If on-ly I'd__ ev-er lis-tened
to all of my   clos - est friends,__
and knew   that  it___ was o  - ver
and the par - ty had__   to end.___
If  on - ly, I'd____ have  not - iced
the sad - ness in____ her eyes,____
she'd still be in__ my arms to-night, if on -ly.

If on-ly I'd__ have real-ized  
the un-im-por-tance of be-ing cool,_
to give a kiss,    may   -  be  just say,
"Dar  - ling I_________ love you."_____
If on - ly I'd said I'm    sor  - ry  
I'd have been  a  much   bet - ter  man,___

she'd still be in__ my arms to-night, if on -ly.
There's an emp - ti - ness that fills my heart
now that she's_ not  here._____
I loved  her more _ than my own life,
some-thing I've al - ways feared,___  if on-ly.

If on - ly I'd come home at night
in - stead of stay-in' out  for one more drink, 
if on-ly I'd  been  un-con-cerned  what the oth-er guys__
may think,  if on-ly I'd-a  held  her tight,
but I guess it's   too late now. 
Oh how blind___ can one man be,  if on - ly.
I   will  not be sad___ af-ter all the fun we've had.
you live some____    and you learn___ some,
if on-ly.

If on - ly I____ could con-vince her
the im-por-tance of one more chance,____
if on-ly   God___ would al-low____ me
one more  ce - les  -  tial   dance,____
If on - ly I____ have   the   nerve____
to call her up and tell her how   I   feel,___

But it's on - ly love and love ain't real, 
it's on-ly a four__ let-ter  word.___
We spend half our lives_ chas-ing af-ter it,
how won - der - f'ly__ ab-surd,___
if on-ly.

Oo whoa__ but I will not be sad_____
af-ter all  the  fun   we had.______
You  live some____ and you learn ___ some,
whoa but I  will  not  be sad____
af-ter all____ the fun that we had.___
you live some___ and you learn__ some, 
you learn some,   if on-ly.

Circa 1991
Words and Music by Rod Stewart, Jim Cregan and Kevin Savigar