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:

2014

2:32

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

If you go away
On a summer day
Then you might as well
Keep the sun away
All the birds that flew 
In the summer sky
And our lovers knew
And our hearts were high
And the days were young
And the nights were long
And the moon stood still
With the night birds song

If you go away (3)
But if you stay
I'll make you a day
Like no day has been
Or will be again
Well sail on suns
Well ride on the rain
Well talk to the trees
Well fly with the wind

But if you go away
And I love you so
They'll be nothing left
In the world you know
Just an empty moon
Full of empty space
Like an empty look
I see on your face

If you go away (3)
But if you stay
Ill make you a day
Like no day has been 
Or will be again
Well sail the suns
Well ride on the rain
Well talk to the trees
Well fly with the wind

If you go away (3)

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

Terry Jacks

Terrence Ross "Terry" Jacks (born March 29, 1944, Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist. more »

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