Songfacts®:

• Raye gives some helpful commentary throughout "Goodbye Henry," explaining that it's a sad song that feels happy, and it makes her sad to sing it. And also, it's about a lovely boy whose name isn't really Henry. Raye is careful to disguise the identities of the exes she sings about, so this is on form for her.
  
  This Henry fellow could be the same guy who gave Raye so much trouble on other songs throughout the This Music May Contain Hope album ("Nightingale Lane" and "Winter Woman," for example. On many of those songs she's crushed by the heartbreak, but in "Goodbye Henry" she's moved on to acceptance and equanimity. She wishes him well and sounds like she actually means it.
• The 17 songs on This Music May Contain Hope, Raye's second album, are broken up by season, with "Goodbye Henry" falling under spring, a hopeful time for new beginnings. It's proof that perspective is everything: the same breakup in the metaphorical winter would hit very differently.
• Al Green makes a guest appearance on this song, offering some well-worn wisdom:
  
  These heartaches don't get easier
  Pains of losing love
  Time will help the healing
  And Christ that's up above
  Sometimes in life we have to say goodbye
  Tears falling from our eyes
  
  Green, 79 when the song was released, is a bona fide soul legend (and fully ordained pastor) known for songs like "Let's Stay Together" and "I'm Still in Love with You" - the kind of emotionally gnarly tracks that Raye often delivers. As you've probably sussed, Raye is a big fan.
  
  "This is extremely wild to me, and mind-blowing," she told Apple Music. "I just want to talk for a moment about his vocals, the songs he made, him being somebody who's created timeless music, something I can only hope to achieve, and I'm so honored to have a song alongside him."
• When Raye sings, "I wish you only love and happiness," it's a not to Al Green's 1972 classic "Love And Happiness."
• Eight different writers are credited on this song along with Raye. Most of them are musicians who helped work up the song as it developed. Seems she was rather generous with the credits, and she even mentions the names of everyone who performed on the album during the final track, "Fin."
• At the end of the song, Raye says, "Brooksy can't see me." This is likely a reference to the drummer on the song, Matt Brooks, who also has a writing credit. Perhaps he couldn't see Raye from behind his kit.
• Raye gives Al Green a nice introduction: "All the way from Memphis, Tennessee, put your hands together ladies and gentlemen, for Al Green!"
  
  This follows in a tradition of soul artists from decades earlier who would proudly introduce guest singers at live performances, to the delight of the crowd. Green's appearance comes as Raye is explaining just how sad a song she's singing. When he appears, a weight is lifted. Sure, this dude caused Raye considerable consternation, but it led to her singing with Al Green.