Standing in the door of the Pink Flamingo
Crying in the rain
It was a kind of so-so love
And I'm gonna make sure it never
Happens again
You and I
It had to be the
Standing joke of the year
You were a sleep around
A lost and found
And not for me I fear

Well our love

I tried to make it work
You in cocktail skirt
And me in a suit
Well it just wasn't me
You're used to wearing less
And now you're lifes a mess
So insecure you see
I put up with all the scenes
But this is one scene
that's going to be played my way

[Chorus]
Take your hands of me
I don't belong to you, you see
Take a look at my face
For the last time
I never knew you, you never knew me
Say hello, goodbye

Say hello, wave goodbye

Under the deep red light
I can see the make up
Sliding down
Hey little girl, you will always make up
So take off that unbecoming frown
What about me, well I'll find someone
that's not going cheap in the sales
A nice litle housewife
Who'll give me a steady life
And won't keep going of the rails

[Chorus]

Say hello then wave goodbye
Say hello wave goodbye
Say hello then wave goodbye
Say goodbye
Goodbye



Lyrics submitted by Milkman82

Track duration: 05:23

"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" as written by Marc Almond, David Ball

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Say Hello, Wave Goodbye song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:Take your hands of me, I don't belong to you, you see...
    Take a look at my face for the last time.. I never knew you, you never knew me...
    Say hello, wave goodbye.

    Difficult, but one of them must have the strength to end a relationship that doesn't work and lovers don't match. I don't think it's about Marc realizing he's gay, cause he's planning to find a "nice little housewife". It's more about being attracted to a certain person, but that's all, there is no future for you two and, although you like them, you feel tired of them and you get them out of your life.

    And me, I also don't like David Gray's cover (don't find it awful though), but Nouvelle Vague's one is pretty worth a listen:) No-one catches up Soft Cell's version, of course!!!<3
    Flag InBetweenTheLineson April 05, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:renod2, couldn't disagree more. David Gray has some great numbers on that album but I didn't rate his interpretation of this; I think he oversimplifies it. Like all great artists Marc Almond plays this different each time he performs it, but it's typically full of passion, venom and bitterness about a failed relationship. Other times he seems just plain vindictive and even humourous and mocking. I think it plays on anger and resentment as a way of dealing with the pain of a failed relationship he really wanted to work. After all, he starts the song out by 'crying in the rain', and the 'nice little housewife' line seems sarcastic, as if that's not really what he wants at all. He seems unwillingly resigned to a more boring life after failing to keep up with someone that turned out to be a little too dangerous and exciting for him. I think he's secretly disgusted with himself for not being able to handle this girl, but deals with that by blaming her.
    I don't know about the hidden gay meaning that others mention, or the suggestion the girl is a prostitute. I just know it's a masterpiece that captures perfectly a complex set of emotions most of us have probably experienced at some point.
    Flag jonboy7on October 22, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment: This is one of my top 10 fav songs. It reminds me of a relationship I had. It was a bad deal
    It was a kind of so so love
    And I'm gonna make sure it never
    Happens again
    You and I it had to be
    The standing joke of the year
    when I listen to this song , and I listen to it almost every day, it reminds that mistakes are often made , but we dont have to keep making them
    Great "piss off" song
    Flag scanon December 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i always thought this song was about him trying to make it work with girls, but inside it was never what he wanted cuz he always knew he was gay. 'you in a cocktail dress, me in a suit, well it just wasn't me'. doens't fit the whole song but seems to fit some of it spot on!
    Flag birchualon September 14, 2010   Link
  • -4
    General Comment:Eh. This original song has nothing whatsoever on the cover by David Gray. Soft Cell's has no emotion to it. It's like the singer is simply reading the lyrics off a page. And the weird upbeat rhythm thats going on ther just doesn't fit the meaning of the song at all. It's obnoxious.

    I highly suggest checking out the cover by David Gray. It has real emotion behind it and you could actually picture the whole ordeal in your head. Fantastic.
    Flag renod2on August 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is not about love, but about lust and drama. When he says he tried to make it work, he knew never
    really would. He's attracted to the drama. It's a classic that I never tire of listening to.
    Flag curefan1on August 24, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:According to Marc Almond, this song is actually about a prostitute and her "lover". He feels that she is beneath him (no pun intended), probably guilty at his relationship with her and so he is leaving her.
    Flag wumingon May 31, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Such a good song!
    Flag Andrew Evenstaron December 06, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Yeah, I agree, that David Gray version is disgusting, it's 9 flippin minutes long, and so terrible, I really don't like that Bob Dylan wannabe.

    Well I heard this song at my work [abercrombie and fitch] and I loved it, but when i downloaded it, I got the original song, which isn't the one they play at my work. I did some digging and found the fast-paced one, it's on their Very Best Of CD, it's soooo much better than the slow original in my opinion. Great song though.
    Flag stryker311on April 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:theres no attraction. Nothing there. Also its about him with a slutty girl and is embarassed. i love this song. sad though
    Flag sweet surrenderon April 07, 2008   Link

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