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Regular readers of Chimesfreedom might be surprised to learn that I did not grow up listening only to the hippest rock music on the planet. As a kid in the 1970s, I listened to a lot of AM radio, which gave me a steady diet of pop songs. For example, in 1974, Bob Dylan went on the road for the first time since 1966 and the Ramones were forming.  And, one of the biggest hits of the year was “Seasons in the Sun” by Terry Jacks.

Then again, that year also featured endless radio plays of “Kung Fu Fighting,” “Smokin’ in the Boys Room,” and Olivia Newton-John’s “I Honestly Love You.” Whether I like it or not, these songs and other similar songs from 1974 are all etched in my brain.

“Seasons in the Sun”

In the morbid song “Seasons in the Sun,” the singer is dying for an unknown reason. He addresses his father, his friend, and Michelle, who is either his lover, his daughter, or younger sister. He expresses his happiness that they had “seasons in the sun.” But he also laments that “the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone.”

Why was the song such a big hit? As I have written elsewhere, songs about dying may subconsciously make us happy in that they remind us to enjoy life. Or, as James Sullivan wrote in an excellent article about the song on Slate, “During those mid-Watergate weeks and months, the whole country seemed eager to wallow in tuneful misery.” Or maybe it was the catchy opening riff.

Origins of “Seasons in the Sun” From “Le Moribond”

“Seasons in the Sun” was a reworking of a French song, “Le Moribond” (“The Dying Man”) by Jacques Brel. In Brel’s version, the singer addresses his wife in the final verse.

Check out Brel’s version and see how the original style of the song is much different than the poppy march-like American version.

Rod McKeuen, the pop poet of the time, wrote the English translation for “Seasons in the Sun.” And Terry Jacks — who was born on March 29, 1944 in Winnipeg, Manitoba — made some modifications.

Jacks then brought the song to The Beach Boys when he was producing one of their sessions.  But the band decided not to release their happy-sounding version. Perhaps they had agreed to record the song based on the fact the title “Seasons in the Sun” sounds so much like a Beach Boys title. Their decision not to release the song, though ended up being good for Jack. he then recorded his version, which became a big hit.

Legacy of “Seasons in the Sun”

Here is the point in the article where I admit that I owned the 45 record of “Seasons in the Sun.” But I do not think it ruined my taste in music.

Better men have survived an embrace of the charms of the song. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain loved the song, and it was the first 45 record he ever bought. It did not seem to hurt his taste in music.

As for Terry Jacks, he never had another big hit like “Seasons in the Sun.” He recorded a few songs that had some success in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. He went on to be a record producer and work as an environmentalist, and he is still alive. [2023 UPDATE:  In 2016, Jacks suffered through two strokes but survived.]

But apparently it has been a long time since Jacks recorded new music.  So “Seasons in the Sun” was largely his season in the sun as far as music success goes. But at least he had one big season.

So as we enter December and will soon welcome a new season later this month, we wish you a good winter. (Speaking of seasons, if you are seeking more depressing songs like “Seasons in the Sun,” check out this post on depressing holiday season songs. And remember, if you are not a fan of the upcoming season, one season always goes into another. And the holiday season is over in less than a month.)

What do you think of “Seasons in the Sun”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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