"Goodbye My Lover" | ||||
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Single by James Blunt | ||||
from the album Back to Bedlam | ||||
Released | November 2005 (See release history) |
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Format | CD single | |||
Recorded | 2004 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |||
Genre | Soft rock, piano rock | |||
Length | 4:18 | |||
Label | Atlantic, Custard, RCA | |||
Writer(s) | Sasha Skarbek | |||
Producer(s) |
Tom Rothrock Jimmy Hogarth |
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James Blunt singles chronology | ||||
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"Goodbye My Lover" is a song written by English songwriter James Blunt and Sacha Skarbek, for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam. The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and recorded in the home of actress Carrie Fisher. The single received a positive reception from music critics. It was released as the fourth single in November 2005 and reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, where it became Blunt's second top ten single. It also reached the top ten in Sweden, Australia and France. In the United States, "Goodbye My Lover" had modest success on the Billboard singles chart, where it reached number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 due to digital downloads, even though the single was not yet released in the U.S. The song was formally released in the United States on 7 November 2006.
While in Los Angeles, Blunt lodged with Carrie Fisher, whom he had met through the family of a former girlfriend. Fisher was very supportive of Blunt's aspirations, and provided the use of a bathroom in her home that featured a piano for him to record Goodbye My Lover. Blunt later stated;
Everyone sings in the shower and everyone in Los Angeles seems to have a piano in the bathroom.
The single was released on three physical formats. CD1 includes an exclusive non-album recording, "Close Your Eyes", which was first written during Blunt's army days. CD2 includes a further non-album recording, "Where Is My Mind" performed live in Manchester, plus the video for "Goodbye My Lover" and behind-the-scenes "Making-Of" footage. The 7" vinyl includes the live version of "Where Is My Mind".
"Goodbye My Lover" featured a music video that was directed by Sam Brown and was filmed on 28 October 2005 in Los Angeles. In the video Blunt is featured sitting in a darkened room by himself, reflecting on a past relationship. In what appears to be the same room, but in daylight, a young man and woman, the former lovers, share an intimate moment. The video was shot in the former home of Randolph Scott. The young woman in the video was played by Mischa Barton. The young man in the video was played by Matt Dallas.