Rock and Roll

Is this a happy little ditty, a Sixties British invasion song as it were, about different points of view? Maybe opposites attract. Anyway, the song was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was released as a non-album single in 1967 backed with John Lennon’s “I Am The Walrus.” It was their first release after the death of their manager Brian Epstein in August, 1967. John, of course, wanted “I Am the Walrus” to be the A-Side, but Paul and producer George Martin thought “Hello, Goodbye” was more commercial. Goo goo g’joob and all that notwithstanding. Indeed, “Hello, Goodbye,” in its simple and pop way, had international charting success, as it went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box as well as #1 in the U.K., Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, France, Norway, and West Germany. It rose to #2 in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, and Switzerland. The song has been released on the Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack EP and compilation albums.

The story behind the song goes something like this. Alistair Taylor, who had been an assistant to Epstein, and McCartney were talking and composing , respectively, doing an exercise where they would say something and then its opposite. And so “Hello, Goodbye” was born.

On the track were Paul McCartney (lead vocal, backing vocal, piano, bass, bongos, conga); John Lennon (backing vocal lead guitar, Hammond organ); George Harrison (backing vocal, lead guitar); and Ringo Starr (drums, maracas, tambourine). Other musicians included Kenneth Essex and Leo Birnbaum on viola.

Here are the lyrics to “Hello, Goodbye” by The Beatles:

You say yes, I say no
You say stop and I say go go go, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello I don’t know why you say goodbye,
I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello

I say high, you say low
You say why and I say I don’t know, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
(Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Hello goodbye) I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello
(Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Hello goodbye) I don’t know why you say goodbye
(Hello goodbye) I say hello/goodbye

Why why why why why why do you say goodbye goodbye, oh no?

You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello

You say yes (I say yes) I say no (But I may mean no)
You say stop (I can stay) and I say go go go (Till it’s time to go), oh
Oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello hello

Hela heba helloa
Hela heba helloa, cha cha cha
Hela heba helloa, wooo
Hela heba helloa, hela
Hela heba helloa, cha cha cha
Hela heba helloa, wooo
Hela heba helloa, cha cah cah [fade out]

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Hello, Goodbye” by The Beatles.