A great 'break-up ballad' I'd completely forgotten about. I just heard a version by Buddy Jewel that sold me on it...
http://www.bmgmusic.com/catalog/product/cd_detail.jhtml?productId=50365

I recall it being done by a doo-wop group of the 60's. As it turns out, The Casinos, 1967, but also recorded by Johnny Mathis, Perry Come Eddie Ardold, and several others... great song.

I haven't heard Buddy Jewell's but Neal McCoy's version, also a country artist, is one of my Top 5 songs of all time. I'm not kidding. It stops me in my tracks. Far better than the original to me.

Here's Neal McCoy...
http://www.bmgmusic.com/catalog/product/cd_detail.jhtml?productId=24376

The 2 versions are very similar.

As some of you probably know, the Casinos were from Cincinnati, OH. Gene Hughes, one the founding members of the Casinos passed away last year and my band Impact was ask to play for a tribute to Gene at a local club.

The song was recorded by many different artists through the years as listed HERE

Dave

BREAK UP???? No way !
It's a total love song ... with only hope and passion implied !

OK, 'prospective' break-up...

"If it don't work out, then you can tell me goodbye... If you must go, I won't grieve..."

IMO, she's gone

Did you even LISTEN to the words ... ?
Kiss me each morning - for a million years
Tell me you love me for a million years
If you must go - oh no I won't grieve
If you'll wait a lifetime before you leave
Tell me you'll love me for a million years
THEN, you can tell me ....

See????? total love song !!!!!

Of course, that's easy... but go a little bit deeper and read between the lines. Sure, he's totally in love, but where does "then if it don't work out" and "if you must go" come from? (there's been signals in this relationship) Face it Dave, he's madly in love, but she's gone (and he know's it), it's history...

But that helps make it a great song.

There's NO way - you missed the whole point ( and the beauty ) of the lyric ...
He says paraphrased)
"After a million years, you can go if we don't get it right by then."

A MILLION years, my friend.
She's very much THERE.

By the way, John Loudermilk wrote this song. Now, THAT is one crazy cat. I read an extensive interview with him. Like two entire chapters of a book called "Guitar Pull." By Philip Self. Which I highly recommend. About songwriters. One of my fave books of all time.

This Loudermilk guy is wealthy. He retired long ago from royalties a rich man. And he is BIZARRE. He is VERY intelligent, you can tell. But he talks about all kinds of WAY out there stuff. Like aliens and alien abduction and all kinds of weird stuff. It was almost like he was trying to see how wild he could be in the interview. But really, it was two entire chapters. I'd really like to talk to that guy.