One of the first songs I heard Neil Diamond do, and it is still my favorite of his songs, is “If You Go Away.” That album was not the first time I had heard the song, one based upon the French song “Ne Me Quitte Pas”, written by Jacques Brel. I heard two guitarists on one of the late night talk shows perform it, one sang the words in English, the other in French. I was enthralled. In a writing exercise in which I was writing down the favorite songs of my life, I noticed this one on the list. As I like to post lyrics at least once a week on my blog, I thought I’d use this song too.
I found the lyrics here: http://www.julioiglesias.com/letra/ifyougo.htm

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
And 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 bird’s song

If you go away, if you go away, if you go away

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.

But if you go, I’ll understand
Leave me just enough love you fill up my hand

If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

If you go away, as I know you must
There’ll be nothing left in the world to trust
Just an empty room full of empty space
Like the empty look I see on your face.

Can I tell you now as you turn to go
I’ll be dying slowly ’till your next hello.

If you go away, 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.

But if you go, I won’t cry
Though the good has gone from the word goodbye.

If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.