January 9: Say Goodbye To Hollywood

A straightforward tribute to the music of Phil Spector, which contains some of the most insightful lyrics in the Billy Joel catalog. After hiding out in LA to get out of a recording contract, he wrote this song on his way out the door. I loved it the first time I heard it, and used to insist that it be played as we were driving through the city at night, imagining what it must feel like to be the characters in the song - long before I would actually become one. This song holds a deeper level of personal meaning, as it was one of the songs my daughter latched onto in her early music listening career, and I got to hold her as we listened to Billy play it at the Hollywood Bowl. Today is her birthday. Say goodbye to Hollywood, indeed.


Bobby's drivin' through the city tonight
Through the lights in a hot new rent-a-car
He joins the lovers in his heavy machine
It's a scene down on Sunset Boulevard
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye to my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye to my baby

Johnny's takin' care of things for a while
And his style is so right for troubadours
They got him sitting with his back to the door
Now he won't be my fast gun anymore
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye my baby

Movin' on is a chance that you take
Any time you try to stay together
Whoa
Say a word out of line
And you find that the friends you had
Are gone forever
Forever

So many faces in and out of my life
Some will last
Some will just be now and then
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye my baby