Number One Songs—Hello, Goodbye

One must admit that using the catchy "Hello, Goodbye" to advertise a department store, is clever. ("Hello Good Buy," get it?) That's what the successful Target chain has done. Nicely.

"Hello, Goodbye" was a #1 single for the Beatles in 1967. It was part of the soundtrack to their artsy/campy movie Magical Mystery Tour.

The album Magical Mystery Tour, while often deemed less important than other Beatles albums (Rolling Stone named Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band the greatest album of all time, topping their 500 Greatest Albums list), still spawned some of their biggest and most memorable hits: "The Fool on the Hill," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Penny Lane," "Baby, You're a Rich Man," "All You Need Is Love."

I found these quotes regarding "Hello, Goodbye," attributed to co-writers John Lennon and Paul McCartney, to speak volumes about the songwriting team, the song and the men themselves:

JOHN 1980: "That's another McCartney. An attempt to write a single. It wasn't a great piece. The best bit was at the end, which we all ad-libbed in the studio, where I played the piano. Like 'Ticket To Ride,' where we just threw something in at the end."

PAUL circa-1994: "'Hello, Goodbye' was one of my songs. There are Geminian influences here I think--the twins. It's such a deep theme of the universe, duality--man woman, black white, high low, right wrong, up down, hello goodbye--that it was a very easy song to write. It's just a song of duality, with me advocating the more positive. You say goodbye, I say hello. You say stop, I say go. I was advocating the more positive side of the duality, and I still do to this day." —Beatles Ultimate Experience: Songwriting & Recording Database

Lennon sounds almost apologetic for the blatant "attempt to write a single." "That's another McCartney," he says, probably in the often snide-sounding tone he was famous for.

And it seems totally befitting of his character that he should have gotten the most fun out of banging on the piano, making up gibberish words, and raising hell in the studio while making the recording. John was a hell raiser.

Then there's Paul's quote. While reading it I couldn't help but think of the later (1982) number one hit he had with Stevie Wonder, "Ebony and Ivory." A variation on a theme perhaps? He could write the jingles, Paul could (and still can).

Paul has always managed to come off as the "nice Beatle." Not as esoteric as John and George, but capable of crafting brilliant and sensitive songs. When he waxes philosophical on the Gemini zodiac theme, the yin and the yang of life, he sounds smart enough and sincere enough to hook just about everybody. In his own way, very genuine.

I think if there's any one song in the hundreds of great ones written by "Lennon and McCartney" that represents each of them, Lennon and McCartney, and their roles as writers and people, it might be "Hello, Goodbye."

John Lennon was the pessimist of the two. The anarchist, the activist, the prankster, the "bigger than jesus" Beatle. McCartney was the sweetheart.

Paul said "Hello," John said "Goodbye."

Hello, Goodbye Lyrics
(Words and Music by Lennon and McCartney)

You say yes, I say no
You say stop and I say go, go, go
Oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello

I say high, you say low
You say why, and I say I don't know
Oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello

Why, why, why, why, why, why
Do you say good bye
Goodbye, bye, bye, bye, bye

Oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello
Hello

Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa