This is a smooth and very 1970s song about what appears to be somebody dumping their lover, possibly at the end of an illicit affair. And this was after they had been meeting every day! Whoa. It's a cross between soul and easy listening; it's not really my thing but it might well have been makeout music for a number of people who were slightly older than me.
The Manhattans weren't from Manhattan - they were from Jersey City, New Jersey. They had been plugging away at their career for some time before hitting it big with this song - they recorded their first single in 1964 and, if I have counted correctly, "Kiss and Say Goodbye" was their 32nd single release. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the Netherlands and New Zealand; it reached #7 nationally in Canada.
The Manhattans also had a hit in 1980 with "Shining Star", which reached #5 on the Hot 100 and #6 in Canada but did not get airplay in Toronto. There had already been a song titled "Shining Star" (a different song) that had been a hit for Earth, Wind and Fire in 1975; perhaps the Toronto radio programmer decided that one shining star was enough.
The group continued releasing singles up until 1990; they regularly reached the R&B chart but did not dent the pop charts. Two different versions of The Manhattans were performing early in the 21st century, each containing at least one original member. Gerald Alston, the lead singer on "Kiss and Say Goodbye", is the only member of the group who appeared on that song who is still alive.
Created October 13, 2026.