The song is an English adaptation of “Ne me quitte pas” but seems slightly less grim. In the original version, the singer is begging his lover to stay, ready to do anything, even annihilating himself for that, while the English version contains some hope.
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 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 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, if you go away
If you go, 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 till the 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, go, I won't cry
Though the good is gone from the word goodbye
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
I'd have been the shadow of your shadow
If I thought it might have kept me by your side
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away
Please don't go away
If You Go Away was written by Jacques Brel & Rod McKuen.