“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 1 in 1999 for Westlife. The Jacks version is one of the fewer than thirty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.
The song is a dying protagonist’s farewell to relatives and friends.
The original French-language song included sarcasm and references to his wife’s infidelity – but these are not present in Terry Jacks’ English-language adaptation. Jacks’ recording was released in Canada and the United States early in the year, and rose to number one in America by March 2. Earlier recordings had been released by The Kingston Trio with the first cover version of McKuen’s translation in 1963 and the British band The Fortunes in 1968.
Terry Jacks versionThe song was recorded in Vancouver in 1973. Susan and Terry Jacks, of Poppy Family fame, made the decision to record the song when the Beach Boys, who were considering recording a version with Terry Jacks producing, decided to abandon their recording. The Jacks recorded it instead and Terry Jacks later released it on his own label. It immediately topped the record charts in the U.S. (where it was released on Bell Records), Canada, and the UK, selling over 14 million copies worldwide.
Jacks’ 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 No. 1 atop the Hot 100, and remained in the top 40 until almost Memorial Day weekend. Jacks’ version also spent one week on the Easy Listening charts. Although he released several other singles that were moderately successful in Canada, “Seasons in the Sun” would become Jacks’ only major solo hit in the United States.
Apart from the versions noted above, there have been numerous cover versions of the song. Generally, these use the same translation as the Terry Jacks version, and thus inherit that version’s less harsh interpretation of the song’s storyline.
The Westlife version from their self-titled debut album Westlife has sold over 650 000 copies in UK so far.
By Westlife
Lyrics
Goodbye to you my trusted friend We’ve known each other since we were nine or ten Together we’ve climbed hills and trees Learned of love and ABC’s Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees Goodbye my friend it’s hard to die When all the birds are singing in the sky Now that spring is in the air Pretty girls are everywhere Think of me and I’ll be there
We had joy, we had fun we had seasons in the sun But the hills that we climbed Were just seasons out of time
Goodbye Papa please pray for me I was the black sheep of the family You tried to teach me right from wrong Too much wine and too much song Wonder how I got along Goodbye Papa it’s hard to die When all the birds are singing in the sky Now that the spring is in the air Little children everywhere When you see them, I’ll be there
We had joy, we had fun We had seasons in the sun But the wine and the song Like the seasons have all gone We had joy, we had fun We had seasons in the sun But the wine and the song Like the seasons have all gone
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