"Comment te dire adieu" (English: "How to Say Goodbye to You") is a French adaptation of the song "It Hurts to Say Goodbye". It was recorded by Françoise Hardy in 1968 and remains one of Hardy's most popular songs.
The song, originally called "It Hurts to Say Goodbye", was written by Arnold Goland and Jack Gold and was recorded by Margaret Whiting on her album The Wheel of Hurt (1966). It was also recorded by Vera Lynn in 1967; this version reached #7 in Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. Hardy heard an American instrumental version of the song and her manager asked Serge Gainsbourg to provide suitable lyrics for it. Gainsbourg's French adaptation of the original lyrics, "Comment te dire adieu", was included on Hardy's 1968 album. Hardy also recorded the song in Italian ("Il pretesto", 1968) and German ("Was mach' ich ohne dich", 1970; collected in the album Träume, 1970.) The lyrics are notable for their uncommon rhymes in "ex", within the subject of the song having a sense of "ex" as in "ex-boyfriend".
Production Asparagus/Disques Vogue/Vogue international industries (V.45-1552), 1968.
A-side: "Comment te dire adieu" ("It Hurts to Say Goodbye"), (ad. lyrics from Jack Gold: Serge Gainsbourg / music: Arnold Goland, arr. S. Gainsbourg) – 2:25
B-side: "L’Anamour" (lyrics and music: Serge Gainsbourg) – 2:14
Asparagus Production/United Artists (UP 35011 ), 1969.
A-side: "Comment te dire adieu" ("It Hurts to Say Goodbye"), (ad. lyrics from Jack Gold: Serge Gainsbourg / music: Arnold Goland, arr. S. Gainsbourg) – 2:25
B-side: "La Mer, les étoiles et le vent" (lyrics and music: Françoise Hardy) – 1:50
Production Asparagus/disques Vogue/Vogue international industries (EPL 8652), 1968.
A1: "Comment te dire adieu" ("It Hurts to Say Goodbye"), (ad. lyrics from Jack Gold: Serge Gainsbourg / music: Arnold Goland, arr. S. Gainsbourg) – 2:25
A2: "Il vaut mieux une petite maison dans la main, qu’un grand château dans les nuages" (lyrics: Jean-Max Rivière / music: Gérard Bourgeois) – 2:23
B1: "Suzanne", (ad. lyrics from Leonard Cohen: Graeme Allwright / music: L. Cohen) – 3:08
B2: "La Mer, les étoiles et le vent" (lyrics and music: Françoise Hardy) – 1:50
In 1989 it was covered by former Bronski Beat and Communards singer Jimmy Somerville, as a duet with June Miles-Kingston. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching #14 on the UK singles chart, helping Somerville's solo career take off.
7" single
- "Comment te dire adieu (7" version) — 3:35
- "Tell the World" — 4:12
Apart from Jimmy Somerville, a number of artists have covered the song:
Walter Wanderley, a Brazilian organist, recorded an instrumental cover of the song on his album Batucada (1967).
Anni-Frid Lyngstad, later a member of ABBA, recorded the song in Swedish as "Så synd du måste gå" (1969). It was collected on her album Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1972).
Aida Vedishcheva, recorded the song in Russian language as "Моя мечта" in 1974.
Hana Hegerová recorded the song in Czech as "Rýmováni o životě".
Ilona Csáková also recorded a Czech version, "Jedno Tajemství", collected in Blízká i vzdálená (1999).
Jane Birkin, collected on her album Versions Jane (1996).
Taxi Girl's frontman Daniel Darc, collected on Sous influence divine (1987).
Jun Togawa recorded a Japanese version, さよならをおしえて (Sayonara wo oshiete, literally "Tell me goodbye"; 1985).
Scottish indie group Belle and Sebastian have performed the song live in concert.
In 2001, a cover arranged by Tomosuke Funaki, and sung by Shizue Tokui (as Orange Lounge), appeared in beatmania IIDX 6th style.
In 2003, the song was also covered in France by Annie and Valérie, two contestants of Star Academy 3 and included on the album Star Academy fait sa bamba.
Amanda Lear recorded her version for her double-cd Brief Encounters in 2009.
Meg, a Japanese singer, covered the song in French for her album La Japonaise in 2012.
Kate Ryan, a Belgian singer, released a cover of the song in 2016.
