The Greatest Oldies Music

Oldies Musics

Del Shannon – So Long Baby (1963)

About the Song

Del Shannon was an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the early 1960s with his string of hit singles, including “Runaway,” “Hats Off to Larry,” and “Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow the Sun).” Shannon was known for his distinctive voice, which was both powerful and plaintive, and his songwriting, which often dealt with themes of love, loss, and longing.

“So Long Baby” was released in 1963 as the B-side to Shannon’s single “The Answer to Everything.” The song is a mid-tempo ballad that tells the story of a man who is saying goodbye to his lover. The song is full of regret and sadness, but it also has a sense of hope and optimism. The narrator knows that he will miss his lover, but he is confident that he will find love again someday.

The song’s lyrics are simple but effective. Shannon’s use of repetition and imagery creates a powerful emotional impact. The song’s melody is also memorable and haunting. “So Long Baby” is a classic example of Shannon’s songwriting talent and his ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level.

The song was a commercial success, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It was also a critical success, with many critics praising Shannon’s songwriting and performance. “So Long Baby” has been covered by many artists over the years, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. It remains one of Shannon’s most popular and enduring songs.

In addition to its commercial and critical success, “So Long Baby” has also had a significant cultural impact. The song has been featured in several films and television shows, including “The Big Chill,” “The Sopranos,” and “Mad Men.” It has also been used in several commercials and advertising campaigns.

“So Long Baby” is a classic example of a 1960s pop song. It is a well-crafted song with a memorable melody and lyrics that speak to the universal experience of love and loss. The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to Shannon’s songwriting talent and his ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level.

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Lyrics: So Long Baby

I see you’re laughing and
A-telling everyone in town
That you’ve made a fool of me
Well go ahead and talk some more
’cause, baby, I don’t care no more
You don’t bother me at all’cause I got news for you:
I was untrue too
And I don’t care what you say
So go and laugh some more
’cause baby I don’t care no more
I got another lover of my ownStep by step you put me down
Always calling me a clown
If you ever go away
Promise that you’ll stay
Far, far, far away from meNow that we played our game
I guess we’re both to blame
We tried to break each other’s hearts
You had one jump on me
But I jumped twice, you see
It’s over now, be on your waySo long, baby, be on your way
I had a ball, you thought I’d fall
You had one jump on me
But I jumped twice, you see
It’s over now, be on your waySo long, baby, be on your way
So long, baby, be on your way
So long, baby, be on your way

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SHE WAS A BRIDE AT FIFTEEN, A MOTHER AT SIXTEEN, AND THE FIRST WOMAN NASHVILLE EVER HAD TO CALL “ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR” — THEN SHE NAMED HER BABY AFTER THE BEST FRIEND SHE’D JUST BURIED, AND THAT BABY SPENT A LIFETIME MAKING SURE NEITHER VOICE WAS FORGOTTEN. Loretta Lynn came out of Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, with nothing but a coal miner’s last name and a voice that could pin a grown man to his chair. Married before she could drive. Four children by twenty-two. Then she wrote songs that scared Nashville half to death — about cheating husbands, birth control pills, and women who’d had enough. Sixteen number-ones. Presidential Medal of Freedom. The whole world calling her the Coal Miner’s Daughter. In 1963, her best friend Patsy Cline died in a plane crash. The next year, Loretta gave birth to twins. She named one of them Patsy. That little girl grew up backstage, between tour buses and honky-tonks. She formed The Lynns with her twin sister Peggy. Earned CMA nominations. Then she did something quieter and heavier — she stepped behind the glass and co-produced her mother’s final albums alongside Johnny Cash’s son. Loretta died October 4, 2022. That first birthday without her, Patsy woke up reaching for a phone call that wasn’t coming — her mama singing “Happy Birthday,” the way she always had. Does knowing Loretta named her daughter after a ghost she never stopped grieving make “I Fall to Pieces” feel like it belongs to both of them now?

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