FBT Song Stories vol. 3 - Hard To Say Goodbye

Howdy frans! Years ago, I did a “Song Stories” series for the Stages EP and thought it’d be fun to revisit that idea for the upcoming Falling Back Together album! Maybe “fun” isn’t the right word… cause the album is a wee bit melancholy... It’s a depiction of where I am in life right now. It may be sad, but there is a smattering of hope and nostalgia as well. And I hope others going through a similar season might see themselves in the music.

Track #3: Hard To Say Goodbye
Written: November 12, 2020

Let’s take a pause from the melancholy! Right smack in the middle of the worst of COVID, I got on a dating app because I was bored. Because there was literally nothing to do. I met this cute, sweet, smart, funny girl named Bonnie and now we’ve been married over five years! She continues to be my favorite human and I love her more each day.

We met through a dating app called Hinge. Funny enough, she lived in Austin and I lived in San Antonio… but we didn’t know it when we matched. My profile said I lived ”Far West” (meaning, the far west side of San Antonio)… Bonnie thought it meant that I lived off Far West Blvd., 10 minutes from her place in Austin. Her profile said she lived in the “Great Northwest” neighborhood, which was the exact same name of the neighborhood next to mine in San Antonio!

We dated anyway and suffice it to say, it went very well. But we were long distance for several months. That was NOT easy for two people that really truly just enjoy each other.

Hard To Say Goodbye was written during this season.

Fun fact #1: the photo below is the first one we ever took together! So glad I tricked her into thinking she wasn’t out of my league.

Every time we traveled to see each other in whichever city, I just remember standing together knowing we had to say goodbye for awhile. It was so hard! But in the wise words of Winnie the Pooh…

Verse two of the song says this:
I’m waiting for the day there’s no more in between and we won’t have to say goodbye.

Fun fact #2: Bonnie and I got married at her parents’ home, which has a piano right near the front door. The day of our wedding, we were only ever alone for a moment - when everyone went outside to get their sparklers and send us off at the end of the night. When we were waiting for our cue to exit, I played this one part of the song to Bonnie. It is a cherished moment that I’ll never forget!

Lyrics:

My heart is happy and it’s sad at the same time
Cause I don’t wanna let you go
Even just your eyes can show the beauty that’s inside
And I can’t hold you close enough to me
I can’t hold you close enough to me

With just one look I see the way you feel for me
I hope that I convey the same
My life is not my own
Where I am with you is my home
How I wish that I could always stay
How I wish that I could always stay

You make it
You make it hard to say goodbye
Though I believe we will be fine
I know I’ll miss you tonight

I’m waiting for the day there’s no more in-between
And we won’t have to say goodbye
I’ll hold you through the years
All I need is you right here
It’s hard to find a love like yours and mine
So hard to find a love like yours and mine

You make it
You make it hard to say goodbye
Though I believe we will be fine
I know I’ll miss you tonight

I will make you a promise
I will give you all that I am
And I can’t wait for the day I won’t have to say
that I miss you

You make it
You make it hard to say goodbye
Though I believe we will be fine
I know I’ll miss you tonight

I know I’ll miss you
I always miss you

About the “Falling Back Together” album:

Falling Back Together takes Matt back to his singer / songwriter roots. It will be a collection of 6 brand new tracks, featuring the Matt Adler Band’s first recordings in 10 years! The songs are authentic and raw, with themes of love, regret, nostalgia, hurt, hope, and everything in between. They are a time capsule of where he is right now.

“I’m excited and nervous to share these songs with the world. They’re more real and vulnerable than anything I’ve ever released up to now. But I am so happy with how the songs are shaping up! I hope that others can see themselves in the lyrics and know that they’re not alone - and that they’ll be okay.”

- Matt Adler