The song was written by Steve Hewitt, Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal, and produced by Dimitri Tikovoi.

It develops around piano notes that repeat throughout it, and deals with heroin addiction and its influence on the relationships of the parties involved.

The song reached the top ten in Finland, Greece, Italy and Spain.

The original video written and directed by Philippe André portrays a mentally challenged father while his son is trying to cope with his dad's condition.

"Song to Say Goodbye" was covered and released as a single by Austrian post-black metal band Harakiri for the Sky in January 2021.