Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter and published by Chappell & Company. It was introduced by Nan Wynn in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue Seven Lively Arts. The song has since become a jazz standard after gaining popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many artists have replaced the apostrophe in "ev'ry" with an "e".

The lyrics celebrate how very happy the singer is when in the company of their beloved, but suffering equally whenever they 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 one, matching the mood of the music to the words.

Notable recordings

• Chet Baker - Let's Get Lost (1989)
• Dave Barbour Trio - The Very Thought of You: Decca Records 1951-57
• Shirley Bassey - Shirley, the LP (1961)
• Tony Bennett - Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends (2007)
• Eden Brent - Something Cool (2003)
• Ann Hampton Callaway - To Ella With Love (2005)
• Ray Charles - Ray Charles and Betty Carter (1961)
• June Christy & Stan Kenton - Duet (1955)
• John Coltrane - My Favorite Things (1961), Live Trane: The European Tours (1961, rel. 2001), The Paris Concert (1963, rel. 1979)
• Sammy Davis, Jr. - Sammy Davis, Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida Plays (1966), Lonely Is the Name (1968), The Rat Pack: 60 Outstanding Performances (2002)
• Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (Verve, 1956), Ella in London (Pablo, 1974)
• Lady Gaga - Cheek to Cheek (2014)
• Anthony Geary - ABC presents Love Affair
• Kelsey Grammer - Sideshow Bob - The Simpsons - "Krusty Gets Busted" (1990)
• Fred Hersch - ETC (2010)
• The Hi-Lo's - Now (1981), with Clare Fischer (piano and instrumental arrangements)
• Jack Jones - Where Love Has Gone (1964)
• Michael Keaton - Jack Frost (1998)
• Stan Kenton - The Stage Door Swings (2005)
• Lee Konitz & Red Mitchell - I Concentrate on You - A Cole Porter Tribute (1987)
• Diana Krall - Quiet Nights (2009)
• Eyran Katsenelenbogen - One Time (Jazziz, 1994)
• Cleo Laine - That Old Feeling (1999)
• Jeanne Lee - After Hours (1994)
• Annie Lennox - Red Hot + Blue (1990), also on some versions of The Annie Lennox Collection (2009)
• Julie London (with the Bud Shank Quintet) - All Through the Night (1965), The Ultimate Collection (2005)
• Peggy Mann - Shellac 10" b/w Only Another Boy and Girl, Columbia (1945), Best of the Big Bands: Benny Goodman and His Great Vocalists (1995)
• André Manoukian & Loane - So in Love (2010)
• Carmen McRae - When You're Away (1959)
• Mabel Mercer - Sings Cole Porter (1955)
• Ronnie Milsap - Just for a Thrill (2004)
• Tom Murray - Cole Porter Moods (2010)
• Silje Nergaard - Port of Call (2000)
• Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook (1959)
• Dianne Pilkington - Little Stories (2010)
• Sonny Rollins - The Sound of Sonny (1957)
• Diane Schuur - In Tribute (1992)
• Carly Simon - Film Noir (1997)
• Nina Simone - The Best of Colpix Years (1992, first release)
• Simply Red - Men and Women (1987)
• Jeri Southern - Southern Hospitality / Jeri Gently Jumps (2008)
• Rod Stewart - It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002), Reason to Believe: The Complete Mercury Studio Recordings (2002)
• Maxine Sullivan - Ruban Bleu Years: Complete Recordings 1944-1949
• Caterina Valente with Chet Baker - “I'll Remember April” / “Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye” (Single, 1956)
• Sarah Vaughan - After Hours (1961)
• Rufus Wainwright - Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live from the London Palladium (2007)
• Dinah Washington - The Swingin' Miss "D" (1956)
• In 2009 Mark Isham & Kate Ceberano recorded a version for their Bittersweet album.
• Robbie Williams - “Lazy Days” single B-side (1997)

Notable live performances

The German rock band Blumfeld played it as the last song in each concert of their farewell tour before splitting up in 2007.

Canto-pop star Eason Chan ended his 2010 DUO 2010 tour with the song.

Mick Hucknall at Old Trafford in August 1998.