where he had a second home).
Doonican's daughter wrote two books entitled Wired to the Moon and Fear of Custard under the name Sarah Kavanagh. Both stories are related to the performance entertainment world.
He'll Have to Go
Val Doonican Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.
Whisper to me, tell me do you love me true,
Or is he holding you the way I do?
Tho' love is blind, make up your mind, I've got to know,
You can't say the words I want to hear
While you're with another man,
If you want me, answer "yes" or "no,"
Darling, I will understand.
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone.
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.
Val Doonican's 1962 song "He'll Have to Go" is a country ballad that tells the story of a man who is trying to win back his lover who is currently with another man. The song sets a romantic and intimate scene, with the singer asking his lover to put her "sweet lips a little closer to the phone" and tells her that they can "pretend that we're together, all alone." The singer then asks the woman to tell her friend, who is with her at the moment, that "he'll have to go" so that the two of them can have some privacy together.
The second verse of the song finds the singer pleading with his lover to express her true feelings for him, asking her if she loves him in the same way that he loves her. He tells her that he needs to know before he hangs up the phone or stays on the line to continue their conversation. The chorus of the song is then repeated again, with the singer once again asking his lover to tell her friend that "he'll have to go" and to put her lips a little closer to the phone so that they can continue their intimate conversation.
The song is heavily influenced by the country music genre, with its pedal steel guitar and slow waltz tempo. The lyrics explore themes of love, uncertainty, and the difficulty of communication in relationships. As a result, the song has become a classic of the genre and has been covered by many musicians, including Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, and Engelbert Humperdinck.
Line by Line Meaning
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone.
Come close to the phone, speak softly into my ear like we're together and have a romantic conversation.
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
Imagine that we are in each other's company and create an illusionary setting where it's just you and me.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
I will request the person in control of the music to decrease the volume so that we can talk privately without any disturbances.
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.
Inform the person accompanying you to leave, as I can't hear what I want to from you with someone else around.
Whisper to me, tell me do you love me true,
Speak softly to me and reveal your true feelings for me, do you truly love me?
Or is he holding you the way I do?
Are you being loved with the same intensity and warmth as I do it to you?
Tho' love is blind, make up your mind, I've got to know,
Even though love can make one ignore the flaws or imperfections, decide who you love profoundly, because I need to know too.
Should I hang up, or will you tell him he'll have to go?
Should I end this call early or will you notify the person beside you to leave before we proceed with our conversation?
You can't say the words I want to hear
The words I long to hear can't escape from your lips.
While you're with another man,
My wishes won't come true if you're in the embrace of another man.
If you want me, answer "yes" or "no,"
Give me a clear response, whether you desire to be with me or not. Answer with a yes or no.
Darling, I will understand.
My love, I won't take it hard, and I will be okay with whatever decision you take.
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone.
Come close to the phone, speak softly into my ear like we're together and have a romantic conversation.
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
Imagine that we are in each other's company and create an illusionary setting where it's just you and me.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
I will request the person in control of the music to decrease the volume so that we can talk privately without any disturbances.
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.
Inform the person accompanying you to leave, as I can't hear what I want to from you with someone else around.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joe Allison, Audrey Allison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
yvonne lewis
I’m old enough to remember Val. Can recall many of his songs over the years. This one is a classic.
yvonne lewis
I am old enough to remember Val, he had many great hits this one was a classic.
Karen Hackman
What a voice Val Doonican had 1:36