Kiss the Old Romantic Goodbye

words & music by Doug Howell (25 Oct 1978)

© 2019 Creative Measures

I could write a book
I could go downtown
I could take in a movie
and then just drive around

I could make a speech
to the bedroom wall
on the risk involved in loving you
and the way I lost it all

and you can kiss the old romantic goodbye
I gotta learn to keep these feelings hid behind my eyes
you won’t catch me giving my heart away again
you can kiss the old romantic goodbye

I could sail away
to Italy or Spain
you know, I could forget you
I could forget my name

I think I’ll write a song
and sing it to the stars
to the ones I used to wish upon
and tell them just how cruel they are

and you can kiss the old romantic goodbye
I gotta learn to keep these feelings hid behind my eyes
you won’t catch me giving my heart away again
you can kiss the old romantic goodbye

yeah, that starry-eyed fool is gone
he’s gotta be a lot more careful from now on

2019 Notes

This one goes out to everyone who’s ever had a blue Valentine’s Day. In my life, I’ve had about as many blue ones as red ones. When I wrote this song, I thought I’d never give my heart away again. Thank goodness I did. (Another Happy Valentine’s Day to you, my dear Davey!)

This song’s had some “near misses” in the publishing game through the years, but nothing ever materialized. I’m very grateful I finally got the chance to record it.

Once again hearty thanks to Dan Leonhardt for his amazing contributions on acoustic and electric guitars. (I send him rough tracks. He sends me back magic ones!)

Photo from Shutterstock