The Manhattans, Kiss and Say Goodbye | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 86^th  edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “Kiss and Say Goodbye” by The Manhattans. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! In the 86^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2022), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Kiss and Say Goodbye”, performed by 🎙 The Manhattans. 

Theme & Lyrics ✍

“This has got to be the saddest day of my life / I called you here today for a bit of bad news,” 🎙 Winifred Lovett says in the intro of 🎵 “Kiss and Say Goodbye”.  He continues, “I won’t be able to see you anymore / Because of my obligations and the ties that you have /… Let’s just kiss and say goodbye.” “Kiss and Say Goodbye” is one of the greatest R&B/soul songs of all-time, period.  It is worth noting that Lovett composed this 1976 classic, which hails from 🎙 The Manhattans’ 💿 self-titled album, and marks their biggest hit. “Kiss and Say Goodbye” topped the Billboard Hot 100, deservedly so! Amazingly (and sadly), “Kiss and Say Goodbye” wasn’t nominated for a 🏆 Grammy 🤬, but the collective later won a 🏆 Grammy for another hit, 🎵 “Shining Star”.

“Kiss and Say Goodbye” is iconic for many reasons. The production (🎛 Bobby Martin) is idiomatic of the 70s soul sound – lush, picturesque, romantic, and warm.  The vocals are stellar, from the commanding, expressive lead (🎙 Gerald Alston) to the assertive backing vocals.  The theme and lyrics are relatable, as the love affair has come to an end.  Even if it’s wrong, breaking up is difficult regardless of the situation, something that “Kiss and Say Goodbye” captures perfectly.

“We’ve been meeting here so long

I guess what we done, oh, was wrong

Please darlin’, don’t you cry

Let’s just kiss and say goodbye.” 

Final Thoughts 💭 

Simply put, they just don’t make R&B hits like 🎵 “Kiss and Say Goodbye” anymore.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime record.  The Manhattans would reach the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 once more, but they never reached no. 1 again. Though “Kiss and Say Goodbye” arrived before my time, it’s one of my favorites, thanks to parents with awesome taste in music, who got to experience the greatness of the 70s.

Appears in 🔻:

• Kisses: An Intriguing Compendium of Kiss Songs 💋

🎙 The Manhattans • 💿 The Manhattans • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1976

The Manhattans, “Kiss and Say Goodbye”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 86 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, Gerhard G., JL G via Pixabay,  Karl Hörnfeldt via Unsplash,  The Musical Hype, Sony Music Entertainment]