About The Song
“Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” is a song recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Released on December 26, 1972 on Motown’s Soul Records imprint as S 35098, it became one of their biggest hit singles to date, and was also the last single the group released prior to them leaving Motown for Buddah Records in February 1973.
Following the completion of the recording, Motown issued it for promotional use in December 1972, not too long afterwards. After negotiations with Motown broke down, the group was allowed to leave the label in January 1973; shortly thereafter, the group signed a contract with Buddah Records the following month in February 1973. By that point, the song was already climbing the charts on both the pop and R&B charts, on its way to give the group their biggest hit since “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” roughly six years before. Motown issued the group’s final contractual album, Neither One of Us, that March.
On March 17, 1973, the song reached number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, staying there for four consecutive weeks. Due to the song’s strong crossover appeal, it eventually peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, with Vicki Lawrence’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” blocking it from number one. However, it went number one on the U.S. Record World and Cashbox charts. It also crossed over to the adult contemporary chart, peaking at number 15. Worldwide, it was also successful, peaking at number 9 in France, number 11 in Canada and number 31 in the UK.
Video
Lyric
Let’s sing along with the lyrics!
It’s sad to think we’re not gonna make it
And it’s gotten to the point
Where we just can’t fake it
For some ungodly reason
We just won’t let it die (Let it die)
I guess neither one of us (Neither one of us)
Wants to be the first to say goodbyeI keep wondering (Wondering)
What I’m gonna do without you (Do without you)
And I guess you must be wondering the same thing too
So we go on
Go on together
Living a lie (Living a lie)
Because neither one of us (Neither one of us)
Wants to be the first to say goodbyeEverytime I find the nerve
Everytime I find the nerve to say I’m leaving (Leaving)
Old memories, those old memories get in my way (My way, my way)
Lord knows it’s only me
Oh He knows it’s only me
That I’m decieving
When it comes to saying goodbye
That’s a simple word that I just cannot sayThere can be no way
There can be no way (Be no way)
This can’t have a happy ending (Happy ending)
No, no
So we just go on (We go on)
Hurting and pretending
Convincing ourselves to give it just one more try (One more try)
Because neither one of us (Neither one of us) wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us (Neither one of us) wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us (Neither one of us) wants to be the first to say
Farewell, my love
Goodbye (Goodbye)