As the timer’s counted down, I’ve spent a lot of time whizzing about the city in cabs, most of which are tuned in to Singapore’s bluesy, drowsy retro radio stations. WHY there is this national interest in cheesy schmooze I have no clue, but after five years of golden oldies I now can’t browse the vegetable aisle at Cold Storage without humming along to 10cc, and all those cab rides have allowed me to compile my own Goodbye Playlist. I’d like to thank Gold 905 FM, my running mixtapes and YouTube.
The obvious one: Homeward Bound – Simon & Garfunkle
The sad one: If You Leave Me Now – Chicago
The positive one (for Hannah): So Good To Be Back Home – The Tourists
The conical one: Take A Bow – Madonna
The gothic one (for Debs): Say Hello Wave Goodbye – Soft Cell
The operatic one (for The Connors): Time To Say Goodbye – Sara Brightman
The unutterably sad one: Bye Bye Blackbird – Alison Moyet
The boyband one: Bye Bye Bye – ‘Nsync
The glamdram one (for Soph & Han): Going Home – Rocky Horror Picture Show
The angry one (for Claus): Cardboard Boxes – Loudan Wainwright III
The one with the high bit: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
The other obvious one: Leaving On A Jet Plane – John Denver
The #guardiansofthegalaxyII one: Father & Son – Cat Stevens
The dance one: So Now Goodbye – Kylie
The retrospective one (for John, Lou and Karen): All These Things I’ve Done – The Killers
The Kate one (for Kate): Clouds Across The Moon – Rah Band
The New Zealand one (for my boys): It’s Time – Imagine Dragons
The friends-everywhere one: History – One Direction
The reflective one (for the Roa-Pauls): In My Life – The Beatles
So long, Comfort Cabs, and thanks for all the choons
PS The one for when I get back (from Tamsin): Mr Blue Sky – ELO
