THE MANHATTANS - "Kiss and Say Goodbye"

Winfred "Blue" Lovett compuso esta canción para su propio grupo. Se llamaba The Manhattans. Era mediados de los setenta y, desde su natal New Jersey, ya tenían una década recorriendo los caminos de la música. Un día de 1970, su vocalista, George Smith, accidentalmente se cayó y nunca más pudo recuperarse. Falleció pocos meses después. La banda encontró a otro cantante de nombre Gerald Alston, con quien seis años más tarde grabaría la siguiente canción. Justamente, una semana como esta, en 1976, el tema andaba en lo más alto de las listas norteamericanas.

"Kiss and Say Goodbye"
(Winfred Lovett)

This has got to be the saddest day of my life
I called you here today for a bit of bad news
I won't be able to see you anymore
Because of my obligations, and the ties that you have
We've been meeting here everyday
And since this is our last day together
I wanna hold you just one more time
When you turn and walk away, don't look back
I wanna remember you just like this
Let's just kiss and say goodbye

I had to meet you here today
There's just so many things to say
Please don't stop me 'til I'm through
This is something I hate to do
We've been meeting here so long
I guess what we done, oh was wrong
Please darlin', don't you cry
Let's just kiss and say goodbye

Many months have passed us by
(I'm gonna miss you)
I'm gonna miss you, I can't lie
(I'm gonna miss you)
I've got ties, and so do you
I just think this is the thing to do
It's gonna hurt me, I can't lie
Maybe you'll meet, you'll meet another guy
Understand me, won't you try, try, try, try, try, try, try
Let's just kiss and say goodbye

(I'm gonna miss you)
I'm gonna miss you, I can't lie
(I'm gonna miss you)
Understand me, won't you try
(I'm gonna miss you)
It's gonna hurt me, I can't lie
(I'm gonna miss you)
Take my hankerchief, wipe your eyes
(I'm gonna miss you)
Maybe you'll find, you'll find another guy
(I'm gonna miss you)
Let's kiss and say goodbye, pretty baby
(I'm gonna miss you)
Please, don't you cry
(I'm gonna miss you)
Understand me, won't you try
(I'm gonna miss you)
Let's just kiss
And say goodbye

Hermosa melodía, coordinados movimientos y, aunque con una letra demasiado melancólica (y un poco conchuda de una parte), musicalmente da la sensación de que, a veces, todo tiempo pasado fue mejor.

Javier Lishner
Santa Clara, California
26 de julio de 2010