Farewell Reel

Patti Smith · Original Album Classics [2010]

It's been a hard time

and when it rains

it rains on me

the sky just opens

and when it rains

it pours

I walk alone

assaulted it seems

by tears from heaven

and darling I can't help

thinking those tears are yours

Our wild love came from above

and wilder still

is the wind that howls

like a voice that knows it's gone

cause darling you died

and well I cried

but I'll get by

salute our love

and send you a smile

and move on

So darling farewell

all will be well

and then all will be fine

the children will rise

strong and happy be sure

cause your love flows

and the corn still grows

and God only knows

we're only given

as much as the heart can endure

But I don't know why

but when it rains

it rains on me

the sky just opens

and when it rains

it pours

But I look up

and a rainbow appears

like a smile from heaven

and darling I can't

help thinking that smile

is yours

Farewell Reel - Patti Smith

'Farewell Reel' stands as a haunting centerpiece on Patti Smith's 2010 compilation, Original Album Classics. Recorded during the height of her punk and rock revival era, the track exemplifies Smith's signature blend of poetic lyricism and driving, rhythmic intensity. The song reflects her ongoing exploration of themes regarding departure, memory, and the passage of time, delivered with her characteristic vocal clarity and emotional depth. As part of her extensive discography, this recording captures the raw energy and artistic integrity that defined her work in the 1970s and beyond, cementing her status as a foundational figure in alternative music history.