Last Farewell

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Roger Whittaker

About Last Farewell

"The Last Farewell" is a song from 1971 by the British folk singer Roger Whittaker. Whittaker hosted a radio programme in The United Kingdom in 1971, backed by a full orchestra with arrangements by Zack Lawrence. Whittaker is quoted as saying that "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 from Birmingham, England, sent Whittaker his poem entitled "The Last Farewell", and this became one of the selections to appear on the radio programme. It was subsequently recorded and featured on Whittaker's 1971 album New World in the Morning (A Special Kind of Man in the US and Canada). Although the song failed to reach the music charts then, it is one of the fewer than forty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide. 


Year:
2006
92 
#2

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Roger Whittaker

Roger Whittaker (born 22 March 1936) is an Anglo-Kenyan singer-songwriter and musician. His music can be described as easy listening or perhaps best as ballads. He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability. American audiences are most familiar with his 1970 hit "New World in the Morning" and his 1975 hit "The Last Farewell," the latter of which is his only single to hit the Billboard Hot 100 (it made the Top 20) and also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. more »

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9 facts about this song

Song Background
"Last Farewell" is a song by British-Kenyan folk singer Roger Whittaker. - Whittaker is best known for his baritone singing voice and his skills on the guitar and whistling.
Chart Performance
The song was a significant hit achieving chart success globally. - It reached the number 2 spot in the UK Singles Chart in 1975, making it Whittaker's biggest UK hit. - In the United States, "Last Farewell" reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in 1975.
Composition
The song was written by Ron Webster, a Silversmith from Birmingham, England. - It is set in the naval military milieu, where a serviceman is saying his last goodbyes before heading off to sea.
Impact on Career
"Last Farewell" proved instrumental in cementing Roger Whittaker's musical legacy. - After its release, the song helped to propel Whittaker's career to an international level.
Cover Versions
Elvis Presley, known as the King of Rock and Roll, covered "Last Farewell" in his album "Today" in 1975. - Other artists such as Kamahl and Slim Whitman also covered this famous song.
Accolades
In 1976, Whittaker's rendition of "Last Farewell" bagged the Ivor Novello Award for 'Best Song Musically and Lyrically'.
Song Popularity
As of 2021, more than 125 version of this song exists in various languages across the world.
Music Video
The simple, heart-touching narrative of "Last Farewell" is beautifully depicted in the music video featuring Whittaker himself signing against stunning backdrops of ocean and landscape.
International Success
The song was a major hit not only in English-speaking countries, but also in other parts of the world. - In Germany, the song spent a record 50 weeks in the top 20 of the singles chart.

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