Farewell: The Last Last Farewell

Easy Listening is an odd phrase, since it describes music that isn't always easy to listen to.  One guy who almost defines the term is Roger Whittaker, who turns 75 today.  He was born in Nairobi, of English parents, back when Kenya was part of the British Empire.

Bigger across the pond, he had only one hit in America, "The Last Farewell." I hadn't heard the song in years, and never missed it, but I turned on the radio recently and there it was.

In the early 70s, Whittaker was a recording star and radio host.  A British silversmith sent him a poem and Roger set it to music.  He recorded it in 1971, but it didn't catch on until 1975 when a station in Atlanta started playing the tune.  A cover by a British Marine band hit the English charts in 1979.

As Whitaker's career started drying up in the English-speaking world, he became big in Germany, recording in their language.



Over at YouTube, amidst the teary reminiscing, the song brings out some patriotic and nationalistic feeling:

This is the best... memories just roll in. I WAS 11 WWHEN THIS CAME OUT, HATED IT THEN LOVE IT NOW ALONG WITH THE SEEKERS AND GILBERT OSULLIVAN, IT TAKE MATURITY TO REALISE THAT SLADE AND DAVID CASSIDY WERE TALENTLESS.THIS IS THE BEST OF BRITAIN, AMERICANS WILL NEVER APPRECIATE THEY ARE WITHOUT CLASS

Big fan of Roger Whittaker, all of his songs are amazing. It would be good news to hear Roger Whittaker coming back to britian(singing terms) instead of singing in German currently, one of the most underated artists in my book.

I remember when Roger first released this song, although he was born in Kenya, I am sure he is singing about Australia being beautiful. Never the less what a song for English Patriots!!!!!

Roger is a white Kenyan. I'm a white Tanzanian. This song is so, so sad. Just like he felt sailing away from Kenya, I broke my heart to leave my bush-home, and sail away from Tanzania. I've never forgotten the wonderful watu, the amazing animals, the Swahili language. I'm not a musician, I didn't sing about my experience. I tried to recapture it in writing. And Roger's song inspired me

Our dad who was from Spain, was 103 and a half years old ! ! ! He loved his native Spain, but admired and respected the ANGLO world, and was a big fan of SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL...He pronounced his name CHOOR-CHEEL as in Spanish.....The British Empire and Spanish Empire SURELY changed the course of history.....The man who sang this song, Roger Whittaker, was born in BRITISH KENYA during the Empire days...

a magnificent classic . england the noble , sadly these days england is no longer noble and a fallen shitehole.