此曲為美國鄉村歌手兼詞曲作家Lawton Williams所寫，於1960自錄發行，之後有包含Waylon Jennings等多位歌手翻唱。1979，鄉村歌手Gene Watson將此曲的節奏放慢，感覺更能顯現此曲的哀傷之情，如此的詮釋，果然拿下了告示牌鄉村榜的第5名，自此也成為了Watson的招牌歌。

Lawton Williams

Gene Watson

翻查詞意，「Farewell Party」一般是指將會長時間分別的聚會，像是「歡送」、「惜別」、「餞行」會等等。而由此曲歌詞開始的前兩句，顯然指的是自己的「告別式」。人活著的時候雖然纏著、卻仍愛不到對方，死了之後認為對方終於可以「高興」、「自由」了，但還是割捨不下，覺得是自己將對方孤獨的留在「old world」。曾有歌頌愛情的偉大是「愛到至死方休」，而此曲更甚，是「愛到至死仍不休」。

以下所貼是挪威籍女歌手Heidi Hauge的版本，除了這位大姐是台長個人頗欣賞的歌手之外，也覺得此曲由女生來唱會更顯哀怨。

延伸閱讀：
亂談(140)Blanket On The Ground
http://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/tabidog01/post/1325061219

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When the last, breath of life
Is gone from, my body
And my lips, are as cold as the sea
When my friends gather 'round
For my farewell party
Won't you, pretend you love me
There will be flowers from those
Who cry, when I'm gone
And leave you in this, world alone
I know you'll have fun
At my farewell party
I know, you'll be glad, when I'm gone
Don't be mad at me, for wanting to keep you
Till my life on this old world is through
You'll be free at the end of my farewell party
But I'll go away loving you
There will be flowers from those
Who cry, when I'm gone
And leave you in this, world alone
I know you'll have fun
At my farewell party
I know, you'll be glad, when I'm gone
Oh, I know you'll be glad when I'm gone