We Said We Wouldn't Look Back (From "Salad Days")

We'll never be able to break the spell

The magic will hold us still.

Sometimes we may pretend to forget

But of course we never will.
Three perfect years -

Perhaps there'll more?
Life's only beginning you know

Oh yes it's not that I want to stay.
It's just that I don't want to go.

We mustn't look back,

No we mustn't look back.

Whatever our memories are.
We? mustn't say these were our happiest days,
but our happiest days so far.

If I start? looking behind me and begin retracing my track,
I'll remind you to remind me we said we wouldn't back.

And if you should happen to find me with an outlook dreary and black.
I'll remind you to remind me we said we wouldn't look back.

It's hard to forget the plays,
the balls
the walks by the river in Spring,
the Dons we placated,
the lectures we missed,
but soon they won't mean a thing.
So if I let nostalgia blind me and me resolution is slack
I'll remind you to remind me we said we wouldn't look back

They're certain to miss us when we're gone,
they're not worth much if they don't.

And they'll beg us to visit them time after time -
oh dear, maybe they won't!

But if I once stop looking behind me,
and begin retracing my track,
I'll remind you to remind me

We said we wouldn't look back.
We've broken the ties,
we've said the goodbyes,
there's? no more for us to pack.
Don't turn round -
we're outward bound -
and we said we wouldn't look back...