Lyrics

If I Were Another
By Mahmoud Darwish
Translated by Dr. Fady Joudah
Feat. Cian Boylan and Ben Castle

If I were another, on the road
I would not have looked back
I would have just said like the others:
O Stranger! Awaken my guitar
Delay our tomorrow
So our road may extend
And space may widen for us

So we may get rescued
from this story of ours
You are so much yourself
And I'm not

If I were another, on the road
I would have longed and belonged
We would never have returned
O Stranger, awaken my guitar
And we might sense the unknown
'Cause I am only my steps
And you're my compass and chasm

Awaken my guitar,
I'm singing you a new song, wake me up

If I were another, on the road
I would have hidden my emotion
In a suitcase full of water
O Stranger, awaken my guitar
Teach me that extra string
'Cause home is still far and
The road is still so pretty
O stranger, awaken my guitar
And it's a new song I'm singing
About the road and the meaning
About me and another, on the road.