Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a popular jazz song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter.

Part of the Great American Songbook, it was published by Chappell & Company and introduced by Nan Wynn and Jere McMahon in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue Seven Lively Arts.

[1] The lyrics celebrate how happy the singer is in the company of the beloved, but suffering equally whenever the two 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 chord, matching the mood of the music to the words.

[2] The Benny Goodman Quintet (vocal by Peggy Mann) enjoyed a hit record with the song in 1945.