IF YOU GO AWAY

Jacques Brel 1929-78

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 days were young and the night was long

And the moon stood still for the night birds' song.

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

And talk to the trees and worship the wind,

But if you go, I'll understand,

Leave me just enough love to fill up my hand

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.

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 I won't cry,

For the good is gone from the world, goodbye.

If you go away as I know you must,

There'll be nothing left in this world to trust,

Just an empty room full of empty space

Like the empty space I see on your face,

And I'd have been a shadow of your shadow

If you might have kept me by your side.

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