Recording Details

If This Is Goodbye

Musicians

Clara Vuust
Song
Jan Harbeck
Saxophone
Lars Jansson
Piano
Mads Vinding
Bass
Søren Frost
Drums
Jeppe Holst
Nylon String Guitar
LiveStrings
Strings

Production

Boe Larsen
Recording & Mixing Engineer
Milses Showell
Mastering Engineer
Thomas Lyngdam
Producer
Peter Jensen
String arrangement
YouKnowWho
Art Work
It was just another one of those beautiful sessions at the Millfactory. The spirit was excellent, and as always I was excited and also a little anxious to see my song come alive. I just loved the way Clara sang Always Blue, so I had very high expectations. They were truly fulfilled, and I love the full orchestral version with the strings and the band, but some true magic happened at the end of the session, where Clara and Lars just recorded a duo version. Magic happened. Here it was played as a ballad and I felt the true character of the song was revealed. Clara's improvised ending even became prophetic. She simply sang: "If this is goodbye. Goodbye ... " I truly love the published bossa version of the song, but the ballad version is very true to my heart and my original artistic vision.
Listen to the music
If This Is Goodbye(Lyngdam / Harbeck)

Song Lyrics

Written by Thomas Lyngdam

Your hand in mine along the sea
The setting sun has no idea
Might be the last time that you are near
You must let me know
I will need your answer
In the morning glow

C H O R U S

If this is goodbye
I will never know the reason why
With nothing more to say
We’ll drift away
All these feelings deep inside me
Why does it have to hurt
It’s just one more word
When darkness fades you could be gone
Don’t you want to come along
Perhaps I will always feel this blue
Until the morning light
Hidden in your whisper
A long and lonely night

C H O R U S

If this is goodbye
Was it all another simple lie
Lost in your embrace
Can’t see your face
You are tearing me apart now
A gentle thunderstorm
That keeps pushing on

About the song

This is a song about fighting for what you love and live for. Like Always Blue it is also a little story in itself – you could even see it as a continuation of the love in Always Blue. Could they have a last chance. As in all my songs, at least the beginning has a very physical description – like a script for a movie.

Of course we are stylistically in Bossa Nova land, so of course a beach and palm trees should be envisioned at the start. Not afraid of cliches here, just to be true to the ancestry. Hand in hand with the loved one, but not knowing whether this love would last. The premise is that a potentially final conversation will determine the basis of the relationship, and perhaps even save it.

The protagonist firmly believes that a single word could save it all. “Why does it have to hurt – it’s just one more word …”