Seasons In The Sun

I don't think I can manage this blog post without admiting that I like - up to the cheesy key change - Terry Jacks' "Seasons In The Sun". I think it's the Beach Boys organ riff and the Duane Eddy guitar line that appeal. I've known for years that the lyric is a translation of a Jacques Brel song but I'd never heard Brel's version until today when I caught Coverville's "The Seasons In The Sun Cover Story". Very interesting podcast and recommended listening.

Amazing fact number one: Terry Jacks was producing a Beach Boys session and got them to record Seasons In The Sun but they decided not to release it. Terry Jacks then decided to record it himself and released it - it sounds very like the Beach Boys version which Brian Ibott includes iin the Coverville show.

Amazing fact number two: Terry Jacks altered the song to be much more positive than the original English translation. He also omitted the following verse:-

"Adieu, Francoise, my trusted 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, Francoise, it's hard to die when all the birds are singing in the sky. Now that spring is in the air

With your lovers ev'rywhere; just be careful, I'll be there."

I guess Sting was familiar with this when he wrote "Every Step"

Finally, there are some truely dreadful versions to be heard on Spotify.