Goodbye Time
Encyclopedia
"Goodbye Time" is the title of a song recorded by American
country music
singer Conway Twitty
. It was released in February 1988 as the first single from Twitty's 1988 album Still in Your Dreams. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
chart.
In 2004, a cover was recorded by country music artist Blake Shelton
on his album Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
. This cover was issued in early 2005 as that album's third single, and by mid-2005, it became the fourth Top Ten hit of Shelton's career, peaking at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard country charts and number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
were inspired to write "Goodbye Time" while Hicks's brother was going through a divorce. According to Hicks, his brother was "holding on to something that was already gone", and his situation inspired Hicks and Murrah to write the song. Murrah pointed out that the two "just started playing music and singing lyrics", and the song came together.
Initially, the two songwriters had planned for Reba McEntire
to record "Goodbye Time". However, McEntire felt that she could not sing the song, as she, too, had been going through a divorce at the time, and she felt that several of the song's lyrics matched what her ex-husband had told her when they split. The song was then pitched to Conway Twitty
who recorded it. His version features Vince Gill
on background vocals.
in which the narrator addresses a former lover, attempting to keep her from leaving him. Ultimately, he tells her that "if the feeling's gone / Words won't stop you anyway". In the chorus, he adds that "if it's too late for love to change your mind / Then it's goodbye time".
recorded "Goodbye Time" for his third studio album, 2004's Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
, having been inspired to record the song after hearing it on a television special about Twitty. Murrah felt positively of Shelton's rendition, stating that Shelton "[made] the song his own".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
. It was released in February 1988 as the first single from Twitty's 1988 album Still in Your Dreams. The song reached number 7 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart.
In 2004, a cover was recorded by country music artist Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
on his album Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill is the third studio album by American country music artist Blake Shelton. Released in 2004 on Warner Bros. Records Nashville, it is his third consecutive album to achieve RIAA gold certification...
. This cover was issued in early 2005 as that album's third single, and by mid-2005, it became the fourth Top Ten hit of Shelton's career, peaking at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard country charts and number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Background and writing
James Dean Hicks and Roger MurrahRoger Murrah
Roger Murrah is a songwriter and music publisher who has written hits for artists including Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Al Jarreau, and Alabama....
were inspired to write "Goodbye Time" while Hicks's brother was going through a divorce. According to Hicks, his brother was "holding on to something that was already gone", and his situation inspired Hicks and Murrah to write the song. Murrah pointed out that the two "just started playing music and singing lyrics", and the song came together.
Initially, the two songwriters had planned for Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
to record "Goodbye Time". However, McEntire felt that she could not sing the song, as she, too, had been going through a divorce at the time, and she felt that several of the song's lyrics matched what her ex-husband had told her when they split. The song was then pitched to Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
who recorded it. His version features Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
on background vocals.
Content
"Goodbye Time" is a balladBallad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
in which the narrator addresses a former lover, attempting to keep her from leaving him. Ultimately, he tells her that "if the feeling's gone / Words won't stop you anyway". In the chorus, he adds that "if it's too late for love to change your mind / Then it's goodbye time".
Blake Shelton cover
Sixteen years after Twitty's rendition, Blake SheltonBlake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
recorded "Goodbye Time" for his third studio album, 2004's Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill
Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill is the third studio album by American country music artist Blake Shelton. Released in 2004 on Warner Bros. Records Nashville, it is his third consecutive album to achieve RIAA gold certification...
, having been inspired to record the song after hearing it on a television special about Twitty. Murrah felt positively of Shelton's rendition, stating that Shelton "[made] the song his own".
Conway Twitty
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 7 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 11 |
Blake Shelton
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|