Help Me Write My Cheese!

January 30, 2007 9:55 AM

I need a song about saying goodbye, about never seeing someone again. Preferrably something rockin'. For the love of god, nothing emo.

I'm writing one of those silly fiction pieces where you intersperse lyrics with the prose. It has kind of a "going down swinging" mood to it. It's not a break-up piece, though a break-up song may apply if it's vague enough and not about kicking someone to the curb.

I have tried googling for the sort of phrasing I'm looking for, but all I get is Teenage Fanclub. I know the sort of mood/theme I want is out there.

Help me, Metafilter! You're my only hope!

posted by scaryblackdeath to Media & Arts (59 answers total)

One Last Caress--The Misfits
posted by OmieWise at 10:00 AM on January 30, 2007

Hüsker Dü -- Never Talking To You Again from Zen Arcade
posted by omnidrew at 10:02 AM on January 30, 2007

I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better by the Byrds
posted by Sweetie Darling at 10:05 AM on January 30, 2007

Crash Poets - Wave Goodbye
posted by idiotfactory at 10:05 AM on January 30, 2007

Maybe too literal with the "goodbye" thing, but I thought of "A Modern Myth" [lyrics, youtube] by 30 Seconds to Mars.
posted by knave at 10:06 AM on January 30, 2007

Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)
By: Steam
(Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer and Paul Leka)
1969

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
He'll never love you, the way that I love you
'Cause if he did, no no, he wouldn't make you cry
He might be thrillin' baby but a-my love (my love, my love)
So dog-gone willin'
So kiss him (I wanna see you kiss him, wanna see you kiss him)
Go on and kiss him goodbye

Na na na na, hey hey-hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
Listen to me now
He's never near you to comfort and cheer you
When all those sad tears are fallin' baby from your eyes
He might be thrillin' baby but a-my love (my love, my love)
So dog-gone willin'
So kiss him (I wanna see you kiss him. I wanna see you kiss him)
Go on and kiss him goodbye

Na-na na-na-na na na na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
Hey hey-hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye [repeat many times and fade out]
posted by JujuB at 10:08 AM on January 30, 2007

Rachael Yamagata - The Reason Why. It's not super rockin' though.
posted by amro at 10:08 AM on January 30, 2007

Alkaline Trio - Jaked on Green Beers
posted by puritycontrol at 10:09 AM on January 30, 2007

The Cure - Doing the Unstuck
posted by crazycanuck at 10:14 AM on January 30, 2007

Reckless Kelly - Walk Out Now
posted by pineapple at 10:16 AM on January 30, 2007

Surely You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go by Bobby D has got to be number one here?
posted by RokkitNite at 10:18 AM on January 30, 2007

The Black Dahlia Murder - Closed Casket Requiem
posted by baphomet at 10:18 AM on January 30, 2007

For some reason I want to say Thunder Road by Springstein.
posted by xammerboy at 10:26 AM on January 30, 2007

Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun.
posted by subtle-t at 10:27 AM on January 30, 2007

Morphine's "Gone For Good."

lyrics

not rockin', however.
posted by speedo at 10:30 AM on January 30, 2007

Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
posted by ludwig_van at 10:36 AM on January 30, 2007

Super cheesy - never say goodbye by Bon Jovi
posted by xammerboy at 10:39 AM on January 30, 2007

The Muffs - Saying Goodbye
posted by lemuria at 11:05 AM on January 30, 2007

Piss up a rope - Ween
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:09 AM on January 30, 2007

If you're looking for religious sentiment in a Christian way, try Scarlet Nights by Prefab Sprout from the album Jordan: the comeback...

"This is where your sleepless eyes will close
This is where the weary find repose
This is where a kinder bugle blows
This is where you'll wake
To find the River Jordan flows

Scarlet nights waiting sleep is overdue
Scarlet nights ending here on in they're blue
Yes I know we're not saying goodbye
Yes I know that farewell don't apply
Yes I know no matter how I try....
Yes I know, and you should know
That all the same I'll cry"

It sounds mawkish, but it's a pretty cheerful upbeat tune. In fact, the whole second half of the album is about death and saying goodbye (but in a fun way)
posted by baggers at 11:10 AM on January 30, 2007

Goodbye
I never want to see you again
Goodbye
I don't want to be your friend
So long
Now we've reached the end
Time for me to turn that bend...

"Goodbye" - Save Ferris
posted by ApathyGirl at 11:10 AM on January 30, 2007

I'll Follow The Sun - The Beatles
posted by grateful at 11:10 AM on January 30, 2007

second on morphine's gone for good

a truly awesome song
posted by Salvatorparadise at 11:13 AM on January 30, 2007

One More Minute by Weird Al Yankovic.
posted by KRS at 11:28 AM on January 30, 2007

I'll Follow The Sun - The Beatles

The man said "nothing emo"!

How about Dylan's Positively Fourth Street? That's swinging with both fists.
posted by languagehat at 11:30 AM on January 30, 2007

Your Daughter Died a Virgin by Joe Christ and Bigger Than God.

I have an mp3 of it I can send you when I get home from work, if you like.
posted by mds35 at 11:31 AM on January 30, 2007

Although not fast-tempo, it is a rocker in a sleazy pre-grunge kinda way.
posted by mds35 at 11:31 AM on January 30, 2007

Cyrkle, Red Rubber Ball.
I should have known you'd bid me farewell
There's a lesson to be learned from this and I learned it very well
Now, I know you're not the only starfish in the sea
If I never hear your name again, it's all the same to me
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 11:32 AM on January 30, 2007

The greatest goodbye song ever written is Boots of Spanish Leather by Bob Dylan.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:36 AM on January 30, 2007

Or the aforementioned Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:38 AM on January 30, 2007

Well, you could always use the Sex Pistols' cover of My Way, although it's first person.
posted by mckenney at 11:45 AM on January 30, 2007

How about Let Go by Frou Frou? Perhaps not rockin in the way you meant but a fine tune nonetheless.
posted by Captain Najork at 11:45 AM on January 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

Steven's Last Night in Town
posted by grouse at 11:46 AM on January 30, 2007

Eagles "Already Gone", quite rockin
posted by canoehead at 12:08 PM on January 30, 2007

Everclear has a few good songs for this, and their delivery is pretty hard and bruising. Maybe "Santa Monica" from Sparkle and Fade? Here are the lyrics.

I am still living with your ghost
Lonely and dreaming of the west coast
I don't want to be your downtime
I don't want to be your stupid game
With my big black boots and an old suitcase
I do believe I'll find myself a new place
I don't want to be the bad guy
I don't want to do your sleepwalk dance anymore
I just want to see some palm trees
Go and try and shake away this disease

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

I am still dreaming of your face
Hungry and hollow for all the things you took away
I don't want to be your good time
I don't want to be your fall-back crutch anymore
I'll walk right out into a brand new day
Insane and rising in my own weird way
I don't want to be the bad guy
I don't want to do your sleepwalk dance anymore
I just want to feel some sunshine
I just want to find some place to be alone

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

Alternatively maybe their "I Will Be Hating You for Christmas".

And of course, the very best goodbye/kiss off song of all time, Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill (written upon his departure from Genesis).
posted by onlyconnect at 12:51 PM on January 30, 2007

Danzig - How the Gods Kill

Definitely rocks, in a bluesy metal way.
posted by lilnemo at 1:20 PM on January 30, 2007

Pink - Who Knew
posted by nooneyouknow at 1:23 PM on January 30, 2007

Opal - Northern Line (which was apparently covered by the Old 97's -- is that bad?)

I'm dreaming on a night train
It's only been a light rain, and a darkened sky and a starry night
I'm humming on a cold train
I'm singing about the wreck of the Old 97

And I'm walking through this city
I'll tell my story to the rain
And I won't come back no matter what you say

I'm feeling no pain
I don't care if I ever see your face again
I'm riding on a Northern Line
I got no money - but I got a lot of time to spend

And I'm walking through this city
Yeah I'll tell my story to the rain
And I won't come back no matter what you say
No I won't come back no matter what you say
posted by and hosted from Uranus at 1:36 PM on January 30, 2007

Sugar, "If I Can't Change Your Mind"

Tears fill up my eyes
I'm washed away with sorrow
And somewhere in my mind
I know there's no tomorrow
I see you're leaving soon
I guess you've had your fill
But if I can't change your mind
Then no one will

posted by kirkaracha at 2:07 PM on January 30, 2007

Also Dire Staits' "Hand in Hand"

Now you and me go parallel together and apart
And you keep your perfect distance and it's tearing at my heart
Did you never feel the distance
You never tried to cross no line
'Cause it's another dirty river and another dirty scar
And I don't know who's kissing you and I don't know where you are
So far from home don't you think of me sometime

posted by kirkaracha at 2:09 PM on January 30, 2007

Goodbye to You - ?
I will never forget you - Husker Du
posted by DieHipsterDie at 2:27 PM on January 30, 2007

How about At Your Funeral by Saves the Day? It's an unchararacteristically rock-y song for them (and trust me, I'm no emo fan) (well, not new emo anyway) [rant about what passes for 'emo' these days] ... where was I... oh, yes. It's on YouTube here if you want to hear it.
posted by AV at 2:29 PM on January 30, 2007

Less than Jake has a lot of songs about leaving, but mostly they're about leaving a place rather than a specific person, so I don't know if they'll help. Some examples:

Never Going Back to New Jersey

Look What Happened

Best Wishes to your Black Lung

Goodbye in Gasoline

Where in the Hell is Mike Sinkovich? (probably the closest to what you were asking for)
posted by Nedroid at 2:31 PM on January 30, 2007

It's more swingin' than rocking, but if you're bitter you can't beat they lyrics of Meet Me In No Special Place by Mose Allison

Baby, we two can't get along, I'm never right, you're never wrong.
So meet me at no special place, And I'll be there at no particular time.

Baby, it just ain't common sense, Mixin' up love with arguments.
So meet me at no special place, And I'll be there at no particular time.

I'm all fed up on stormy weather, I'm going where it's June.
Here's hopin' I see you never 'Cause if I do, that will be too soon.

Now that I've put my heart on ice, Missing you will seem paradise.
So meet me at no special place, And I'll be there at no particular time.
posted by miss lynnster at 2:59 PM on January 30, 2007

Johnny Cash: Sam Hall

"Sam Hall"

Well, my name it is Sam Hall, Sam Hall.
Yes, my name it is Sam Hall; it is Sam Hall.
My name it is Sam Hall an' I hate you, one and all.
An' I hate you, one and all:
Damn your eyes.

I killed a man, they said; so they said.
I killed a man, they said; so they said.
I killed a man, they said an' I smashed in his head.
An' I left him layin' dead,
Damn his eyes.

But a-swingin', I must go; I must go.
A-swingin', I must go; I must go.
A-swingin', I must go while you critters down below,
Yell up: "Sam, I told you so."
Well, damn your eyes!

[Instrumental break]

I saw Molly in the crowd; in the crowd.
I saw Molly in the crowd; in the crowd.
I saw Molly in the crowd an' I hollered, right out loud:
"Hey there Molly, ain't you proud?
"Damn your eyes."

Then the Sherriff, he came to; he came to.
Ah, yeah, the Sherriff, he came to; he came to.
The Sherriff, he come to an he said: "Sam, how are you?"
An I said: "Well, Sherriff, how are you,
"Damn your eyes."

My name is Samuel, Samuel.
My name is Samuel, Samuel.
My name is Samuel, an' I'll see you all in hell.
An' I'll see you all in hell,
Damn your eyes.

posted by unSane at 3:02 PM on January 30, 2007

No Children by the Mountain Goats.
posted by FYKshun at 4:56 PM on January 30, 2007

So Long Baby Goodbye - The Blasters

I know, I've been foolin' myself too long
Never right but always wrong
Goodbye, baby, so long
You know, you never let this thing catch on,
You never let me be that strong,
Goodbye, baby, so long,

There was a cold wind blowing on the night we met,
The leaves fell from the trees
You made a lot of promises I ain't seen yet
I ain't gonna ask you please
You know, none of us are gonna cry,
It wasn't even worth the try,
So long, baby, goodbye

There was a cold wind blowin' on the night we met
Windows were rolled up tight
We both asked for something we could never get
Now I'll do the thing that's right
We know, none of us are gonna cry
It wasn't even worth a try
So long, baby, goodbye

It's available from iTunes.
Here's Phil singing it last year. The version on the original recording is much better.
posted by donpardo at 5:57 PM on January 30, 2007

"For Reasons Unknown" by The Killers.

I said my heart, it don't beat, it don't beat the way it used to,
And my eyes, don't recognize you no more,
And my lips, they don't kiss, they don't kiss the way they used to,
And my eyes don't recognize you no more.

Haven't heard too much of them, but I love that song. It's about someone who wakes up one day and suddenly finds that he doesn't love her anymore. (or the other way around)
posted by theiconoclast31 at 6:06 PM on January 30, 2007

dead flowers - rolling stones?
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:41 PM on January 30, 2007

Good Riddance, by Green Day.
posted by wireless at 8:25 PM on January 30, 2007

Against Me - Cavalier Eternal
posted by radioamy at 8:30 PM on January 30, 2007

A little lateral to what you might want, but the haunting folk tune 'Farewell to Nova Scotia" could be a nice allusion. mp3
posted by Rumple at 8:47 PM on January 30, 2007

Gang of Four: "Damaged Goods"
Romeo Void: " Never Say Never"
posted by brujita at 9:08 PM on January 30, 2007

Narrow Your Eyes by They Might Be Giants

Seriously. This is it.
posted by roll truck roll at 9:22 PM on January 30, 2007

David Bowie: "Strangers When We Meet."
posted by Fiat Lux at 1:22 AM on January 31, 2007

The Angels: Am I ever going to see your face again?
posted by Coaticass at 3:21 AM on January 31, 2007

Lefty Frizzell - "She's Gone, Gone, Gone."
posted by fourcheesemac at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2007

Maybe a little late on this but how about:

Song For the Dumped by Ben Folds (Five)

So you wanted to take a break?
Slow it down some and have some space?
Well fuck you too

Give me my money back,
Give me my money back you bitch,
I want my money back
you fuckin' whore!

Wish I hadn't bought you dinner,
Right before you dumped me on your front porch

Give me my money back,
Give me my money back you bitch,
I want my money back,
You fuckin' whore

And don't forget to give me back my black T-Shirt!

So you wanted to take a break?
Slow it down some and have some space?
Well, fuck you too!

Give me my money back,
Give me my money back you bitch,
I want my money back,
I want my money back,
I want my money back,

I want my black T-Shirt
I want my black T-Shirt
posted by stovenator at 9:10 AM on January 31, 2007

A less bitter and more poignant Ben Folds - Gone

I thought I'd write, I thought I'd let you know
In the year since you've been gone I've finally let you go
And I hope you find some time to drop a note
But if you won't
Then you won't
And I will consider you gone
posted by clunkyrobot at 2:37 PM on January 31, 2007