{{Infobox song | name = Goodbye Town | cover = GoodbyeTown.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Lady Antebellum | album = Golden | released = {{Start date|2013|5|13}} | recorded =2013 | studio = | venue = | genre = Country | length = 4:48 | label = Capitol Nashville | writer = Hillary Scott<br />Charles Kelley<br />Dave Haywood<br />Josh Kear | producer = Paul Worley<br />Lady Antebellum | prev_title = Downtown | prev_year = 2013 | next_title = Compass | next_year = 2013 }}

"'''Goodbye Town'''" is a song recorded by American country music group Lady Antebellum. It was released on May 13, 2013, as the second single from their fifth studio album ''Golden''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vinson|first=Christina|title=Lady Antebellum Say Hello to 'The Voice' Viewers With 'Goodbye Town'|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/lady-antebellum-goodbye-town-the-voice/|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Taste of Country|date=May 15, 2013}}</ref> The song was written by band members Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood, along with Josh Kear, and it features lead vocals from Kelley, and a little bit from Scott.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wyland|first=Sarah|title=Lady Antebellum Releases "Goodbye Town" as New Single|url=http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2013/05/07/lady-antebellum-releases-goodbye-town-as-new-single/|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Great American Country|date=May 7, 2013}}</ref>

==Content== The song is about a breakup, seen mainly from the perspective of the male in the relationship, who sees the sights of his town and expresses desire to leave, because every aspect of the town reminds him of his lover. Co-writer Josh Kear brought the idea for the song to Lady Antebellum during a writing session, drawing experience from a girlfriend with whom he broke up during his last year of college. He and the three members of Lady Antebellum wrote the song during the group's ''Own The Night Tour''.<ref name="weekly">{{cite journal|last=Paxman|first=Bob|date=5 August 2012|title=Behind the Song: Not-So-Fond Farewell|journal=Country Weekly|volume=20|issue=31|page=17|issn=1074-3235}}</ref>

==Critical reception== Billy Dukes of ''Taste of Country'' gave the song four stars out of five, writing that "the growth of Lady Antebellum — already one of the top groups in country music — is as exciting as this new music." He praised the song's "fresh production" and called the vocals "pleasantly surprising."<ref>{{cite news|last=Dukes|first=Billy|title=Lady Antebellum, 'Goodbye Town' – Song Review|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/lady-antebellum-goodbye-town/|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Taste of Country|date=May 6, 2013}}</ref> Joseph Hudak of ''Country Weekly'' was less favorable, saying that the song has "an air of seriousness that doesn't exactly scream 'summer singalong.' Its pace feels overly deliberate, and the piano breakdown midway through calls to mind everything that weighed down portions of ''Need You Now'' and ''Own the Night''." Hudak praised Kelley's "rough-hewn" voice and "whoa-oh-oh payoff" at the end, ultimately giving the song a C+.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hudak|first=Joseph|date=June 24, 2013|title=Reviews: Lady Antebellum — 'Goodbye Town'|journal=Country Weekly|volume=20|issue=25|page=50|issn=1074-3235}}</ref>

==Music video== The music video was directed by Peter Zavadil and filmed in Nashville.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wyland|first=Sarah|title=Watch Lady Antebellum's Take on Heartbreak in the "Goodbye Town" Video|url=http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2013/05/15/watch-lady-antebellums-take-on-heartbreak-in-the-goodbye-town-video/|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Great American Country|date=May 15, 2013}}</ref> It premiered on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' on May 13, 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lady A premieres "Goodbye Town" video today|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=7137|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Country Standard Time|date=May 13, 2013}}</ref>

==Chart performance== "Goodbye Town" debuted at number 46 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Country Airplay chart for the week dated May 25, 2013,<ref>{{cite news|last=Morris|first=Edward|title=Lady Antebellum's ''Golden'' Cops Top Album Niche|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1707575/lady-antebellums-golden-cops-top-album-niche.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608190805/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1707575/lady-antebellums-golden-cops-top-album-niche.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 8, 2013|accessdate=May 23, 2013|newspaper=Country Music Television|date=May 18, 2013}}</ref> and at number 36 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart for the week dated June 1, 2013. It also debuted at number 98 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 95 on the Canadian Hot 100.

{|class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Chart (2013) !align="center"|Peak<br>position |- {{singlechart|Canada|77|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardcanadacountry|11|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|80|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardcountryairplay|11|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|22|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |}

===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !scope="col"|Chart (2013) !scope="col"|Position |- | US Country Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref>{{Cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2013/country-airplay-songs | title=Best of 2013: Country Airplay | magazine=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | date=2013 | accessdate=December 13, 2013}}</ref> | align="center" | 50 |- | US Hot Country Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{Cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2013/hot-country-songs | title=Best of 2013: Hot Country Songs | magazine=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | date=2013 | accessdate=December 13, 2013}}</ref> | align="center" | 64 |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Lady Antebellum}}

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Category:2013 singles Category:Lady A songs Category:Capitol Records Nashville singles Category:Songs written by Hillary Scott Category:Songs written by Charles Kelley Category:Songs written by Dave Haywood Category:Songs written by Josh Kear Category:Song recordings produced by Paul Worley Category:Music videos directed by Peter Zavadil Category:Country ballads Category:2013 songs