​Recorded in 1956 and the title song of his second album, "Quand On n'a que l'Amour"  launched Brel’s breakout after he had been singing for 3 years on the cabaret and touring circuits. It reached number 3 on French charts. Despite Brel’s disavowals about poetry, the song has a highly articulated structure. There are 11 stanzas, each with 4 lines. Each stanza except the last begins with “Quand on n’a que l’amour.” The first 10 stanzas have an ABBA rhyme scheme while the last switches to ABAB. Each stanza with the ABBA scheme has A-lines that end with an “our” sound (amour, jour, toujour, faubourgs, etc) while the B-line rhymes vary in each stanza.

​Quand on n’a que l’amour 
à s’offrir en partage
au jour du grand voyage 
qu’est notre grand amour.

Quand on n’a que l’amour, 
mon amour, toi et moi,
pour qu’éclatent de joie 
chaque heure et chaque jour.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
pour vivre nos promesses
sans nulle autre richesse 
que d’y croire toujours.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
pour meubler de merveilles,
et couvrir de soleil 
la laideur des faubourgs.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
pour unique raison,
pour unique chanson 
et unique secours.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
pour habiller matin
pauvres et malandrins
de manteaux de velours.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
à offrir en prière
pour les maux de la terre 
en simple troubadour.

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
à offrir à ceux-là
dont l’unique combat 
est de chercher le jour.

Quand on n'a que l'amour 
pour tracer un chemin
et forcer le destin 
à chaque carrefour

Quand on n’a que l’amour 
pour parler aux canons
et rien qu’une chanson 
pour convaincre un tambour. 

Alors, sans avoir rien 
que la force d’aimer,
nous aurons dans nos mains--
ma mie, le monde entier. 
​

​When we only have love 
to offer to share
on the day of the grand journey 
that is our great love.

When we only have love, 
my love, you and I,
to erupt in joy 
every hour and every day.

When we only have love 
to live our promises
With no other reward 
than believe them forever.

When we only have love 
to furnish with wonders,
and cover with sun 
the ugliness of slums.

When we only have love 
as only reason,
as only song 
and only support.

When we only have love 
to dress in the morning
the poor and rogues 
in velvet coats.

When we only have love 
to offer in prayer
for the evils of earth 
like a simple troubadour.

When we only have love 
to offer to those
whose only struggle 
is to get through the day.

When we only have love 
to chart a path
and challenge fate 
at each crossroad

When we only have love t
to converse with canons
and nothing but song 
to convince a drum.

Then, with nothing more 
than the power of love, 
we will have in our hands--
my dear, the entire world.
​

NB:

1. “Quand on n’a que:” literally, “n’avoir que” means “to not have but” = “to only have.” The title is variously translated as: “When Love is All We Have,” “When We Only Have Love.”
   
2. “malandrins” is an archaic usage (meaning rogues, miscreants, bandits) that Brel rescued from oblivion

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