Seasons in the Sun - wikipedia Seasons in the Sun For the Spell album, see Seasons in the Sun ( album ). For the 2012 book about British history, see Dominic Sandbrook. `` Le Moribond ( The Dying Man ) '' Song by Jacques Brel from the album Marieke Released 1961 Recorded February 22, 1961 Genre Chanson Length 3 : 06 Label Philips Songwriter ( s ) Jacques Brel Marieke track listing `` Marieke '' ( 1 ) `` Le Moribond ( The Dying Man ) '' ( 2 ) `` Vivre Debout '' ( 3 ) `` Seasons in the Sun '' is an English - language adaptation of the song `` Le Moribond '' by Belgian singer - songwriter Jacques Brel with lyrics by American singer - poet Rod McKuen. It became a worldwide hit in 1974 for Canadian singer Terry Jacks and became a Christmas number one in the UK in 1999 for Westlife. Jacks 's version is one of the fewer than forty all - time singles to have sold 10 million copies worldwide. Contents 1 Lyrics 1.1 Original version 1.2 Rod McKuen version 1.3 Terry Jacks version 2 Terry Jacks recording 2.1 Chart performance 2.1. 1 Weekly charts 2.1. 2 Year - end charts 3 Westlife recording 4 Other versions 5 Parodies and alternate lyrics 6 References 7 External links Lyrics The song is a dying protagonist 's farewell to relatives and friends. The protagonist mentions how hard it will be to die now that the spring season has arrived ( historically, spring is portrayed as the season of new life ). Original version The original French - language song is a sardonic ballad, in which the speaker gives backhanded farewells to his adulterous wife and her lover and the priest he disagreed with while sarcastically expressing his wish that there should be singing and dancing when he is buried. This is an English translation of the original final verse by Jacques Brel : Good - bye, my wife, I loved you well Good - bye, my wife, I loved you well, you know, But I 'm taking the train for the Good Lord, I 'm taking the train before yours But you take whatever train you can ; Goodbye, my wife, I 'm going to die, It 's hard to die in springtime, you know, But I 'm leaving for the flowers with my eyes closed, my wife, Because I closed them so often, I know you will take care of my soul. ( `` eyes closed '' refers to closing his eyes to her infidelity, following on from the preceding verse in which he bids goodbye to his wife 's lover Antoine ). Rod McKuen version Rod McKuen, in his translation, attempted to retain the sarcastic tone of the original French song. The last verse in McKuen 's three verse freehand rendering retains Brel 's reference to the wife 's infidelity but with a different sensibility : Adieu, Françoise, my faithful wife ; Without you I 'd have had a lonely life. You cheated lots of times but then, I forgave you in the end Though your lover was my friend. Adieu, Françoise, it 's hard to die When all the birds are singing in the sky. Now that the spring is in the air With your lovers everywhere, Just be careful ; I 'll be there. Terry Jacks version Terry Jacks modified the McKuen translation to make the song more positive and sentimental. In each verse, the protagonist bids farewell to someone important in his life : The first verse refers to `` a trusted friend '' that he had known since he was `` 9 or 10 ''. The original specifically names the friend as `` Émile '', which Jacks 's versions does not. The second verse refers to the protagonist 's father ( who unsuccessfully tried to warn him of his lifestyle ) ; this verse differed from the original as it was sung in a manner which downplayed the original 's bitter tone of regret. The third verse refers to `` Michelle, my little one '' ( implied to be his daughter, who will now grow up without her father ). This verse completely replaced the third and fourth verses referring to infidelity in the French original. Terry Jacks 's new third verse reads : Goodbye, Michelle, my little one ; You gave me love and helped me find the sun, And every time that I was down You would always come around And get my feet back on the ground. Goodbye, Michelle, it 's hard to die When all the birds are singing in the sky ; Now that the spring is in the air, With the flowers everywhere, I wish that we could both be there ! Terry Jacks recording `` Seasons in the Sun '' Single by Terry Jacks from the album Seasons in the Sun B - side `` Put the Bone In '' Released December 1973 Format 7 - inch single Recorded 1973 Genre Pop Length 3 : 24 Label Bell Songwriter ( s ) Jacques Brel, Rod McKuen Producer ( s ) Terry Jacks Terry Jacks singles chronology `` Concrete Sea '' ( 1972 ) `` Seasons in the Sun '' ( 1973 ) `` If You Go Away '' ( 1974 ) Music video `` Seasons in the Sun '' on YouTube Terry Jacks recorded `` Seasons in the Sun '' in Vancouver in 1973 with his then - wife Susan Jacks. They made the decision to record the song when The Beach Boys, who had recorded a version with Terry Jacks producing, decided to abandon their recording. Jacks released his version as a single in 1973 on his own label, Goldfish Records. `` Put the Bone In '', an original composition about burying a deceased pet dog, was included as the B - side. The single soon topped the record charts in the U.S. ( where it was released on Bell Records ), in Canada, and the UK, selling over 14 million copies worldwide. Jacks 's version was released in the United States in December 1973, and made the Billboard Hot 100 a month later. On March 2, 1974, the song began a three - week run at number one atop the Hot 100, and remained in the top 40 until almost Memorial Day weekend. Jacks 's version also spent one week on the Easy Listening charts. Billboard ranked it as the number two song for 1974. Although he released several other singles that were moderately successful in Canada, `` Seasons in the Sun '' would become Jacks 's only major solo hit in the United States. In Canada, the single ( Gold Fish GF 100 ) reached number sone on the RPM Magazine charts January 26, 1974, and remained there four weeks. Though the song enjoyed contemporary success, modern criticism has tended to be more critical of Jacks 's overly sentimentalized rewriting of the original song. Jacks 's version is commonly held up as an example of bad music, having been called one of the worst pop songs ever recorded, and ranking number five in a CNN poll in 2006. Jacks also released a German language version in Germany with lyrics by Gerd Müller - Schwanke, `` In den Gärten der Zeit ''. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1973 -- 74 ) Peak position Australia KMR Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium Canada RPM Top Singles Canada RPM Adult Contemporary 1, Denmark France Germany Ireland Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 7 Norway ( VG - lista ) South Africa Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) New Zealand UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 US Adult Contemporary ( ' Billboard ) US Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1974 ) Rank Australia 5 Canada RPM Top Singles Denmark 5 Netherlands 6 South Africa 6 Switzerland UK 5 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Cash Box 9 Westlife recording `` Seasons in the Sun '' Single by Westlife from the album Westlife A-side `` I Have a Dream '' Released December 19, 1999 Format CD single Studio PWL Studios, London Genre Pop Length 4 : 09 Label BMG Songwriter ( s ) Jacques Brel, Rod McKuen Westlife singles chronology `` Flying Without Wings '' ( 1999 ) `` Seasons in the Sun '' ( 1999 ) `` Fool Again '' ( 2000 ) Music video `` Seasons in the Sun '' on YouTube Irish boy band Westlife covered `` Seasons in the Sun '' for their self - titled debut album Westlife ( 1999 ). It was released on December 19, 1999, as a double A-side with a cover of ABBA 's `` I Have a Dream '' and became the 1999 Christmas number one. It has sold over 650,000 copies in UK so far. Westlife 's `` Seasons In The Sun '' music video was shot in late - 1999 and directed by Cameron Casey & Simon Brand. Other versions There have been numerous cover versions of the song. Before Jacks popularized the song, earlier recordings had been released by The Kingston Trio, with the first cover version of McKuen 's translation in 1963, and The Fortunes in 1968. Generally, English - language versions since the Terry Jacks version was released have used his lyrics for the song. Swedish dansband Vikingarna covered the song in Swedish in 1974, as `` Sommar varje dag '' on the album Här kommer Vikingarna. The song has also been covered by Andy Williams, The Beach Boys, Nana Mouskouri, Bud Dashiell, Bad Religion, Too Much Joy, the Squirrels, Spell, Black Box Recorder, Nirvana, Indochine, Karel Gott ( Léta prázdnin ), Klaus Hoffmann ( in German ), Pearls Before Swine, Alcazar, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Second Run, The Others, Television Personalities, and Gob featuring blink - 182. In 1993, Nirvana recorded an informal version of the song which was never intended for release, but was eventually included on the DVD portion of their 2004 box - set With the Lights Out. Nirvana 's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, would often reference the song in interviews, mentioning the fact that it made him cry as a child. Another cover version, by Bobby Wright ( son of Johnnie Wright and Kitty Wells ), reached the Top 40 of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in 1974. The Manchester - based Coachmen 's version was recorded at EMI 's Abbey Road Studios in July 1966 and released on Columbia DB8057 in November 1966. Spanish versions are entitled ' Epocas de Sol, Estaciones en el Sol, or Etapas de mi Vida. There is a German version called Adieu Emile by Klaus Hoffmann published in 1975. The translated lyrics are very close to the French ones but the melody is slightly altered and the whole song has a 3 / 4 beat. Italian singer / songwriter Roberto Vecchioni recorded an Italian version called `` Stagioni nel sole '' for his 2005 acoustic, jazz - influenced live album Il Contastorie. The title of his version is a literal translation of `` Seasons in the Sun '', but both the lyrics ( rewritten by Vecchioni himself ) and the musical structure of Vecchioni 's version are much closer to Jacques Brel 's original ( including a vague allusion to the protagonist 's wife being unfaithful ) than to the Jacks / McKuen version. The accompaniment of this rendition, played on acoustic guitar, piano and double bass ( with no drums ) is march - like, similar to Brel 's, and pointedly un-romantic. A second French - language version, Adieu la Vie, Adieu Soleil, was recorded in 1974 by Quebec musician Jacques Amar ; this version is the Québécois adaptation of Terry Jacks ' version. Croatian singer - songwriter Arsen Dedić recorded a Croatian version of the song in 1983 under the title Pjesma umirućeg. Dedić 's lyrics draw more heavily on McKuen 's English translation. The band Beirut has covered `` Le Moribond '' live on a number of occasions. A version performed for KEXP was recorded along with `` My Family 's Role in the World Revolution '' for the third track on the Elephant Gun EP. Beirut performs a cover that is quite faithful to the original Jacques Brel version, maintaining the French lyrics and the marching up - beat tempo. The Finnish schlager singer Arto Sotavalta have recorded a Finnish version of the song called Päivät kuin unta ( Eng. Days like dreams ). The Finnish translation is very similar to the English text. The Vietnamese version, called `` Những mùa nắng đẹp '' was translated by musician Pham Duy. The translated lyrics are quite similar to the English ones. A number of Vietnamese singers have covered this version. Swedish Eurodance group Alcazar covered this song for their debut album Casino. British musician Damon Albarn recorded an acoustic version of this song for a BBC Radio 2 show with Dermot O'Leary. Parodies and alternate lyrics The 1993 song `` Twice My Age '' by Shabba Ranks uses the melody of `` Seasons in the Sun '' with a different set of lyrics. Sean Kingston covered `` Twice My Age '' on his 2011 mixtape King of Kingz. In 2002 a satirical version of the song lambasting the Canadian government 's ageing Sea King helicopters was leaked to Esprit de Corps magazine. The lyrics were published in the Ottawa Citizen on November 20, 2002. Another spoof was recorded in 2006 by Dundee United fan under the alias ' Terry Jack '. This version mocks the possible demise of Dundee United 's archrivals, Dundee FC who were suffering severe financial difficulties at the time. This version contains swearing and adult themes. References Jump up ^ `` 30 years since the death of Jacques Brel : his life, his art, his legacy - World Socialist Web Site ''. Wsws.org. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` My first experience with Brel (... in 1964... ) consisted of doing an unauthorized adaptation of ' Le Moribund ' (... written by Brel for the singer Jean Sablon... ), which I called ' Seasons in the Sun '... I subsequently learned that Brel had received my recording..., '' liner notes from Rod McKuen Sings Rod McKuen, Jacques Brel Songbook, April 2000, posted at Rod McKuen - Flight Plan. ' Rod 's gift to his many fans ', maintained by Stanyan Music Group, of Hollywood CA. Accessed : 12 September 2009. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 299. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 - 2001. Record Research. p. 123. Jump up ^ `` Number One Song of the Year : 1946 - 2015 ''. bobborst.com. Retrieved August 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel, `` Top Pop Hits : 1955 - 2006, 2007. Jump up ^ Todd Leopold. `` The worst song of all time, part II - Apr 26, 2006 ''. CNN.com. Retrieved 2014 - 02 - 01. Jump up ^ `` In den Gärten der Zeit '' at 45cat.com Jump up ^ `` Australian Chart Book ''. Austchartbook.com.au. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- TERRY JACKS -- SEASONS IN THE SUN '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. ^ Jump up to : `` Song artist 781 - Terry Jacks ''. Tsort.info. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- TERRY JACKS -- SEASONS IN THE SUN '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- TERRY JACKS -- SEASONS IN THE SUN ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- TERRY JACKS -- SEASONS IN THE SUN ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` flavour of new zealand - search listener ''. Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` TERRY JACKS ''. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ `` Adult Contemporary Music Chart ''. Billboard. 1974 - 03 - 09. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 3 / 09 / 74 ''. Tropicalglen.com. 1974 - 03 - 09. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. `` Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s ( ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts ) ''. Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada ''. Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ Swiss Year - End Charts, 1974 Jump up ^ `` Top 100 1974 - UK Music Charts ''. Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1974 / Top 100 Songs of 1974 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1974 ''. Tropicalglen.com. 1974 - 12 - 28. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Westlife Official Top 20 MTV UK ''. Mtv.co.uk. 2009 - 10 - 28. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Här kommer Vikingarna '' ( in Swedish ). Svensk mediedatabas. 1974. Retrieved 7 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Klaus Hoffmann ''. Klaus Hoffmann. 2007 - 07 - 01. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` JACQUES AMAR... ADIEU LA VIE ADIEU SOLEIL ( SEASONS IN THE SUN )... 1974 '' on YouTube Jump up ^ `` Damon Albarn covers ' Seasons In The Sun ' ''. NME.COM. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 14. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Archived 2012 - 12 - 01 at the Wayback Machine. External links Listen to this article ( info / dl ) This audio file was created from a revision of the article `` Seasons in the Sun '' dated 2005 - 12 - 10, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ( Audio help ) More spoken articles Seasons in the Sun at Super Seventies. `` List of ' Le Moribond ' covers '', Brelitude.net `` Goodbye, Papa, It 's Hard to Die : The enduring appeal of an abominable pop song '' ( Slate.com, March 16, 2005 ) Rod McKuen on the song 's origins Lyrics of Andy Williams cover at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Time in a Bottle '' by Jim Croce Canadian RPM 100 number - one single ( Terry Jacks 's version ) January 26, 1974 ( four weeks ) Succeeded by `` The Way We Were '' by Barbra Streisand Preceded by `` The Way We Were '' by Barbra Streisand US Billboard Hot 100 number one single ( Terry Jacks 's version ) March 2, 1974 ( three weeks ) Succeeded by `` Dark Lady '' by Cher Preceded by `` Last Time I Saw Him '' by Diana Ross US Billboard Easy Listening Singles number - one single ( Terry Jacks 's version ) March 9, 1974 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Sunshine on My Shoulders '' by John Denver Preceded by `` Billy Do n't Be a Hero '' by Paper Lace UK Singles Chart number one single ( Terry Jacks 's version ) April 6, 1974 ( four weeks ) Succeeded by `` Waterloo '' by ABBA Preceded by `` Goodbye '' by Spice Girls UK Singles Chart Christmas number - one single ( Westlife 's version ) 1999 Succeeded by `` Can We Fix It ? '' by Bob the Builder Preceded by `` I Try '' by Macy Gray Irish IRMA number one single ( Westlife 's version ) 18 December 1999 ( five weeks ) Succeeded by `` Born to Make You Happy '' by Britney Spears Preceded by `` The Millennium Prayer '' by Cliff Richard UK Singles Chart number - one single ( Westlife 's version ) 19 December 1999 ( four weeks ) Succeeded by `` The Masses Against the Classes '' by Manic Street Preachers Jacques Brel Studio albums Grand Jacques Quand on n'a que l'amour Au Printemps La Valse à Mille Temps Marieke Les Bourgeois Les Bonbons Ces Gens - Là Jacques Brel 67 J'arrive L'Homme de la Mancha Ne Me Quitte Pas Les Marquises Live albums Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1961 Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1964 Compilation albums Infiniment Rarities Chansons ou Versions Inédites de Jeunesse Box sets Boîte à Bonbons Songs `` Ne me quitte pas '' ( `` If You Go Away '' ) `` Marieke '' `` Seasons in the Sun '' `` Le Plat Pays '' `` Ces Gens - Là '' `` Amsterdam '' `` The Impossible Dream '' `` Un enfant '' `` Jacky '' Related articles Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris ( musical ) Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris ( film ) Man of La Mancha List of cover versions François Rauber Westlife singles Discography Westlife `` Swear It Again '' `` If I Let You Go '' `` Flying Without Wings '' `` I Have a Dream '' / `` Seasons in the Sun '' `` Fool Again '' Coast to Coast `` Against All Odds '' `` My Love '' `` What Makes a Man '' `` I Lay My Love on You '' `` Uptown Girl '' `` When You 're Looking Like That '' World of Our Own `` Queen of My Heart '' `` Evergreen '' `` World of Our Own '' `` Bop Bop Baby '' Unbreakable `` Unbreakable '' `` Tonight / Miss You Nights '' Turnaround `` Hey Whatever '' `` Mandy '' `` Obvious '' Allow Us to Be Frank `` Ai n't That a Kick in the Head '' `` Fly Me To The Moon '' `` Smile '' Face to Face `` You Raise Me Up '' `` When You Tell Me That You Love Me '' `` Amazing '' The Love Album `` The Rose '' `` Total Eclipse of the Heart '' Back Home `` Home '' `` Us Against the World '' `` Something Right '' Where We Are `` What About Now '' Gravity `` Safe '' Greatest Hits `` Lighthouse '' `` Beautiful World '' Book UK Christmas number - one singles in the 1990s `` Saviour 's Day '' ( Cliff Richard, 1990 ) `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' / `` These Are the Days of Our Lives '' ( Queen, 1991 ) `` I Will Always Love You '' ( Whitney Houston, 1992 ) `` Mr Blobby '' ( Mr Blobby, 1993 ) `` Stay Another Day '' ( East 17, 1994 ) `` Earth Song '' ( Michael Jackson, 1995 ) `` 2 Become 1 '' ( Spice Girls, 1996 ) `` Too Much '' ( Spice Girls, 1997 ) `` Goodbye '' ( Spice Girls, 1998 ) `` I Have a Dream '' / `` Seasons in the Sun '' ( Westlife, 1999 ) Complete list 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seasons_in_the_Sun&oldid=798652844 '' Categories : Christmas number - one singles in the United Kingdom 1961 songs 1973 singles 1974 singles 1999 singles 2000 singles Songs written by Jacques Brel Songs written by Rod McKuen Jacques Brel songs The Kingston Trio songs Vikingarna ( band ) songs Westlife songs Nirvana ( band ) songs Songs about death Canadian pop songs Bobby Wright songs Andy Williams songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Number - one singles in Australia Number - one singles in Germany Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in New Zealand Number - one singles in Norway Number - one singles in Switzerland UK Singles Chart number - one singles Bell Records singles Philips Records singles Pop ballads Hidden categories : CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) Webarchive template wayback links Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Switzerland Spoken articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Brezhoneg Deutsch Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Kiswahili Lietuvių Nederlands 日本 語 Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 3 September 2017, at 03 : 50. 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Question: english song goodbye to you my trusted friend
Answer: Jacques Brel