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Here's a familiar refrain: Garth Brooks has been mulling over the possibility that he may retire after his new album, The Chase, to devote more time to his wife and new baby. Uh-huh. Announcing a retirement — and then reneging on it — has become a time-honored pop tradition. So should we believe Brooks? Just ask any of the pros below.
FRANK SINATRA, 1971
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: ''After 35 years in show business, I think I've
had it... It's over,'' he said before giving two farewell concerts
in L.A. *LENGTH OF RETIREMENT: 2 years *RATIONALE FOR RETURNING: ''I
didn't realize how much I'd miss this business.'' Conveniently
neglects to mention comeback album, TV special, and weekly salary of
$400,000 to play Caesars Palace in Vegas. *RESULTS OF BREAKING HIS
WORD: Reduced in the '70s to singing ''Bad, Bad Leroy Brown'' (''baddest
cat in the whole damn town'') to show how with-it he is.
DAVID BOWIE, 1973
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: Vowed never to perform live again during
London concert with his band, the Spiders from Mars. *LENGTH OF
RETIREMENT: 1 year *RATIONALE FOR RETURNING: What he actually meant
was that it was his last concert with the Spiders from Mars. *RESULTS
OF BREAKING HIS WORD: His horrid ''Dancing in the Streets'' duet with
Mick Jagger; Tin Machine; 1990 ''last time I'll play these songs''
tour.
ELTON JOHN, 1977
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: Saying there was no ''burning spark'' left in
him, announced retirement from live shows during a concert at Empire
Pool in England. *LENGTH OF RETIREMENT: 15 months *RATIONALE FOR
RETURNING: 1978 album A Single Man flops. Suddenly, an invitation to
tour Sweden sounds good. *RESULTS OF HIS BREAKING HIS WORD: For next
dozen years, public subjected to sad sight of increasingly chubby and
hairless Elton groping for a hit single or two.
THE WHO, 1982
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: ''I would say the group is finished,'' said
guitarist Pete Townshend during beer- sponsored farewell tour.
*LENGHT OF RETIRMENT: 7 years *RATIONALE OF RETURNING: Group
compelled to celebrate its 25th anniversary with 1989 beer-sponsored
tour. Gross: estimated to be more than $50 million. Townshend: ''Our
intentions are good.'' *RESULTS OF BREAKING THEIR WORD: Balding,
partly deaf Townshend hospitalized for cutting his hand while
attempting a once-second-nature guitar windmill during ''Won't Get
Fooled Again'' at Washington's Tacoma Dome.
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