Cécile Corbel (born 1980, Pont-Croix, Finistère) is a French singer and har… Read Full Bio ↴Cécile Corbel (born 1980, Pont-Croix, Finistère) is a French singer and harpist. She has released a number of albums of original music and worked for Studio Ghibli as a composer for its 2010 film, The Secret World of Arrietty. Corbel sings in many languages including French, Italian, Breton, and English and has done songs in Irish, Turkish, and Japanese.

Corbel now lives in Paris and performs in France and abroad. Her music blends ancient poems and compositions, celtic tunes and Mediterranean influences. She was noticed during her concerts and had the opportunity to play with the greatest “world music” artists:

Departure at Dawn
Cécile Corbel Lyrics

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'Cause it's you, you and me forever
Our love will never die
Don't you cry, please stay for a while
Before you go away

You changed my world, I feel stronger
I can see the rising sun
Forever in my heart you'll stay

Sail the river back to me
'Cause the river knows the way
Oh, my love,  life is a journey
Got your life in front of you

Sail the river back to me
'Cause the river knows the way
Oh, my love,  life is a journey
Got your life in front of you

Say goodbye, please take my hand
I guess it's time to leave
Wish you knew, wish you knew that our love
Was written in the stars

I'll hide my tears  behind a smile
Don't want you to see me cry
Forever in my heart you'll stay

Sail the river back to me
'Cause the river knows the way
Oh my love, life is a journey
Oh, my love,  life is a journey

Sail the river back to me
'Cause the river knows the way

Oh, my love,  life is a journey
Got your life in front of you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cécile Corbel's "Departure at Dawn" capture the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to someone you love. The song is addressed to a departing lover and speaks of a love that is supposed to last forever, but circumstances have forced them to separate. The chorus includes the poignant lines, "Sail the river back to me/ 'Cause the river knows the way/ Oh, my love, life is a journey/ Got your life in front of you," which convey a message of hope that the two will be reunited again someday.

The opening lines of the song, "Cause it's you, you and me forever/ Our love will never die," evoke a sense of eternal love and devotion. The singer feels stronger because of the love she shares with this person and cannot bear the thought of them leaving. However, she also recognizes that life is a journey and that her lover has their own path to follow. She asks them to stay for a while longer before they go, wanting to make the most of the time they have together.

The final verse of the song, "Say goodbye, please take my hand/ I guess it's time to leave/ Wish you knew, wish you knew that our love/ Was written in the stars," sums up the emotional complexity of the situation. The singer knows that they must part, but wants their lover to understand that their love is something special and permanent. Although they will be physically separated, the singer will always carry their love in their heart.

Line by Line Meaning

'Cause it's you, you and me forever
Our relationship will last forever, between only you and me

Our love will never die
Our love is endless and will never fade away

Don't you cry, please stay for a while
Please don't shed any tears, stay with me for some more time

Before you go away
Before you depart from me

You changed my world, I feel stronger
You altered my world and made me powerful

I can see the rising sun
I can see hope and positivity in my future

Forever in my heart you'll stay
You will always stay in my heart

Sail the river back to me
Travel across the river and come back to me

'Cause the river knows the way
The river will guide you back to me

Oh, my love,  life is a journey
Life is a voyage, my dear

Got your life in front of you
You have your whole life ahead of you