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Goodbye (Slipknot song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Goodbye

| cover = Goodbye_(Slipknot).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Slipknot

| album = .5: The Gray Chapter

| released = {{Start date|2016|1|5}}

| format =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hard rock{{Cite web|url=https://www.wearethepit.com/2020/08/every-slipknot-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best/|title=Every Slipknot Song, Ranked from Worst to Best|publisher=We Are The Pit|last=Krovatin|first=Chris|date=August 28, 2020|access-date=January 2, 2023}}

| length = 4:35

| label = Roadrunner

| writer = Corey Taylor

| producer =

| prev_title = Killpop

| prev_year = 2015

| next_title = All Out Life

| next_year = 2018

}}

"Goodbye" is the fifth single from the American heavy metal band Slipknot from their fifth studio album .5: The Gray Chapter.

Background

"Goodbye" was initially going to be the introductory song for .5 The Gray Chapter but ended up becoming a full track.{{cite web|last1=Daultrey|first1=Stephen |title=Slipknot talk new album, Paul Gray and overhauling their tones|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/slipknot-talk-new-album-paul-gray-and-overhauling-their-tones-610064|website=musicradar.com|date=5 January 2015 |access-date=5 April 2017}} In an interview with Rolling Stone, Corey Taylor, the lead singer of Slipknot, explained that "Goodbye" was a song he had written about the death of Paul Gray, one of Slipknot's members. On the other hand, Slipknot's percussionist Shawn Crahan originally believed that "Goodbye" was about Taylor leaving the band.{{cite web|last1=Grow |first1=Kory|title=Gray Matters: Slipknot Open Up About Their Most Devastating Record Ever |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/gray-matters-slipknot-open-up-about-their-most-devastating-record-ever-20141017|website=rollingstone.com |access-date=13 March 2017|date=17 October 2014}} Taylor extended his explanation of the song to multiple magazines by saying that "Goodbye" was about the loss of words the band experienced after Gray's death{{cite web|last1=Street|first1=Andrew P|title=Fade To Gray Slipknot: Fade To Gray|url=http://www.bluntmag.com.au/interviews/slipknot-fade-to-gray/|website=bluntmag.com.au|access-date=13 March 2017|date=29 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216121546/http://www.bluntmag.com.au/interviews/slipknot-fade-to-gray/|archive-date=16 February 2015|url-status=dead}} and coming back together after "one of the darkest days of this band’s career".{{cite magazine |author= |title=Death! Disaster! and Defiance!|magazine=Kerrang! |issue=1539 |date=15 October 2014 |page=6}}

Composition

In an opinion piece by Slipknot's guitarist Jim Root, Root revealed that his performance in "Goodbye" was inspired by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood's playing style. Root also highlighted that the bass played by Corey Taylor was from the demo version of "Goodbye".{{cite web|last1=Root|first1=Jim|title=How Paul Gray's Death Shaped Slipknot's New Album|url=http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2014/10/13/how-paul-grays-death-shaped-slipknots-new-album/|website=themusic.com.au|access-date=13 March 2017}}

Release

Although the audio for "Goodbye" was released in October 2014, the track was picked by Slipknot as an official single in December 2015.{{cite web|title=SLIPKNOT's New Single 'Goodbye' To Impact Rock Radio This Winter|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/slipknots-new-single-goodbye-to-impact-rock-radio-this-winter/|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=9 December 2015 |access-date=5 April 2017}} "Goodbye" was officially released as a single in January 2016.{{cite web|last1=McGeever |first1=Neale|title=Slipknot release 'Goodbye' ahead of UK tour|url=http://ramzine.co.uk/news/slipknot-release-goodbye-ahead-of-uk-tour/|website=Ramzine|date=5 January 2016 |access-date=4 May 2017}}

Reception

On one hand, critics praised Corey Taylor for his vocals in "Goodbye". Ray Van Horn Jr. of Blabbermouth.net praised Taylor for "staying largely in soar mode once the heavier masses take over the song"{{cite web|last1=Van Horn Jr.|first1=Ray|title=CD Reviews - .5: The Gray Chapter Slipknot|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/5-the-gray-chapter/|website=blabbermouth.net |date=29 October 2014 |access-date=13 March 2017}} while Emilee Yaw of New-Transcendence complimented Taylor for establishing an emotional connection with the listener.{{cite web|last1=Yaw|first1=Emilee |title=Review: Slipknot – Goodbye (Single)|url=http://new-transcendence.com/review-slipknot-goodbye-single/|website=new-transcendence.com|access-date=13 March 2017|date=22 November 2014}}

Alternatively, reviewers criticized Slipknot's music style in "Goodbye". Dave Hanratty of Drowned in Sound said the song was "a lumbering mix of balladry and stadium metal" {{cite web |last1=Hanratty |first1=Dave |title=Album Review: Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18485/reviews/4148382 |website=drownedinsound.com |access-date=13 March 2017 |date=21 October 2014 |archive-date=18 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418134304/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18485/reviews/4148382 |url-status=dead }} while Mike Lawrence of Metal Descent heavily panned the song by accusing Slipknot of being arrogant in the track.{{cite web |last1=Lawrence |first1=Mike|title=SLIPKNOT .5: The Gray Chapter: Album Review |url=http://metaldescent.com/slipknot-5-the-gray-chapter-album-review/|website=metaldescent.com |access-date=13 March 2017|date=15 October 2014}}

Track listing

{{track listing

| title1 = Goodbye

| note1 = Edit

| length1 = 3:22

}}

Personnel

;Slipknot

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Chart performance for "Goodbye"

scope="col"| Chart (2016)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard){{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/slipknot/chart-history/rtt/|title=Slipknot Chart History (Mainstream Rock Airplay)|work=Billboard|access-date=November 6, 2023}}

| 22

References

{{Reflist}}

{{slipknot}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Slipknot (band) songs

Category:2016 singles

Category:Songs about musicians

Category:Songs written by Corey Taylor

Category:American hard rock songs