Dusty Springfield: If You Go Away

"If You Go Away" is a song in English based upon the French song "Ne Me Quitte Pas" (1959), written by Jacques Brel. The English lyrics were written by Rod McKuen 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 [1]. Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Emilíana Torrini, Neil Diamond, Scott Walker, Dusty Springfield and Cyndi Lauper have also recorded versions of it, with several of the numerous versions becoming hits and achieving success on the charts.

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 night birds song If you go away, if you go away, if you go away But if you stay, Ill make you a day Like no day has been or will be again Well sail on the sun, well ride on the rain Well talk to the trees and worship the wind Then if you go, Ill understand Leave me just enough love to hold in my hand If you go away, if you go away, if you go away Ne me quitte pas Il faut oublier Tout peut soublier Qui senfuit dj? Oublier le temps Des malentendus Et le temps perdu A savoir comment Oublier ces heures Qui tuaient parfois A coups de pourquoi Le coeur du bonheur Ne me quitte pas, ne me quitte pas, ne me quitte pas But if you stay, Ill make you a night Like no night has been or will be again Ill sail on your smile, Ill ride on your touch Ill talk to your eyes, that I love so much Then if you go, Ill understand Leave me just enough love to hold in my hand If you go away, if you go away, if you go away If you go away, as I know you must Therell 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 Oh, Id have been the shadow of your shadow If it might have kept me by your side If you go away, if you go away, if you go away [spoken] please dont go away!