Seasons in the Sun is an English-language adaptation of the 1961 Belgian song
Le Moribond ("The Dying Man") by singer-songwriter
Jacques Brel, with lyrics rewritten in 1963 by singer-poet
Rod McKuen, depicting a dying man's farewell to his loved ones. It became a worldwide hit in 1974 for singer
Terry Jacks and reached
Christmas number one in the UK in 1999 for
Westlife.
The first version of the song was recorded by Brel. Set to a marching rhythm, it tells the story of a man dying of a broken heart, as he bids farewell first to his close friend Emile, then to a priest, followed by an acquaintance named Antoine, and finally to his wife, who has cheated on him numerous times with Antoine. Despite being aware of Antoine's role as his wife's lover, he wishes him no ill and instead asks him to take care of her. American
Rod McKuen translated the lyrics into English. In 1964,
the Kingston Trio became the first to record an English version of "Seasons in the Sun," which was later heard by Terry Jacks and served as the foundation for his rendition.
Jacks altered nearly one-sixth of McKuen's lyrics, later claiming that all of the words were his own.
He considered the original version and its translations to be "too macabre." The inspiration for the rewritten lyrics came from his close friend Roger, who was suffering from acute
leukemia and died four months later. Jacks's rendition, later dedicated to his friend, features the dying man (in the spring season) delivering his last words to his loved ones with whom he shared his life, echoing the themes of the original. However, unlike Brel's version, the man does not die heartbroken; instead, he reflects on the rights and wrongs of his actions in life as he passes away peacefully.
In the rewritten version, the man first addresses a close friend he has known since childhood, reminiscing about the happy times they shared, such as playing and studying together ("climbed hills and trees," "learned of love and ABC's") and their friendships with others ("skinned our hearts and skinned our knees"). He then turns to his father ("Papa"), who endeavored to provide him with a good upbringing and exert a positive influence on his undisciplined life ("I was the black sheep of the family," "You tried to teach me right from wrong," "wonder how I got along"), which included overindulgence, vices, and revelry ("too much wine and too much song"). Finally, the man addresses a "little one" named "Michelle" (possibly a daughter or young lover), recounting how she had lifted his spirits during times of despair. At the end of each verse, he reassures all three that he is always present in spirit when they visit familiar places or encounter certain people.
Seasons in the Sun - Rod McKuen and Jacques Brel
Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun
Irish
boy band Westlife released a cover of "Seasons in the Sun" in December 1999, as a
double A-side with "
I Have a Dream" and as a triple A-side in Australia, including both "I Have a Dream" and "
Flying Without Wings. The release became the UK's Christmas number-one single of 1999, outperforming
Cliff Richard's charity single "
The Millennium Prayer," which landed at No. 2, and marked the group's fourth UK number-one single. It continued to maintain its position into January 2000, spending a total of 17 weeks on the UK chart. The song was the 26th best-selling single of 1999 in the UK.
Westlife - Seasons In The Sun
