My death waits like an old roué
So confident I'll go his way
Whistle to him and the passing time

My death waits like a bible truth
At the funeral of my youth
Loudly weep for that and the passing time

My death waits like a witch at night
As surely as our love is bright
Let's laugh about the passing time

CHORUS
But whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil, I don't care
For in front of that door, there is you.

My death waits like a beggar blind
Who sees the world through an unlit mind
Throw him a dime for the passing time

My death waits to allow my friends
A few good times before it ends
Let's drink to that and the passing time

My death waits there between your thighs
Your cool fingers will close my eyes
Let's not think of that or the passing time

CHORUS
But whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil, I don't care
For in front of that door, there is you.

My death waits there among the leaves
In magicians' mysterious sleeves
Rabbits and doves and the passing time

My death waits there among the flowers
Where the blackest shadow cowers
So let's pick lilacs for the passing time

My death waits there in a double bed
Sails of oblivion at my head
So pull up the sheets against the passing time!

CHORUS
But whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil, I don't care
For in front of that door, there is you.

Death awaits me like an old maid
At the rendez-vous of flower-gathering
All the better to gather the passing time

Death awaits me like a princess
At the burial of my youth
All the better to weep at the passing time

Death awaits me like Carabosse
At the incineration of our wedding night
All the better to laugh about the passing time

CHORUS
But what awaits me behind the door
And who awaits me there?
Devil or angel, it matters not
For 'tis you in front of that door.

Death awaits beneath the pillow
That I may then forget to awaken
All the better to freeze the passing time

Death awaits until my friends
Come to see me late at night
So we may together speak of the passing time

Death awaits me in your ivory hands
Which should close my eyes in death
All the better to leave the passing time

CHORUS
But what awaits me behind the door
And who awaits me there?
Devil or angel, it matters not
For 'tis you in front of that door.

Death awaits in the turning leaves
Of the tree which will furnish my casket
All the better to nail shut the passing time

Death awaits me in the lilacs
That the gravedigger will shower on me
To lend a florist's touch to the passing time

Death awaits me in a king-sized poster bed
Covered well with linens of oblivion
All the better to close off the passing time

CHORUS
But what awaits me behind the door
And who awaits me there?
Devil or angel, it matters not
For 'tis you in front of that door.