(where it was released on Bell Records), in Canada, and the UK, selling over 14 million copies worldwide. The single soon topped the record charts in the U.S. "Put the Bone In", an original composition about burying a deceased pet dog, was included as the B-side. Jacks released his version as a single in 1973 on his own label, Goldfish Records. The piano arpeggio parts and double bass parts in the second verse were done by a young David Foster.
Jacks recorded his rendition in Vancouver in 1973. It was just the wrong song for us." The recording remained unreleased until the 2021 compilation Feel Flows. Afterwards, Mike Love told an interviewer: "We did record a version but it was so wimpy we had to throw it out. On Jthey attempted a rendition of the "Seasons in the Sun", but the session went badly, and the track was never finished. Before he dies in peace, the man reminds all three that he will always be alive in their hearts and at all times will be present in spirit when they see people or visit places - pretty girls (old and new friends) for the close friend, young children playing for the father, and flower fields for Michelle.Īccording to Jacks, the Beach Boys asked him to be their producer during the sessions for the band's album Surf's Up. The man finally addresses a "Michelle", recounting how she had lifted his spirit up in times of despair.
He then addresses his father, who tried to give him 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"). In the rewritten version, the man first addresses a close friend whom he had known since childhood and reminisces about the happy times they had, such as playing and studying together ("climbed hills and trees", "learned of love and ABC's") and friendships with others ("skinned our hearts and skinned our knees"). However, unlike the Brel version, the man does not die broken-hearted but instead, acknowledges the rights and wrongs of his actions in life as he passes away peacefully. The Terry Jacks rendition, which was later dedicated to the friend, has the dying man giving his last words to his loved ones whom he shared his life with, much like the original. The inspiration for the rewritten lyrics was a close friend of his who was suffering from acute leukemia and died four months later. He justifies the rewriting by stating that he deemed the original version and its translations as "too macabre". Jacks rewrote the lyrics, although he is uncredited for it. In 1964, the Kingston Trio first recorded an English version of "Seasons in the Sun", which was later heard by Terry Jacks and became the basis for his rendition. American Rod McKuen translated the lyrics into English. Despite knowing of Antoine being his wife's lover, he wishes no ill upon him but tells him to take care of his wife. Sung in a marching tempo, it tells of a man dying of a broken heart and shows him saying his last farewells to his close friend Emile, a priest friend, an acquaintance named Antoine, and his wife who has cheated on him numerous times with Antoine.
The first version of the song was recorded by Brel, who reportedly wrote it in a brothel in Tangiers. ( June 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources.