If You Go Away


If you go away on this summer day
then you might as well take the sun away;
all the birds that flew in the summer sky,
when our love was new and our hearts were high.
When the day was young and the night was long,
and the moon stood still for the nightbird’s song.
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

But if you stay, I’ll make you a day,
like no day has been, or will be again;
we’ll sail the sun, we’ll ride on the rain,
we’ll talk to the trees and worship the wind.
Then if you go, I’ll understand,
leave me just enough love to fill up my hand.
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

If you go away, as I know you will,
you must tell the world to stop turning till
you return again, if you ever do,
for what good is love without loving you.
Can I tell you now, as you turn to go,
I’ll be dying slowly till the next hello.
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

But if you stay, I’ll make you a night,
like no night has been, or will be again;
I’ll sail on your smile, I’ll ride on your touch,
I’ll talk to your eyes, that I love so much.
But if you go, go, I won’t cry,
though the good is gone, from the word ‘good-bye’.
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away

If you go away, as I know you must,
there’ll be nothing left in a world to trust;
just an empty room, full of empty space,
like the empty look I see on your face.
I’d have been the shadow of your shadow
if I thought it might have kept me by your side.
If you go away, if you go away, please don’t go away.

~ ©Rod McKuen/Jacques Brel


This is it. This is the song that Jacques Brel sang that I love. And this is my introduction to Rod McKuen's work. The French version is called "Neme Quitte Pas."
Train Station