The Long Goodbye (song)

This article is about the Paul Brady and Ronan Keating song covered by Brooks & Dunn. For other songs with the same title, see The Long Goodbye (disambiguation).

"The Long Goodbye"
Single by Brooks & Dunn
from the album Steers & Stripes
Released	October 22, 2001
Format	CD single
Genre	Country
Length	3:15 (single edit) 3:51 (album version)
Label	Arista Nashville 69101
Writer(s)	Paul Brady Ronan Keating
Producer	Kix Brooks Ronnie Dunn Mark Wright
Brooks & Dunn singles chronology
"Only in America" (2001) "The Long Goodbye" (2001) "My Heart Is Lost to You" (2002)

"The Long Goodbye" is a song recorded and co-written first by Paul Brady on his 2000 album Oh What a World. It was later covered by country music duo Brooks & Dunn for their album Steers & Stripes. Brooks & Dunn's version was a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, and a #39 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Irish pop singer Ronan Keating, the other co-writer of the song, released it in April 2003 as the last single from his album Destination, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart.

Background

Ronnie Dunn was initially challenged by this song. "For me, I didn't know if I could sing some of these songs, if I could get inside them. So I'd take the tracks home...Paul Brady's demo of 'The Long Good-bye was intimidating...How do you do that? I'd work in my barn, explore the songs, try things, really learn where the song wanted to go, where I wanted to go."

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably saying that the song has more of a pop flavor than most of their other music. Taylor also says that Dunn's "earnest emotion exudes quiet desperation mixed with knowing acceptance."

Chart positions

"The Long Goodbye" debuted at #53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of October 27, 2001.

Chart (2001-2002)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	39

Preceded by "The Cowboy in Me" by Tim McGraw

Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks number-one single March 23, 2002

Succeeded by "Blessed" by Martina McBride

Ronan Keating Version

"The Long Goodbye"
Single by Ronan Keating
from the album Destination
Released	April 28, 2003
Format	CD single
Recorded	2002
Genre	Pop
Length	4:44 (Album version) 4:18 (Single mix)
Label	Polydor
Producer	Bill Padley
Ronan Keating singles chronology
"We've Got Tonight" (2002) "The Long Goodbye" (2003) "Lost For Words" (2003)

"The Long Goodbye" is the fourth and last single released from Irish singer/songwriter Ronan Keating's second studio album, Destination. The single peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was released as a double A-Side with "Love Won't Work (If We Don't Try)".

Tracklisting

UK CD1

1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
2. "Love Wont Work (If We Don't Try)" - 3:31
3. "This Is It" - 4:03
4. "The Long Goodbye" (Video) - 4:40

UK CD2

1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
2. "We've Got Tonight" (Feat. Jeanette) - 4:11
3. "Love Won't Work (If We Don't Try)" (Video) - 3:31

UK Cassette

1. "The Long Goodbye" - 4:44
2. "The Long Goodbye" (Bimbo Jones Vocal Mix) - 6:18

Chart performance

Chart (2003)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	3