The song "The Last Farewell" by Speedy

The Last Farewell- Mahendra's version and interpretation of a classic song by Roger Whittaker

Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale.  The lyrics appear at the end of the post.

I give my own imaginary interpretation of this sailor being an English sailor who fell in love with not only a girl in Sri Lanka, but with the country itself. The backing track from Smule Karaoke is the Elvis version in a different key but basically the same. You can watch it in window below or click on the YouTube link to see it.

Many colleagues have asked me to post another musical production of mine and I am obliging!

Released in 1971, this iconic song tells a story of love, loss, and the bittersweet farewell of two souls. Whittaker’s soulful voice and heartfelt delivery make this song a classic that continues to resonate with listener.

The lyrics of The Last Farewell paint a vivid picture of a sailor bidding farewell to his beloved as he embarks on a perilous voyage. The song explores themes of longing, separation, and the inevitable end that awaits their love. It evokes a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, reminding us of the transient nature of life and the fleetingness of meaningful connections.

Roger Whittaker drew inspiration for The Last Farewell from his own experiences as a sailor during his youth. He wanted to capture the essence of love and longing in a heartfelt song that resonated with his personal story.

While The Last Farewell is not based on a specific true event, it encapsulates the universal emotions experienced by sailors and their loved ones when facing separation. It draws on the collective experiences of sailors throughout history.

I gave my own imaginary interpretation of this sailor being English and who fell in love with a girl in Sri Lanka

“For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell”. 

His love was not just for the girl, but for the country.

Background

Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (1936 – 2023) was a British singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability as well as his guitar skills.

Whittaker was born in Nairobi, then in British Kenya, to English parents. His father was injured in a motorcycle accident and the family moved from Staffordshire to a farm near Thika, Kenya, because of its warmer climate. His grandfather sang in various clubs and his father played the violin  Whittaker learned to play the guitar on an instrument made for him during WW2 by an Italian Prisoner of War.

Whittaker moved to Britain in September 1959 to continue his teaching career. He studied at the University College of North Wales and obtained BSc degree.  He Sang in local clubs during this time. He said later that "I guess I was an entertainer who was a biochemist for a while, rather than the other way around".

In 1975, EMI released "The Last Farewell", a track from Whittaker's 1971 New World in the Morning album. It became his biggest hit and a signature song, selling more than 11 million copies worldwide.

Whittaker's father never forgave his son for abandoning a medical career, and their differences were never resolved. His parents attended none of their son's concerts and refused to participate in the episode of This Is Your Life when he was the subject.

 After living in Ireland for some years, he retired with his wife to France in 2012. He died in a hospital near Toulouse on 13 September 2023, aged 87.

Whittaker hosted a radio programme in The UK, backed by an orchestra with arrangements by Zack Lawrence. Roger Whittaker said, "One of the ideas I had was to invite listeners to send their poems or lyrics to me and I would make songs out of them. We got a million replies, and I did one each week for 26 weeks. Ron A. Webster, a silversmith, sent Roger Whittaker his poem entitled "The Last Farewell," and this song became one of the selections to appear on the radio program. It was recorded and sold and became one of the fifty all-time singles to have sold 10 million or more physical copies worldwide. The single reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, peaking at number 19 in June 1975, the only single of Whittaker's career to appear on the Hot 100.^] The song first hit the Canadian charts in November 1974 and peaked at number 64 in December. It then re-entered the charts in April 1975.

The response in America led the single to success in other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It was kept from number 1 in the UK by Rod Stewart's "Sailing", resulting in an oddity that the top 2 longs in the UK singles chart at the time had a nautical theme. "The Last Farewell" also went to number 1 in 11 other countries, selling an estimated 11 million copies worldwide, making it Whittaker's best-known song.

The Last Farewell has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Elvis Presley, Anne Murray, and Nana Mouskouri. Each rendition brings a unique interpretation, showcasing the song’s timeless appeal.

Footnote: The lyrics

There's a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor
Tomorrow for old England she sails
Far away from your land of endless sunshine
To my land full of rainy skies and gales
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell

For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell

I heard there's a wicked war a-blazing
And the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising
Their guns on fire as we sail into Hell
I have no fear of death, it brings no sorrow
But how bitter will be this last farewell

For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell

Though death and darkness gather all about me
And my ship be torn apart upon the seas
I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands
In the heaving waves that brought me once to thee
And should I return home safe again to England
I shall watch the English mist roll through the dale

For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell