The Long Goodbye (song)

"The Long Goodbye"
Single by Brooks & Dunn
from the album Steers & Stripes
B-side "Only in America"
Released October 22, 2001
Format CD single
Genre Country
Length 3:15 (single edit)
3:51 (album version)
Label Arista Nashville 69101
Writer(s) Paul Brady
Ronan Keating
Producer(s) Kix Brooks
Ronnie Dunn
Mark Wright
Brooks & Dunn singles chronology
"Only in America"
(2001)		 "The Long Goodbye"
(2001)		 "My Heart Is Lost to You"
(2002)

"The Long Goodbye" is a song recorded and co-written first by Paul Brady on his 2000 album Oh What a World. It was later covered by country music duo Brooks & Dunn for their album Steers & Stripes. Brooks & Dunn's version was a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, and a #39 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Irish pop singer Ronan Keating, the other co-writer of the song, released it in April 2003 as the last single from his album Destination, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart.

Background

Ronnie Dunn was initially challenged by this song. "For me, I didn't know if I could sing some of these songs, if I could get inside them. So I'd take the tracks home...Paul Brady's demo of 'The Long Good-bye was intimidating...How do you do that? I'd work in my barn, explore the songs, try things, really learn where the song wanted to go, where I wanted to go."[1]

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably saying that the song has more of a pop flavor than most of their other music. Taylor also says that Dunn's "earnest emotion exudes quiet desperation mixed with knowing acceptance."[2]

Chart positions

"The Long Goodbye" debuted at number 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of October 27, 2001.

Chart (2001-2002) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 39

Year-end charts

Chart (2002) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[5] 17
Preceded by
"The Cowboy in Me"
by Tim McGraw		 Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks
number-one single
March 23, 2002 		Succeeded by
"Blessed"
by Martina McBride

Ronan Keating Version

"The Long Goodbye"
Single by Ronan Keating
from the album Destination
Released 28 April 2003
Format CD single
Recorded 2002
Genre Pop
Length

4:44 (Album version)

4:18 (Single mix)
Label Polydor
Producer(s) Bill Padley
Ronan Keating singles chronology
"We've Got Tonight"
(2002)		 "The Long Goodbye"
(2003)		 "Lost For Words"
(2003)

"The Long Goodbye" is the fourth and last single released from Irish singer/songwriter Ronan Keating's second studio album, Destination. The single peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was released as a double A-Side with "Love Won't Work (If We Don't Try)".

Tracklisting

UK CD1
  1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
  2. "Love Wont Work (If We Don't Try)" - 3:31
  3. "This Is It" - 4:03
  4. "The Long Goodbye" (Video) - 4:40
UK CD2
  1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
  2. "We've Got Tonight" (Feat. Jeanette) - 4:11
  3. "Love Won't Work (If We Don't Try)" (Video) - 3:31
UK Cassette
  1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
  2. "The Long Goodbye" (Bimbo Jones Vocal Mix) - 6:18

Chart performance

Chart (2003) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 3

References

  1. ↑ Anon (2001). "Biography: Steers & Stripes" Arista Nashville.com. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  2. ↑ Billboard, October 6, 2001
  3. ↑ "Brooks & Dunn Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Brooks & Dunn.
  4. ↑ "Brooks & Dunn Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Brooks & Dunn.
  5. ↑ "Best of 2002: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2002. Retrieved July 24, 2012.

External links