If You Go Away

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Words & Music by Jacques Brel (English translation by Rod McKuen)

Recorded by Frank Sinatra, 1969

Am
If you go away on this summer day

Dm
Then you might as well take the sun away;

G7
All the birds that flew in the summer sky

C9 C C9 C
When our love was new and our hearts were high;

Dm6 E7
When the day was young and the night was long

Am
And the moon stood still for the nightbird's song,

Dm7 E7 Dm6 Am
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

Am7 Am6
But if you stay, I'll make you a day

E7-9 Am
Like no day has been or will be again;

Am7 Am6
We'll sail on the sun, we'll ride on the rain,

G7 C
We'll talk to the trees and worship the wind.

E7 Am Bb
Then if you go, I'll understand,

Dm6 E7 Am
Leave me just enough love to fill up my hand,

C Dm Dm6 E7 D6 E7
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.



Am
If you go away, as I know you will,

Dm Dm+7
You must tell the world to stop turning til

G7
You return again, if you ever do,

C
For what good is love without loving you?

Dm6 E7
Can I tell you now, as you turn to go,

Am
I'll be dying slow til your next hello,

Dm7 E7 Dm6 Am
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

Am7 Am6
But if you stay, I'll make you a night

E7-9 Am
Like no night has been, or will be again;

Am7 Am6
I'll sail on your smile, I'll ride on your touch,

G7 C
I'll talk to your eyes that I love so much.

E7 Am Bb
But if you go, no, I won't cry,

Dm6 E7 Am
Though the good is gone from the word good-bye.

C Dm Dm6 E7 D6 E7
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.


Am
If you go away, as I know you must,

Dm
There'll be nothing left in the world to trust,

G7
Just an empty room, full of empty space,

C
Like the empty look I see on your face;

Dm6 E7
I'd have been your shadow if I thought it might

Am
Have kept me here, by your side;

C Dm E7-9 Am
If you go away, if you go away . . . please don't go away.