“Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”

1. “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” David Gray

2. Standing at the door of the pink flamingoCrying in the rainIt was a kind of so-so love,And I’m gonna make sure it doesn’t happen again.You and I had to be the standing joke of the year.You were a run around,A lost and found.And not for me I feel.Take your hands off me, pleaseI don’t belong to you, you see.Take a look in my face, for the last time.I never knew you, you never knew me.Say hello, goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.We tried to make it work, you in a cocktail skirt.And me in a suit, and it just wasn’t me.You’re used to wearing less, and now your life’s a mess.So insecure you seem.I put up with all the scenes,This is one scene,That’s going to be played my wayTake your hands off me, pleaseI don’t belong to you, you see.Take a look in my face, for the last time.I never knew you, you never knew me.Say hello, goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Under the deep red light,I can see the make-up sliding down.Well hey little girl, you will always make upSo, take off that unbecoming frown. As for me well, Ill find some oneWho’s not going cheap in the sales.A nice little house wife, who’ll give me a steady life.And not keep going off the rails.Take your hands off me, pleaseI don’t belong to you, you see.Take a look in my face, for the last time.I never knew you, you never knew me.Say hello, goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Wave goodbye.Say hello and wave goodbye.Say hello, wave goodbye.Goodbye.Say goodbye.Say goodbye.We were born before the wind.Who were we to understand?We were born before the windSay goodbye.Through the rain, hail, sleet and snow…Say good bye.And I’m trying, trying, tryingTo say goodbye.Say goodbye.Say goodbye.Say goodbye.In the wind and the rain my darling…Say goodbye.In the wind and the rain my darling... “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”

3. Title • What do you think David Gray is trying to say with the title “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”?

4. Paraphrase • Paraphrase each of these stanzas into your own words.

5. Connotations • What types of figurative language, point of view, symbolism, etc. do we see David Gray using in this song?

6. Attitudes • Take a look both at what David Gray (the author) and the main character in the song are saying. What is their attitude about what is happening?

7. Shifts • Do we see any shifts within the song? If any, where do they take place?

8. Title Again • Take a look at the title “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” again. Does it mean anything else to you now that you have worked through the song?

9. Theme • What are some themes that occur in the song? Use support for your answer!