Oh my goodness, I was not READY guys! I'd forgotten all about Roger Whittaker. When we were kids in the early 80s we used to lovingly tease my Grandma for being a RW fan. We thought he was naff. The arrogance of youth! Now I'm an old fart and I'm sitting here ugly crying, remembering my Grandma, simpler happy times, and appreciating how beautiful this song actually is.
Similar here but it was my dad who was the fan & I've always liked his songs I don't play them often. Gets a bit emotional. Bit like my mum & Demis Roussos
Roger was born in Kenya , East Africa and African influence musically was a major part of his unique folk songs ; despite not obtaining sustained chart success, he gained a large international following through worldwide TV appearances and live performances, with fan clubs in at least 12 countries (including Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States). One admirer was US president George H. W. Bush, at whose home he was invited to perform. multi lingual too ; able to speak/sing Swahili , English , German , French . Roger only passed away in 2023 . RIP Roger Whittaker
Whittaker was born in Nairobi, then in British Kenya, to English parents, Vi (née Snowden) and Edward Whittaker, who were from Staffordshire, where they owned and operated a grocery shop. His father was injured in a motorcycle accident and the family moved to a farm near Thika, Kenya, because of its warmer climate.
Roger ain’t a crooner, you hit the nail on the head. He’s a story teller both singing & talking. I grew up with his words & songs on TV in the 60’s-70’s England.
Gorgeous voice, awesome storyteller, lovely man. New World In the Morning, Durham Town, I Don't Believe In If Anymore, Both Sides Now, America, Fire and Rain, Changelip, All of My Life, I Believe, Whisky In The Jar. All great. His voice just melts my heart.
O-M-G! Seriously I'm in my 50s and never thought anyone under 80 knew of Roger Whitaker. Sunday dinners as a kid my stepdad got to choose the music and this was one of his favourites and became one of mine when I was like 11. His voice is one of my favourite male voices. The memories you've stirred up! My favourite song of his is hands down "River Lady (A Little Goodbye)." To me, Roger Whitaker has the kind of voice and storytelling that can evoke a sense of nostalgia... even for things or times you yourself didn't experience!
This song was first recorded and released in 1971, but didn't become a worldwide hit until 1975, when a U.S. radio DJ played it for his wife, and the phones rang like crazy as people wanted to know who did the song about the sailor sailing to England and to war. I love that the song reach the Billboard Top 20, busting through all the rock and disco hits of that time. It was popular all over the world because (I think) the music and the lyrical story are timeless.
Love, love love this man's voice. Incredible whistler too. Mexican Whistler, Durham Town and New World In The Morning are all great songs. Please react to more Roger
Jay and Amber, at the end of each episode you remind us that we are loved and cared for and blessed. I want you guys to know that you both are BLESSINGS to all who watch your videos.
I haven't heard this in years! Yet somehow this song gets stuck in my head. Especially the lyric 'and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell'. Yes, he sings Christmas songs!
My dad has been gone for 20 years now and he loved this song. To this day I can't listen without blubbering, crying like a baby. In fact, that's what I'm doing right now!❤❤❤miss him and mom terribly. Music is a great way to always bring good memories.
Roger Whitaker was one of my wife's favorite singers...Hearing Roger Whitaker again kind of took me by surprise...before my wife passed I remember that she would play her Roger Whitaker cassette while cleaning the house and during the moments when she would sit down and relax...Thank you for reacting to this artist...it caught me a little off guard but brought back some beautiful memories for me... Great reaction, guys...Keep Being Awesome !!!...
Beautiful voice, legendary whistler and guitarist. My folks definitely had one of his albums back in the 70s. He passed just last year, September 2023. His father never forgave him for abandoning a medical career, never once saw him perform, refused to appear in TV with him (“This is Your Life”). His parents were victims of a home invasion in Rhodesia in 1989, Roger’s father was killed.
An uncle of mine was friends with Roger Whittaker during the period in which Roger Whittaker lived in Cape Town.My uncle died a few yrs back in the UK - "New World in the Morning" was played at the funeral
Blimey hearing that voice was like a time capsule, flinging me back to another age and better times. Bringing back cherished memories of my younger self. Thanks and no thanks. Sugar coated bitter memories. Sheffield South Yorkshire.
This gave me such a smile. My dad loved Roger Whittaker so I grew up with his music in the regular family rotation. "Changelip", "New World in the Morning", "Durham Town", "Finnish Whistler". SO many great songs!
One of the VERY few good memories I have of growing up in the 70s as a little boy was listening to Roger Whitaker "For you are, beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell." There is one special person that I want to say that to that I will never, ever be able to. I will love you forever, CH
are you kidding me? this is why i love you guys. Im a a middle aged guy grew up listening to metallica but Roger Whitaker was my slow jam.... voice like maple syrup... awesome reaction
Roger Whittaker, world champion whistler of the late 60's and early 70, sing and, speak in many languages. Many hits in French as well, "Le Mistral" "Un Eléphant sur le Balcon" "Mon Pays Bleu" and many more showing his whistling talent in these songs
This really takes me back to the 70’s. Roger was very popular even though he was around in the age of punk and disco music. My brother went to the same school as his child briefly before we moved. RIP Mr Whittaker.
My Mom would listen to him often. Since she passed I cannot listen to this without tears running down my face... heck, happening now.... Him and Joe Dassin.
😲 😮 OMG .. I haven't heard this song since the late seventies. My Mom used to listen to his music all the time. I was little and had no choice 😉😊 Thankfully.
My grandparents were fans of Roger Whittaker.I remember this song Congratulations Amber & Jay.on the 600K, He covered Joni Mitchell "Both Sides Now" He did that beautifully
I would never class Roger Whittaker as a crooner. More a singer/ songwriter. Have always loved this song since it first came out in the mid seventies when i was a young child. Much love from England 🏴
Oh my God. I had chills throughout this whole reaction. This is like when I listen to Kenny Rogers songs. It evokes my Dad SO much (he's still with us) but Whittaker was/is one of his favorite singers. But I NEVER hear his songs anymore even on classic channels. So when I was listening it was like Oh, I know this melody so well but the only words I remembered was the "for you are beautiful..." part. I would never as a child appreciated the war aspect and I have no memory of that part. Gonna go download it now! Thank you SO much for covering this and for whoever recommended it. Congratulations on 600k!!
I'm not sure you totally got it. The islands were not his home. He's a British sailor and his ship brought him there. If you've ever seen 'Mutiny on the Bounty' , it's a lot like that. He fell in love with the islands and a native girl, but he now has to return to his duty as a sailor and fight, once again, for England. You need to check out his Christmas album - it's wonderful.
@@dougellis8904 The song is not about the British Isles, except when he's talking about rain and gales. That's very clear in the lyrics. He's in the Tropics somewhere, having to return to the British Isles because of war. He is singing about a woman. He doesn't have to say it in words; the meaning is clear to most of us.
As a person who has left lands that I truly loved, I see that he is not saying goodbye to a woman but to a land that he loved and will never see again. to attach a woman to it is shallow beyond compare.
Roger wasn't a crooner. He has always been know in the UK as a wonderful folk-singer. Lovely video -- brings back many memories of the 60s and 70s. Thank you.
Jay and Amber, thank you for listening to The Last Farewell, which remains one of my Mother’s favorite songs. Now I tear up each time I hear it because it reminds me of my childhood when she bought the 45 and played it and cried.
Some of us are lucky enough to experience a sweet sort of love that we know is impossible and must be left behind. As wrenching as it is to leave, living the love while it lasted is this sailors heaven, never to be repeated. I love this song because Roger Whittaker captured the impossible longing so perfectly. This is his best and I go back to listen to it year after year. It reminds me of that perfect love that I had for the blink of an eye. More sweet than bitter.
Boy does this song take me back. I have always loved this song but the older I get the more I gravitate to songs like this from my youth. Thank you . ❤
I used to know Roger Whittaker and his wife Natalie when I lived in France. Lovely man, smoked enormous cigars, didn't say a lot as his wife spoke all the time (Irish) haha. Sadly since passed away
@@theodoreritola7641 TV station WGN Channel 9 out of Chicago use to play this in the 70s as their intro music. This is the news story they did when he died ruclips.net/video/Gk-jbo-kH1M/видео.html&ab_channel=WGNNews
@@theodoreritola7641 WGN Channel 9 out of Chicago use to play this in the late 70s as their intro music. Takes me back to the time I was a kid. WGN did a good story on it when he passed ruclips.net/video/Gk-jbo-kH1M/видео.html&ab_channel=WGNNews
Hello, First of all, a big compliment to you, your videos are great, I always enjoy watching them. Especially your country music reactions. Roger Whittaker was also very well known and successful in Germany. He also sang many of his songs in German, with the help of phonetic transcription. He was also an artificial whistler. In 1976, when I was 10 years old, I heard “the last farewell” for the first time and was fascinated although I neither spoke nor understood English at that time. Nevertheless, I sang along loudly every time the song came on the radio. I felt the same way about the songs “River Lady” and “Albany” Greetings from Germany Mari
Another great baritone crooner, Elvis Presley, adored this recording immediately, and played it over and over again to his band before recording a sincere version at his next session. It's a deep love song for a land the serviceman realises he will likely never see again.
There was NOTHING on the charts like this when it was out - it was my senior year in high school - but I always liked it despite it sticking out like a sore thumb.
I’m 50 years old. My father died on Fathers Day when I was 9 years old. Sadly, there are more things I have forgotten about him than what I can recall. But I do remember that this was his favorite song and I can remember him singing this to my mother like it was yesterday. Thank you for this.
I’m 58. I lost my dad too but my house was filled with Roger Whittaker, Englebert Humperdinck, and John Denver. He taught me to love music and history.
Roger Whittaker was an amazing and unique singer/songwriter in his time. He sang in a few languages too. He was born in Africa. Spent time living in more than a few countries. Died in 2023 in hospital in France. Look into his story. It's so interesting. I had the good fortune of attending one of his concerts in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the 70's. No one seems to talk about the hidden POWER in his voice. At that concert he opened with a booming song sung acapella (without instruments). Oh my gawd! No wonder he is also such a wonderful whistler, with all that power available to him. His whistling songs are so intriguing. I would suggest you consider listening to them, along with a song he wrote called "I don't believe in if anymore". And he has a full volume of great songs. And see if you can find any acapella songs he has sung over the years. You'll be surprised and moved by that voice. FYI he was considered and folk singer too! Thanks for this memory.
Hi Jay& Amber congrats on the 600,00 well done I love this song all my life but then I heard Elvis's version but then I'm an Elvis fan ❤❤❤❤❤❤💋💋💋💋💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
Great song, glad you got round to it at last.. It's so poetic and emotional The story behind it - Whittaker had a radio programme in England backed by an orchestra. He invited listeners to send their poems or lyrics to him and he would make songs out of them. He apparently had around a million replies and did one each week for 26 weeks.... Ron Arthur Webster, a silversmith from Birmingham (England) , sent in the poem "The Last Farewell", and this song became one of the selected. He was apparently travelling home a on a bus one night, wishing to be somewhere warm instead. He had written The Last Farewell with Roger Whittaker in mind before even before the singer put out the invite.
I used to get woken uo on a Sunday morning by my Dad playing this loudly on his music center when i was small so we could all go to Sunday Mass.You should listen listen to his tune Mexican Whistle.He was a world class whistler.
I laughed so hard when I saw this reaction come up today. This has been the only reaction I have gotten my husband to watch. He grew up listening to Roger Whitaker & polka music. I grew up listening to The Bee Gees, Yacht Rock & 80’s pop & metal! We are only 2 years apart in age.
I never thought I'd see anyone reacting to Roger Whittaker, my parents had an album of his and I loved it, I have my favourite songs of his in my music library. Great reaction, thank you.
If you check out The Sky Boat Song live you will hear whistling within the song that is beyond belief. I have never heard anyone be able to whistle like Roger Whittaker. For many years I was blessed to attend his concerts when he came to my hometown. Thank you for your great reactions!
Over the years since Roger recorded this I've cried, had shivers down my spine... for me it's one of the most emotional recordings.. anyone else affected like this listening to this wonderful recording?
Yes, as I get older some songs like this do that. They often trigger memories of happy times with my parents and siblings and then sadness of the loss.
He has done some great Christmas music over the years, before he hit the top 40 with this song in the 70's. A great program idea ! Play Christmas songs done by all of the artist that you have featured, a holiday special !!!!!!
Good Idea! Whittaker - "Brahm's Lullaby" (whistled) Boney M - "Mary's Boy Child" Chris Rea - "Coming Home for Christmas" Kate Bush - "December will be Magic again" ...
If you were alive in the 70's you've heard this song. Your parents had this album.
I've been alive since 1949 so imagine how many records I've got!
They sure did!
Finally a great balladeer/ folk singer from across the ocean
This reminds me of the WRECK OF THE EDMONDS FITZGERALD By Gordon Light Foot from 1975 m
I was alive in the 70s, and I know this song, but there's no way my parents had this album .
So glad you found Roger Whittaker
Though they have differing styles I am reminded of Glen Yarbrough (1930-2016) "Baby The Rain Must Fall."
@@timcarr6401 Yes loved him to and with the Limelighters
My dad loved Roger Whittaker
@@jelly-baby Yes my mother was a great fan and loved his whistleing
I’m a child of the 70’s. Roger Whittaker, Englebert Humperdinck, and John Denver filled my house. It was a wonderful time.
This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful songs ever sung by one of the most beautiful voices in the industry.❤
Back in the 70's in amongst rock and roll, this song stayed on the top of the Australian charts for weeks. He is also an amazing whistler.
I really loved how beautiful the whistling was.
Oh my goodness, I was not READY guys! I'd forgotten all about Roger Whittaker. When we were kids in the early 80s we used to lovingly tease my Grandma for being a RW fan. We thought he was naff. The arrogance of youth! Now I'm an old fart and I'm sitting here ugly crying, remembering my Grandma, simpler happy times, and appreciating how beautiful this song actually is.
Haha so true. We’ve all been there.🤣
Lol😂 Naff, haven't heard that word in a long time. RW was something for sure! He could whistle too!
Similar here but it was my dad who was the fan & I've always liked his songs
I don't play them often. Gets a bit emotional. Bit like my mum & Demis Roussos
Me too..crying here..
I came here to write almost this exact same memory!
Roger was born in Kenya , East Africa and African influence musically was a major part of his unique folk songs ; despite not obtaining sustained chart success, he gained a large international following through worldwide TV appearances and live performances, with fan clubs in at least 12 countries (including Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States). One admirer was US president George H. W. Bush, at whose home he was invited to perform. multi lingual too ; able to speak/sing Swahili , English , German , French . Roger only passed away in 2023 . RIP Roger Whittaker
Whittaker was born in Nairobi, then in British Kenya, to English parents, Vi (née Snowden) and Edward Whittaker, who were from Staffordshire, where they owned and operated a grocery shop. His father was injured in a motorcycle accident and the family moved to a farm near Thika, Kenya, because of its warmer climate.
Roger couldn't speak German. Just learnt his a few months ago. He learned to sing his German songs phonetically. Awesome sing
I had no idea he was African.
I love this song so much.
"New world in the morning" is another beautiful song from this artist
And "If" ❤
YES! "Everybody talks about a new word in the morning; a new word in the morning never comes..."
"Albany" is my favorite... 👍
River Lady is a good one too.
Good choice!
And From Both Sides Now & I Don't Believe In If Anymore are another two of my favourites...
Roger ain’t a crooner, you hit the nail on the head. He’s a story teller both singing & talking. I grew up with his words & songs on TV in the 60’s-70’s England.
A balladeer perhaps? Much like Gordon Loghtfoot and Harry Chapin?
Acker bilks, strangers on the shore is another one I grew up listening to also, don't hear this kind of music anymore and it's a shame
@@HarrisMiller-qw6xh Recall "A walk in the Black Forrest," "Green Onions," Classical Gas" and the surfer music "Pipeline," and 'Mizzerlou?"
@@LesterMoore 🙂 😊
“Durham Town” brings me to the edge of tears every time, and I DO NOT cry!
I had forgotten about this song. Thanks for the reminder of how great Roger Whittaker sounded.
Gorgeous voice, awesome storyteller, lovely man. New World In the Morning, Durham Town, I Don't Believe In If Anymore, Both Sides Now, America, Fire and Rain, Changelip, All of My Life, I Believe, Whisky In The Jar. All great. His voice just melts my heart.
His Whisky in the Jar !!!!!!
Durham Town! 👍
Besides singing, he was an incredible whistler. Check out his songs Finnish Whistler and Mexican Whistler.
O-M-G! Seriously I'm in my 50s and never thought anyone under 80 knew of Roger Whitaker. Sunday dinners as a kid my stepdad got to choose the music and this was one of his favourites and became one of mine when I was like 11. His voice is one of my favourite male voices. The memories you've stirred up!
My favourite song of his is hands down "River Lady (A Little Goodbye)."
To me, Roger Whitaker has the kind of voice and storytelling that can evoke a sense of nostalgia... even for things or times you yourself didn't experience!
Definitely know what you're saying. Just love this man's voice and what a beauty of a tune...👍🎤
Roger Whitaker, Al Stewart, John Denver... they didn't just pay lip service to a time or place, they TOOK you there!
You'll be surprised, there's probably many of us in our 50s brought up listening to some great music thanks to our parents. 👍
The River Lady brings a lump in my throat every single time. I can just picture the scene as he describes it.
@@cornievandermerwe4152 True.. a fabulous tune 👍🎤
This song was first recorded and released in 1971, but didn't become a worldwide hit until 1975, when a U.S. radio DJ played it for his wife, and the phones rang like crazy as people wanted to know who did the song about the sailor sailing to England and to war. I love that the song reach the Billboard Top 20, busting through all the rock and disco hits of that time. It was popular all over the world because (I think) the music and the lyrical story are timeless.
"I have no fear of death, it holds no sorrow" ....powerful lyrics.
I get goosebumps over this line every time. I was a submarine officer for a time, and this line hit me deeply.
Love, love love this man's voice. Incredible whistler too. Mexican Whistler, Durham Town and New World In The Morning are all great songs. Please react to more Roger
Who can forget his whistling? Recall a lot of it in a song about a New World in the morning…
The smile on your face every time he says “beautiful” tells me you get what he is saying girl.
Excellent observation.
LOVE this guy's voice! "The Last Farewell" and "I Don't Believe in IF Anymore" are two of his best!
Jay and Amber, at the end of each episode you remind us that we are loved and cared for and blessed. I want you guys to know that you both are BLESSINGS to all who watch your videos.
I haven't heard this in years! Yet somehow this song gets stuck in my head. Especially the lyric 'and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell'. Yes, he sings Christmas songs!
My dad was a huge Roger fan and no one ever complained when he played him on road trips
My dad has been gone for 20 years now and he loved this song. To this day I can't listen without blubbering, crying like a baby. In fact, that's what I'm doing right now!❤❤❤miss him and mom terribly. Music is a great way to always bring good memories.
Roger Whitaker was one of my wife's favorite singers...Hearing Roger Whitaker again kind of took me by surprise...before my wife passed I remember that she would play her Roger Whitaker cassette while cleaning the house and during the moments when she would sit down and relax...Thank you for reacting to this artist...it caught me a little off guard but brought back some beautiful memories for me... Great reaction, guys...Keep Being Awesome !!!...
My mom is big ol' Roger Whittaker fan, and I can't tell you how many times I heard this song growing up. His voice is golden.
As many have said in the 70's Roger was on the radio, a lot. Thanks for the smile.
Roger Whittaker ,his voice is mesmerizing! No one like him! ❤
I could listen to Roger Whittaker sing anything, in any language. Just to hear that voice.
Oh you guys are gonna love and appreciate Roger whittaker...when I was 18 I bought tickets and took my mom to see him. It's was fantastic
R.I.P. Roger Whittaker (1936-2023). His Song "Albany" was one the favorite Songs of my Mum. She past away in 2017.
Omg! I can’t believe Jay & Amber are listening to Roger….just love him 😊 Thank you for your reaction- you never disappoint!! 😁👍
I used to see all the commercials in the 70’s and 80’s on tv for his albums. What a pure beautiful voice he had.
Roger Whittaker. Proud Kenyan, amazing whistler (including African style) and fantastic folk singer. The man is a legend.
Beautiful voice, legendary whistler and guitarist. My folks definitely had one of his albums back in the 70s.
He passed just last year, September 2023. His father never forgave him for abandoning a medical career, never once saw him perform, refused to appear in TV with him (“This is Your Life”). His parents were victims of a home invasion in Rhodesia in 1989, Roger’s father was killed.
That's terrible.
OMG how sad ☹
An uncle of mine was friends with Roger Whittaker during the period in which Roger Whittaker lived in Cape Town.My uncle died a few yrs back in the UK - "New World in the Morning" was played at the funeral
I’m a kid again. I’d completely forgot about this song.
Blimey hearing that voice was like a time capsule, flinging me back to another age and better times. Bringing back cherished memories of my younger self. Thanks and no thanks. Sugar coated bitter memories. Sheffield South Yorkshire.
This song was played at my grandfathers funeral in 2010, made me cry again 😢 beautiful song, tnx
This gave me such a smile. My dad loved Roger Whittaker so I grew up with his music in the regular family rotation. "Changelip", "New World in the Morning", "Durham Town", "Finnish Whistler". SO many great songs!
One of my favourite singers - he was an amazing whistler too :)
Oh Yes! I remember now! The whistling was truly amazing indeed!
One of the VERY few good memories I have of growing up in the 70s as a little boy was listening to Roger Whitaker "For you are, beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell." There is one special person that I want to say that to that I will never, ever be able to. I will love you forever, CH
are you kidding me? this is why i love you guys. Im a a middle aged guy grew up listening to metallica but Roger Whitaker was my slow jam.... voice like maple syrup... awesome reaction
Roger Whittaker, world champion whistler of the late 60's and early 70, sing and, speak in many languages. Many hits in French as well, "Le Mistral" "Un Eléphant sur le Balcon" "Mon Pays Bleu" and many more showing his whistling talent in these songs
WHOA!! You Youngsters are taking me Back Now! Rodger Whitaker is one of the Singers My Folks loved. His Talent is undeniable.
This really takes me back to the 70’s. Roger was very popular even though he was around in the age of punk and disco music. My brother went to the same school as his child briefly before we moved. RIP Mr Whittaker.
My Mom would listen to him often. Since she passed I cannot listen to this without tears running down my face... heck, happening now.... Him and Joe Dassin.
Goodness gracious...what memories. It was a HUGE hit in the very early 70's.
OMG im 72 i loved his voice and songs when i was a teenager.this brought a tear or two 😭
Then getting straight onto eBay for a best of CD 💿 👌 ❤
a voice like melted butter... You want to hear him whistle
I work with autistics. This song I play weekly on my guitar and the respons on "For You Are Beautiful" ALWAYS makes them smile. I love it !!
IM NOW 65 YUK...I REMEMBER DAD HAVING THE RECORD. HAVEN'T HEARD IT SINCE 1975..THANK YOU
A few more songs by Roger are "New World in the Morning", " I Don't Believe in If Anymore", and "Mexican Whistler". Congrats on 600,000.🎉🎉🎉❤🇨🇦
Emailed these and many more to them quite a few times and just gave up.
😲 😮 OMG .. I haven't heard this song since the late seventies. My Mom used to listen to his music all the time. I was little and had no choice 😉😊 Thankfully.
You have to listen to him whistle he was the GOAT. Great reaction well done.
What a classy song. Great melody and touching lyrics. You are right, very manly.
My grandparents were fans of Roger Whittaker.I remember this song Congratulations Amber & Jay.on the 600K, He covered Joni Mitchell "Both Sides Now" He did that beautifully
I would never class Roger Whittaker as a crooner. More a singer/ songwriter. Have always loved this song since it first came out in the mid seventies when i was a young child. Much love from England 🏴
Oh my God. I had chills throughout this whole reaction. This is like when I listen to Kenny Rogers songs. It evokes my Dad SO much (he's still with us) but Whittaker was/is one of his favorite singers. But I NEVER hear his songs anymore even on classic channels. So when I was listening it was like Oh, I know this melody so well but the only words I remembered was the "for you are beautiful..." part. I would never as a child appreciated the war aspect and I have no memory of that part. Gonna go download it now! Thank you SO much for covering this and for whoever recommended it. Congratulations on 600k!!
His voice …. Perfect 💕💕
I'm not sure you totally got it. The islands were not his home. He's a British sailor and his ship brought him there. If you've ever seen 'Mutiny on the Bounty' , it's a lot like that. He fell in love with the islands and a native girl, but he now has to return to his duty as a sailor and fight, once again, for England. You need to check out his Christmas album - it's wonderful.
Exactly !! He’s talking about a woman.
British Isles, his home. Not about a woman. No where does he mention a woman.
Hes talking to a woman the whole time @dougellis8904
@@dougellis8904 The song is not about the British Isles, except when he's talking about rain and gales. That's very clear in the lyrics. He's in the Tropics somewhere, having to return to the British Isles because of war. He is singing about a woman. He doesn't have to say it in words; the meaning is clear to most of us.
As a person who has left lands that I truly loved, I see that he is not saying goodbye to a woman but to a land that he loved and will never see again. to attach a woman to it is shallow beyond compare.
Roger has that voice that when you hear it,you got to listen to it. 🎉
For some reason, when I was a teenager in the '70s, this song was played just about every morning when I was getting ready for school.
Yup. Originally released in 1971 but was rereleased and a huge hit in 1975 when i was 16. It played on Top 40 radio at the time.
Roger wasn't a crooner. He has always been know in the UK as a wonderful folk-singer. Lovely video -- brings back many memories of the 60s and 70s. Thank you.
Jay and Amber, thank you for listening to The Last Farewell, which remains one of my Mother’s favorite songs. Now I tear up each time I hear it because it reminds me of my childhood when she bought the 45 and played it and cried.
Some of us are lucky enough to experience a sweet sort of love that we know is impossible and must be left behind. As wrenching as it is to leave, living the love while it lasted is this sailors heaven, never to be repeated. I love this song because Roger Whittaker captured the impossible longing so perfectly. This is his best and I go back to listen to it year after year. It reminds me of that perfect love that I had for the blink of an eye. More sweet than bitter.
CONGRATS on the 600K, YA'LL!!! ...and, THANKS for this reaction to Roger Whittaker!! HUGS!!!
Boy does this song take me back. I have always loved this song but the older I get the more I gravitate to songs like this from my youth. Thank you . ❤
From southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and a superb singer. Wait until you hear him whistle. He had a string of hits during the 1970s.
No, not Rhodesia, he was born in Nairobi, Kenya! I was born there too, and we went to the same high school although he was several years ahead of me.
@@saw-vs7on8ji8j yes you’re right, my apologies, my mistake.
He was born in Kenya
CORRECTION: please note Zimbabwe comment wrong, should be Kenya. Thanks for pointing out.
YES!!! He does have Christmas music and you will love them. Your young ones would love D'arch the Dragon and yes it's on a Christmas album.
I used to know Roger Whittaker and his wife Natalie when I lived in France. Lovely man, smoked enormous cigars, didn't say a lot as his wife spoke all the time (Irish) haha. Sadly since passed away
He was an English sailor living on a Polynesian Island and was recalled to England because of war, leaving behind his Polynesian lover/wife.
putting a woman into the song is just a type of mary sue storytelling. he's saying goodbye to a land he's come to love and will never see again.
My mom had this album on vinyl back in the mid 70s when I was a kid and she played it a lot. Good memories ❣
Sweet timez,
@@theodoreritola7641 TV station WGN Channel 9 out of Chicago use to play this in the 70s as their intro music. This is the news story they did when he died ruclips.net/video/Gk-jbo-kH1M/видео.html&ab_channel=WGNNews
@@theodoreritola7641 WGN Channel 9 out of Chicago use to play this in the late 70s as their intro music. Takes me back to the time I was a kid. WGN did a good story on it when he passed ruclips.net/video/Gk-jbo-kH1M/видео.html&ab_channel=WGNNews
Hello,
First of all, a big compliment to you, your videos are great, I always enjoy watching them. Especially your country music reactions.
Roger Whittaker was also very well known and successful in Germany. He also sang many of his songs in German, with the help of phonetic transcription. He was also an artificial whistler.
In 1976, when I was 10 years old, I heard “the last farewell” for the first time and was fascinated although I neither spoke nor understood English at that time. Nevertheless, I sang along loudly every time the song came on the radio. I felt the same way about the songs “River Lady” and “Albany”
Greetings from Germany
Mari
He has such a unique and mesmerizing voice. Sooo beautiful. Glad to hear Roger Whittaker on your show. Thanks, guys!!
Another great baritone crooner, Elvis Presley, adored this recording immediately, and played it over and over again to his band before recording a sincere version at his next session. It's a deep love song for a land the serviceman realises he will likely never see again.
There was NOTHING on the charts like this when it was out - it was my senior year in high school - but I always liked it despite it sticking out like a sore thumb.
Roger had a very deep and powerful voice and he used it with a light touch with such great control, and that makes his voice so light and beautiful.
Roger Whittaker music was everywhere in the 70s and early 80s. My Mom was a huge fan.
I remember buying this record in the 70's.I have always loved it , as I have always loved Roger Whittaker. Thank you for playing it.
I’m 50 years old. My father died on Fathers Day when I was 9 years old. Sadly, there are more things I have forgotten about him than what I can recall. But I do remember that this was his favorite song and I can remember him singing this to my mother like it was yesterday.
Thank you for this.
I’m 58. I lost my dad too but my house was filled with Roger Whittaker, Englebert Humperdinck, and John Denver. He taught me to love music and history.
Amber, your hair is SO VERSATILE! I ❤ THE LOOK
Roger Whittaker was an amazing and unique singer/songwriter in his time. He sang in a few languages too. He was born in Africa. Spent time living in more than a few countries. Died in 2023 in hospital in France. Look into his story. It's so interesting. I had the good fortune of attending one of his concerts in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the 70's. No one seems to talk about the hidden POWER in his voice. At that concert he opened with a booming song sung acapella (without instruments). Oh my gawd! No wonder he is also such a wonderful whistler, with all that power available to him. His whistling songs are so intriguing. I would suggest you consider listening to them, along with a song he wrote called "I don't believe in if anymore". And he has a full volume of great songs. And see if you can find any acapella songs he has sung over the years. You'll be surprised and moved by that voice. FYI he was considered and folk singer too! Thanks for this memory.
Thank you for playing one my favorite songs!!! You guys are great!!!
Hi Jay& Amber congrats on the 600,00 well done I love this song all my life but then I heard Elvis's version but then I'm an Elvis fan ❤❤❤❤❤❤💋💋💋💋💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
A favourite for us sailors serving in the Royal Navy in the 1960s , he was born and raised in South Africa but emigrated to England
Omg one of my dads favourite singers. We played this at his funeral cos he used to sing this to me when i was a little girl 💙
Roger Whittaker and John Denver - My 2 Favorite Singers From My Childhood.
I had the same two favourites!
It was just about fifty years ago that I first heard this song, still one of my favorites. Please do more by this artist. You guys are the best.
Awwww, made my heart happy seeing this. My dad had this album & so I heard it growing up. Played it in honor of him when he passed.
Great song, glad you got round to it at last..
It's so poetic and emotional
The story behind it -
Whittaker had a radio programme in England backed by an orchestra. He invited listeners to send their poems or lyrics to him and he would make songs out of them. He apparently had around a million replies and did one each week for 26 weeks....
Ron Arthur Webster, a silversmith from Birmingham (England) , sent in the poem "The Last Farewell", and this song became one of the selected. He was apparently travelling home a on a bus one night, wishing to be somewhere warm instead. He had written The Last Farewell with Roger Whittaker in mind before even before the singer put out the invite.
I used to get woken uo on a Sunday morning by my Dad playing this loudly on his music center when i was small so we could all go to Sunday Mass.You should listen listen to his tune Mexican Whistle.He was a world class whistler.
I laughed so hard when I saw this reaction come up today. This has been the only reaction I have gotten my husband to watch. He grew up listening to Roger Whitaker & polka music. I grew up listening to The Bee Gees, Yacht Rock & 80’s pop & metal! We are only 2 years apart in age.
I grew up before what's now called yacht rock was called yacht rock.
I never thought I'd see anyone reacting to Roger Whittaker, my parents had an album of his and I loved it, I have my favourite songs of his in my music library.
Great reaction, thank you.
Man - this guy could whistle :)
I never thought you would ever do this song. I loved it so much in Highschool in the 70's. Thank you
*Fun Fact ......Roger Whittaker was considered one of the best whistlers in the world*
If you check out The Sky Boat Song live you will hear whistling within the song that is beyond belief. I have never heard anyone be able to whistle like Roger Whittaker. For many years I was blessed to attend his concerts when he came to my hometown. Thank you for your great reactions!
My father was a Merchant Marine 1942 in Canada and sang this song all the time. thank you for the beautiful memories😥
Amber will be happy to know the Whittaker recorded several albums of Christmas music, including some in German, where he was hugely popular
Over the years since Roger recorded this I've cried, had shivers down my spine... for me it's one of the most emotional recordings.. anyone else affected like this listening to this wonderful recording?
Yes, as I get older some songs like this do that. They often trigger memories of happy times with my parents and siblings and then sadness of the loss.
Been listening to RW for years and years. Fantastic singer.
He has done some great Christmas music over the years, before he hit the top 40
with this song in the 70's. A great program idea ! Play Christmas songs done by all of the
artist that you have featured, a holiday special !!!!!!
Good Idea!
Whittaker - "Brahm's Lullaby" (whistled)
Boney M - "Mary's Boy Child"
Chris Rea - "Coming Home for Christmas"
Kate Bush - "December will be Magic again"
...
Such a great clear voice!!