If You Go Away

About If You Go Away

"If You Go Away" is an adaptation of the 1959 Jacques Brel (Belgium) song "Ne me quitte pas" with English lyrics by Rod McKuen. Created as part of a larger project to translate Brel's work, "If You Go Away" is considered a pop standard and has been recorded by many artists, including Greta Keller, for whom some say McKuen wrote the lyrics. Damita Jo reached #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #68 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 for her version of the song. Terry Jacks recorded a version of the song which was released as a single in 1974 and reached #29 on the Adult Contemporary chart, #68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went to #8 in the UK. The complex melody is partly derivative of classical music - the poignant "But if you stay..." passage comes from Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6. more »

Year:

1996

107 Views

Playlists:

#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

If you go away on this summer day
Then you might as well take the sun away
All the birds that flew in a 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
Ne me quitte pas
If you go away
Ne me quitte pas

But if you stay I'll make you a day like no day has been or will be again
We'll sail on 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
Ne me quitte pas
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 'til your next hello
Ne me quitte pas
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
Then if you go I'll understand
Leave me just enough love to hold up my hand
If you go away
If you go away
Ne me quitte pas
If you go away

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 look I see on your face
I'd have been the shadow of your dog
If I thought it'd have kept me by your side
If you go away
Ne me quitte pas
If you go away

Please, don't go away

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

Rod McKuen

Rod McKuen is an American poet, songwriter, composer, and singer. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range of recordings, which included popular music, spoken word poetry, film soundtracks, and classical music. He earned two Oscar nominations and one Pulitzer nomination for his serious music compositions. McKuen's translations and adaptations of the songs of Jacques Brel were instrumental in bringing the Belgian songwriter to prominence in the English-speaking world. His poetry dealt with themes of love, the natural world, and spirituality, and his thirty books of poetry sold millions of copies. more »

Follow 0 fans