Goodbye | 5ive Songs

1. The Kid LAROI, “F*ck You, Goodbye”

Ft. Machine Gun Kelly

💿 F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2020

“Fuck you, goodbye / You hurt me, for the last time.” At this point, it should come as no surprise that 🎙 The Kid LAROI is partial to the f-bomb.  I mean, there’s 💿 F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) as a whole, and then there’s the song at hand, 🎵 “F*ck You, Goodbye,” where the first line of the song begins with a lyrical middle finger.  While parents everywhere may cringe at Charlton’s potty mouth, he perfectly captures teen angst and matters of the heart superbly.  “It’s the last time I let you hurt me,” he asserts on the first verse, continuing, “Fuck you, goodbye, I did not deserve it / None of this bullshit was ever really worth it.” Woo! The Kid gets reinforced by 🎙 Machine Gun Kelly, who contrasts Howard’s more youthful delivery with an older, more experienced take on pain (“Red in the eyes, lately I’ve been on a cocaine diet / I’ve been tryin’ to feed my high”).

2. Madison Beer, “Good in Goodbye”

🎵 “Good in Goodbye” • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2020

“You’re killing my vibe / In ways words cannot describe / But I’ll try, I’ll try.” Word! 🎵 “Good in Goodbye” marked 🎙 Madison Beer’s first single of 2020. The first thing that stands out are her vocals; her pipes are quite husky.  The sound of her lower register, on the verse in particular, is quite sultry. She also shows off her upper register, particularly when the vocal harmonies come into play.  In addition to her lead vocals, she also has attitude, exhibiting personality; there’s confidence, sass, and fun songwriting.

The chorus is a prime example, further amplified by sleek, colorful production work by Beer, 🎙 Leroy Clampitt, and 🎙 One Love:

“You put the ‘over’ in ‘lover,’ put the ‘ex’ in ‘next’
Ain’t no ‘I’ in ‘trouble,’ just the ‘U’ since we met
‘Cause you’re toxic, boy, I ain’t even gotta try to find the
G-O-O-D in goodbye.”

“Good in Goodbye” is a certified bop – a pop song you definitely need to add to your listening rotation. 

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3. Post Malone, “Goodbyes”

Ft. Young Thug

💿 Hollywood’s Bleeding • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2019

“Me and Kurt [Cobain] feel the same, too much pleasure is pain…” 🏆 Grammy-nominated hip-hop sensation 🎙 Post Malone has stepped up his artistry as he’s progressed in his career. Many of his singles from his third studio album, 💿 Hollywood’s Bleeding,  have been certified bops, including 🎵 “Goodbyes”. “Goodbyes” is awesomeness exemplified.  Post excels at pop-rap, taking it to another level with his melodic prowess.  His expressiveness shines over the course of two verses, as well as a fantastic chorus: “I want you out of my head / I want you out of my bedroom tonight / There’s no way I could save you / ‘Cause I need to be saved, too / I’m no good at goodbyes.” Further amplifying the goodness of “Goodbyes” is brilliant, dramatic production work.  Also boding well in Malone’s favor is a respectable narrative, songwriting, and theme. 🎙 Young Thug should be commended for a sensational collaboration; He’s perfectly suited here, given his melodic sensibilities and how he contrasts Post.  All in all, this is a surefire hit that checks off all boxes.

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4. Sam Smith, “Too Good at Goodbyes”

💿 The Thrill of It All • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2017

🏆 Grammy-winning pop singer/songwriter 🎙 Sam Smith made a big-time return in 2017 with 🎵 “Too Good at Goodbyes”, the promo single for his sophomore album, The Thrill of it All. Smith sounds absolutely gorgeous, showing off their unique vocal tone and brilliant falsetto.  Like their best work, “Too Good at Goodbyes” is (1) a ballad and (2) centered around love. The verses are distinct of one another yet written in similar fashion.  A refrain follows both verses, in advance of the pre-chorus.  The pre-chorus, a key section, begins to intensify the emotions. The production expands beginning on the chorus.  Here, Smith has backing vocals supporting him. By the return of the chorus towards the end, Smith loosens up more, delivering some awesome vocal runs. Smith may be “too good at goodbyes” but they’re also good at singing, songwriting, and the whole pop artist thing.

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5. Taron Egerton & Jamie Bell, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

💿 Rocketman (Music from the Motion Picture) • 🏷 Paramount / Universal Music • 📅 2019

Musical biopic 📽 Rocketman was one of the most talked about films of 2019.  Notably, Welsh actor 🎙 Taron Egerton stars as the iconic 🎙 Elton John.  Egerton also sings some of the classic songs by John, including 🎵 “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” which appears on the 💿 Rocketman Soundtrack. He’s joined by English actor 🎙 Jamie Bell, who plays legendary lyricist, 🎙 Bernie Taupin.

While this performance of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” contrasts the original, the theatrical approach by Egerton and Bell is both alluring and successful.  Egerton sings the first verse and chorus, relatively playfully and with a slackened pace.  Bell’s second verse arrives in similar fashion, before the joint chorus favors the more bombastic, energetic sound of the original.  Some fantastic orchestration – brass and strings – makes “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” truly come to life in the hands of the actors.  

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