I Love You Goodbye

This article is about the Thomas Dolby song. For other uses, see I Love You, Goodbye.

"I Love You Goodbye"
Single by Thomas Dolby
from the album Astronauts & Heretics
Released	29 June 1992 (1992-06-29) [1]
Genre	Cajun Techno, New wave
Length	5:59 (album version) 4:35 (edited version)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter	Thomas Dolby
Producer	Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby singles chronology
"Close but No Cigar" (1992) "I Love You Goodbye" (1992) "Silk Pyjamas" (1992)

"I Love You Goodbye" is a song by English singer and musician Thomas Dolby, released by Virgin Records on 29 June 1992 as the second single from his fourth studio album, Astronauts & Heretics (1992). The song, which was written and produced by Dolby, reached number 36 on the UK Singles Chart.

Writing

Done in the style of a "Cajun Techno", the song was explained by Dolby on his live album Forty: Live Limited Edition to be a semi-autobiographical narrative based on his experience of a road trip near New Orleans. ^[2] During recording sessions for the album in Louisiana, Dolby and some other musicians were driving in a rental car when they were stopped by a patrolman. ^[3] In the song, the narrator decides to go bowling on a Friday morning, he and a friend drive toward the Everglades ^[4] in a stolen Datsun; they are arrested after crashing the car in a rainstorm, but the county sheriff offers to let them go in exchange for a bribe as long as they get rid of the car in the Gulf of Mexico.

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and produced by Jim Gabour. It was shot on location in the bayous outside New Orleans. ^[5]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Alan Jones wrote in Music Week that the single was a "strange, eclectic piece with folksy violins, doodling synths and much more". He called the song a "quality single" and predicted that it would not surpass the level of success attained by Dolby's previous single, "Close but No Cigar". ^[6] Larry Flick of the US magazine Billboard noted that Dolby's "poised and polished vocals slide over a pleasant hodgepodge of synthesized sounds and percussion". He continued that it was "notable especially for managing to experiment without sacrificing its easy grace" and "should sound fine on pop-leaning AC formats". ^[7]

Track listings

• 7–inch and cassette single (UK) ^{[8] [9]}

1. "I Love You Goodbye" (edited version) – 4:35
2. "Eastern Bloc" (Sequel to Europa & the Pirate Twins, 1981) (edited version) – 4:13

• CD limited edition single #1 (UK) ^[10]

1. "I Love You Goodbye" (edited version) – 4:35
2. "Eastern Bloc" (The Sequel) (edited version) – 4:13
3. "I Love You Goodbye" (version) – 4:19
4. "Eastern Bloc" (version) – 4:18

• CD limited edition single #2 (UK) ^[11]

1. "I Love You Goodbye" – 5:58
2. "Windpower" – 3:54
3. "Europa and the Pirate Twins" – 3:21
4. "Eastern Bloc" – 4:13

• CD promotional single (US) ^[12]

1. "I Love You Goodbye" (edit) – 3:56
2. "That's Why People Fall in Love" (edit) – 4:09
3. "I Love You Goodbye" (album version) – 5:57
4. "That's Why People Fall in Love" (album version) – 5:29

• CD promotional single #2 (US) ^[13]

1. "I Love You Goodbye" (Bayou Mix) – 4:18
2. "I Love You Goodbye" (New Orleans Mix) – 4:33
3. "I Love You Goodbye" (album version) – 5:57

Personnel

"I Love You Goodbye"

• Thomas Dolby – vocals, piano, keyboards
• Larry Treadwell – guitar
• Terry Jackson – bass
• Wayne Toups – Cajun accordion, backing vocals
• Michael Doucet – Cajun fiddle, backing vocals
• Al Tharp – Cajun banjo, backing vocals
• Suzanne Malline – backing vocals
• Cynthia Moliere – backing vocals
• Teresita Alsander – backing vocals

Production

• Thomas Dolby – production

Other

• Larry Vigon – art direction, design
• Brian Jackson – design
• Michael Terranova – photography

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [14]	155
UK Singles (OCC) [15]	36
UK Airplay ( Music Week ) [16]	29

References

1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 27 June 1992. p. 33. ISSN   0265-1548 . Retrieved 5 January 2026– via World Radio History.
2. "Voodoo: Thomas Dolby and Life after Science". My Spilt Milk. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
3. Verna, Paul (14 November 1992). "Thomas Dolby delves into personal realm on Giant debut" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 104, no. 46. Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 16. ISSN   0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
4. "Interview: Thomas Dolby : Illinois Entertainer". illinoisentertainer.com. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
5. "Music Video: Production Notes". Billboard . Vol. 104, no. 50. Billboard Publications, Inc. 12 December 1992. p. 34. ISSN   0006-2510.
6. Jones, Alan (4 July 1992). "Market Preview" (PDF). Music Week . p. 8 – via World Radio History.
7. Flick, Larry (7 November 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 104, no. 45. Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 79. ISSN   0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
8. I Love You Goodbye (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Thomas Dolby. Virgin Records. 1992. VS 1417, 115 466.
9. I Love You Goodbye (UK cassette single sleeve). Thomas Dolby. Virgin Records. 1992. VSC 1417, 413 103.
10. I Love You Goodbye (UK CD limited edition single #1 sleeve). Thomas Dolby. Virgin Records. 1992. VSCDG 1417, 665 466.
11. I Love You Goodbye (UK CD limited edition single #2 sleeve). Thomas Dolby. Virgin Records. 1992. VSCDT 1417, 665 467.
12. I Love You Goodbye (US CD promotional single). Thomas Dolby. Giant Records. 1992. PRO-CD-5715.
13. I Love You Goodbye (US CD promotional single #2). Thomas Dolby. Giant Records. 1992. PRO-CD-5958.
14. "Week commencing 14 September 1992". 14 September 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
16. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week . 1 August 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 2 November 2025.