Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

For other uses, see Every Time We Say Goodbye.

"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a popular jazz song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter. Part of the Great American Songbook, it was published by Chappell & Company and introduced by Nan Wynn and Jere McMahon in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue Seven Lively Arts.^[1]

"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
by Cole Porter
Genre	Jazz
Published	Chappell & Company, 1944
Premiere
Date	1944
Performers	Nan Wynn and Jere McMahon

The lyrics celebrate how happy the singer is in the company of the beloved, but suffering equally whenever the two separate. Describing it by analogy as a musical "change from major to minor", Porter begins with an A♭ major chord and ends with an A♭ minor chord, matching the mood of the music to the words.^[2]

The Benny Goodman Quintet (vocal by Peggy Mann) enjoyed a hit record with the song in 1945.^[3]

Other notable recordings

Musician	Album	Year	Source
Teddy Wilson with Maxine Sullivan		1945	[4]
Catarina Valente	If Hearts Could Talk	1953	-
Ella Fitzgerald	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book	1956	[4]
Ray Charles & Betty Carter	Ray Charles and Betty Carter	1961	[4]
Sarah Vaughan	After Hours	1961
John Coltrane	My Favorite Things	1961	[4]
The Hi-Lo's	Now	1981	[5]
Simply Red	Men and Women	1987	[4]
Annie Lennox	Red Hot + Blue	1990	[4]
Carly Simon	Film Noir	1997	[4]
Bob Florence with Annette Sanders	You Will Be My Music	2007	[6]
Diana Krall	Quiet Nights	2009	[4]
Lady Gaga	Cheek to Cheek (Deluxe Version)	2014	[7]
Laufey	A Night at the Symphony	2023	[8]