Jacques Brel - Seasons in the sun ( Le moribond )

[sizzle75]

This is especially poignant, considering the lyrics of the song, about a sudden death.

Les chansons de Brel me plaisent bcp !

[sizzle75]

The English version was originally going to be performed by band from Teesside, England called "Rivers Invitation", but after recording it, the lead singer was killed in a car accident. So the record company decided to let Terry Jacks sing it.

This story is featured in a BBC documentary .

But i didn't really Brel sang the original, he was one of the greatest performers

[enjoythesilence29]

I really enjoyed this.

[ChihuahuaboyDH]

This is my first listen of "Le Moribond" in French. I'm used to the English translation by Terry Jacks as "Seasons In The Sun". Terry changed the song's last lyrics, & originally approached The Beach Boys to record it, which they did, but never released it. Terry decided to record "Seasons..." himself, which translated into a Billboard #1 single in March 1974. The Beach Boys' rendition is good, too.

Bravo & R.I.P., Jacques Brel.

[patrycjakarolina]

Here Peter Roguckiego Polish execution, lead singer of rock band Coma. The song sung at a concert devoted to works of Brel.

I can`t paste link. Search: Rogucki Pożegnanie :)

[armpits17]

one of the greatist songwriters

[aphugel]

One of the VERY rare occasions that a translated cover is better than the original. No, not the english one which is bloodless and sanitized, but the German version by Klaus Hoffmann got far more power and expression. Listen to it, even if you do not understand the words.

[phlogopit]

@aphugel

danke für den hinweis auf hoffmann, das kannte ich nicht, beeindruckend...

[Desiree50able]

just great.

[FerbCobain111]

I really like the version of Terry Jacks, it's a classic. But...the original, is the original...and I really love it :)

[stardistxv6]

ceux qui n'aiment pas cette chanson n'aime pas la vie

[AZTEKZACK]

@Buduzal yes it is! Belgian's into french lirycs song

[cannonj16]

i dont think i can yet appreciate this kind of music yet ... mabey in a few years , or months ... who knows

[deadrbug]

feels like i should have a glass of scotch in one hand while i listen to this song.

[jamierourketen]

@Razorcutparting thats what makes us great,and annoying! lol

[granniemir]

declaratory grotesque style! le mot juste!

[zackfair73195]

Eh, I prefer Terry Jack's and Nirvana's covers. But I can still respect this for what it is.

[bravo723]

this must be before the French became so Liberal or communistic... but what can I say when half the states here are so lost in there want for a life given to them by the government. as for the song It is majestic as it is written here.

[Domidenbrandweerman]

@bravo723 Brel is flemish but he is a great singer, but in flanders they dislike him because he sings in the french langauge

For me music is universal langauge

I'm proud to be flemisch but also to be a belgain

[fbdedmond]

@Domidenbrandweerman Which country does Flanders belong to?

[DariusBlue]

@fbdedmond Belgium. Jacques Brel considered himself a Franchphone Fleming. Currently there is a discussion about whether Belgium should be partitioned and Flanders and Wallonia (the Francophone region) become independent or accede to the Netherlands and France, respectively.

[Domidenbrandweerman]

@fbdedmond

Demi part (north side) of belguim.

But flanders now is a little diiferent with the old times when it was ruled by dukes.

than was it without antwerp and limburg.

but with a little piece of france and the netherlands.

[stonecrazy]

@Domidenbrandweerman : Brel was just a brusseleer! He was a frenchspeaker from Brussels.. Both parents were frenchspeaker even tho his father had flemish roots.. Why can't we just say that he's Belgian?

[MaximisedInsight]

In the days before the internet, I actually thought JB had covered 'Seasons in the Sun' - and thought his cover the best version of the song around. I should have known better. It sometimes annoys me - and not for nationalistic reasons - that a song only becomes 'real famous' if it's sung in English.

[MrSarobs]

Jacques Brel is alive and well....................and brilliant as always

[haxor758]

@MrSarobs He's dead...

[kcartesius]

Horrible travelling circus muzak. Fortunately, Terry Jacks made something decent out of it.

[robinbrum]

Beirut's version is fantastic. Terry Jack's version is not even a cover just an interpretation that is a cheesy, singalong kitsch seventies nightmare...it brings back happy memories of my childhood....God almighty it was covererd by Westlife!

[BWLGeorge]

I love Beirut's cover of this version. Beirut's song "My Family's Role in the World Revolution" was in the same key, so they added it on to the end and put them together as one song, and Zach Condon's drunken sounding vocal tones are delightful.

[cliffwalkinfool]

The Terry Jacks version is really the Rod McKuen version. Brel lets McKuen take credit for its authorship! McKuen's is so awful I had physical feelings of illness the first (and last) time I heard it!

I agree with Aussie and Buzz: Jacks's is a truly serious rendition AND it is a brilliant work of satire!! Terry Jacks, in this and other works, pulls off authentic emotion and subtle yet bitter satire in a single coup. Don't believe me? Get the original 45 and turn it over: "Put The Bone In"!?

[aussieman1234]

It's actually quite a satirical and sorrow song.

[BuzzLOLOL]

.. I much prefer the Terry Jacks version... Brel, Beach Boys, & Kingston Trio versions do nothing for me... happily whining about a wife cheating on you belongs buried in Country & Western music...

[Jyrki1964]

This was done 1961... Before the beatles and everything after that,

[InFernandoPo]

Darkly delicious, the bitter humour in this song is lost in all other variants, this poor song has suffered the same kind of injustice a work of art by Gaugin would suffer were it to be attacked by a monkey with a can of paint! The original will still be underneath all the rubbish but the monkey really messed it up.

[Mercedes240DEP]

If I would have paid attention in french class I may actually got the meaning of the dark humor your talking about. After hearing you describe it though.. I can see it... and dig it (to a certain point). BUT T.J. version Is still a fascinating version. The fact that the guy gave the song a new life and meaning should be celebrated.You all can go ahead and keep posting them negative comments. I know you all got that American version playing in a constant loop, in the background...

[trantrung1982]

J'aimerais bien cette chanson quand j'avais perdu presque d'espoirs dans mes illusions.

C'est bien une belle chanson.

[thedudefromthehood]

this is the original version.

[vie206]

I love Brel's voice and the original of this song - though I came to it via the dreadful Seasons in the Sun way back in the sixties.

How could McKuen mistranslate so badly - "too much wine"? How can you have too much wine ffs? He made it a moralistic whinge, so far from the spirit of the original it's laughable. I still find myself singing that version though - it's that bloody catchy tune.

[sunrisewizard]

I can see why this version was le mortibond.

[philipvanlidth]

@sunrisewizard Me, too, but I have to say that the original lyrics are much more multi-faceted in meaning and much less simplistic.  To be honest, I find his wish that one should laugh, dance and be happy like a loon, celebrating his life rather than mourning his death, much more moving than "We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun."

[philipchek]

@philipvanlidth

You are right. Brel's original lyrics were too much "provocations" against what was ( and what is ) politicaly correct - all previous English covers of Brel songs that you have heard should be forgotten, as they do not respect any tiny word of what he was talking about.

[gelluprik]

I love this version, I think there is more sadness in this version than in Seasons in the sun. Just hidden under irony which makes it so genuine

[RosebudVIE]

@gelluprik the origan you can´t say version

[fbdedmond]

@gelluprik Yup, this version contains more sadness, and reflect the reality of this song, but I think the performance, or the way to sing can be improved to make this song popular, and I think that's probably why SEASONS in the song got popular.

[cf1934]

I like this version, but I don't understand French. I like the Kingston Trio version too, but the Terry Jacks version is terrible!

[cmulwee001]

@cf1934

I Agree Terry Jacks can NOT sing at all!

[maoerable]

search " Moribond In The Sun" in youtube, and you will get a video about different versions of "Seasons in the Sun"

This song has a lot of versions. The first one is Jacques Brel. And then, we have the english versions, but the lyrics is of course not the same.

Thanks to Jacques Brel who has written "Le moribond" who has a long long life

[whatthehellpeople]

"Le Moribond" is NOT "Seasons in the Sun"! A straight translation will make that very clear.

[Miltonnewyork]

lol this version is so funny!!!!!!

[AmbiguousPianoforte]

hahahaha...ignore my incorrect spelling and grammar...it bugs me but I don't think it will ever change...UGH!!! ....muahahahahhahahahaha....

[AmbiguousPianoforte]

I think eveyone is getting too worked up over who did what when and how...who cares? Aren't the fact interesting enough? Why do you have to give your exhausting opinions about it?....Why is everything taken so seriously? ...sheesh...

Dudes, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the diversities of music.... XD

[Albinoafroman316]

I would probably like this better if I spoke Frence. But since I don't I like the Terry Jack version better. This is better then Nirvana version.

[VexMindedFreak]

The best version is definitely the one by Beirut.

[derws07011949]

Er.. before a war starts about French resistance during the Nazi occupation - I thought that Jacques Brel was Belgian! - Anyway one of the sadest things I remember seeing in Paris was the grave of a resistance member shot by the Nazis - he was a 9 year old boy!

[RitmoNo1]

@derws07011949 I didn't mean to get drawn into this but I was angered by @bloodgorged comments. The Nazis were dispicable affront to the human race and it doesn't surprise that scum did kill French children. I appreciate that dealing with such ruthless terror from the Nazi's must have been extremely difficult. My father was aboard HMS Capanula (Sword) at the D day landings. He told me that bodies were floating past his ship continuously. That is why I reacted. Apologies to most French.

[worldcoup]

this original version is typically poor. TJ took a piece of coal and transformed it into a diamond., and it doesn't matter purists say..it really doesn't

[cf1934]

@worldcoup Terry Jacks sounded like he was whining!

[MisseCC]

Jacques Brel... Juste incomparable... et dire qu'après ça, Terry Jacks et Nirvana essaient d'en faire une chanson déprimante... y en a vraiment qu'on rien compris à l'intérêt de cette chanson ! Jacques avait un peu d'humour, lui au moins ! Tssstssss

[haxor758]

@MisseCC mais ... son ok si les autres versions sont tristes, ils ne devraient pas être des copies flagrantes de cette chanson. si vous voulez voir une version qui vous fera paraître folle jusqu'à la version du boys band Westlife gay j'aime tous trois de ces versions le nirvana même Jacques et Terry.

[AZTEKZACK]

@MisseCC et alors? c'est bien par les mêmes textes d'essayer de faire passer une autre émotion, après je suis d'accord, ils n'y sont pas arrivé, mais faut tenter!

[bloodgorged]

I like this version much better than the jacks version.Most french songs about dying are sung as a defiant,grand,victorious,depar­ture.Unfortunately,the brits and americans turn them all into self piteous,squealing,snivelling shit!

[blairisking]

@bloodgorged not want to start a stupid you-tube war.....but name some british and american songs that ur talkin about!!! if u can that is

[RitmoNo1]

@bloodgorged That's ironic as most of the defiance and dying in the last two world wars was by USA and British young men and women on French soil saving your not so defiant and brave ASS! Weren't very victorious then were you.

[lejistar]

@RitmoNo1 and others: First, I'm afraid I would have to agree with Mr. Gorged on this--not that he necessarily meant to impugn ALL American or English language music. There is a tendency to simplify French lyrics. American audiences--or translator/lyricists--don't have a taste for mult-syllabic phrases, for one. Also, they tend to dumb it down and sanitize everything....Second, USA and Britain DID sacrifice much. But, MOST, no: by far the greatest sacrifice and defiance was by the Soviets.

[Mercedes240DEP]

@bloodgorged BECAUSE I DID IT MY WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[Iain1962]

@Mercedes240DEP

Almost. That was originally "comme d'habitude" by Claude Francois.

watch?v=bMoY5rNBjwk

[Mercedes240DEP]

@Iain1962 ....Franks lyrics are based off of Paul Anka though. Anyways the point of the post, was to show how an American adapted a previous song, into an awesome song (read bloods comment, which I was referring too)....

[Iain1962]

@Mercedes240DEP Yes well Paul Anka is Canadian so is Terry Jacks but whatever.

[FrostyWalrus85]

where can i download this

[jared1847823487]

The Terry Jacks version is far superior to all others. Sorry Jacques ... but thanks for the inspiration. This Jacques Brel version kinda sucks.

[redrum420yeaman]

@jared1847823487 Just because you don't speak French doesn't mean you have to spit in the face of a wonderful song, it's not the Jacques Brel VERSION, it is THE SONG, and all Terry Jacks did was Americanize it, so respect the source, don't be an ignorant asshole.

[trotwoodcopperfield]

@redrum420yeaman ... "ALL Terry Jacks did was Americanize it" ... isn't that enough to be condenmed for? isn't that a terrible thing to do to anything.

:_))

[kmanfitz]

@trotwoodcopperfield If I recall correctly, Scott Walker was an American, although he does now live in England. I don't think anybody here would argue that any of the Scott Walker versions of Brel songs are bad.

[whatthehellpeople]

@trotwoodcopperfield ALL he did? Jacks raped it into a schmaltz-lined grave. The only thing it has in common with the source material is that it's about a dying man saying goodbye.

[vintagechica82]

What's wrong with the Terry Jacks version? Both versions are great; it's just that Jack's version seems to be more soulful and more people can relate to it b/c it's more ambiguous, i.e. it's not strictly about suicide and infidelity.

[valkyrio]

@vintagechica82 it's because Terry Jack's has made the song full of romance and lacking the bitterness and resentment that were in the original - the Jacks version is way different.

Also, the Terry Jacks version is not ambiguous. There are no hints about infidelity or suicide, simply an impending death.

It's a bit like taking Romeo and Juliet and turning it into a comedy instead of a tragedy. Not that either of these artists compare to Shakespeare.

[bakismannen]

sadly enough i have only heard terry jacks and such b4. but this is the real deal :)

[robbiesyohn]

This is interesting. I am not much into French music. Too nasal. I cannot stand Edith Piaf's voice. Annoying. Most French Opera is too noisy. German Opera is too guttural, Russian Opera is horrible, but Italian is perfect. Italian is meant for Opera.

French is not pretty when sung. English is better. Sorry Francophones.

[MrSupermike68]

@robbiesyohn

wow, i can't believe you just said that! You must know nothing about music for saying such stupid comments like this. Just say it's your opinion, that's all, cause it is really your opinion. Poor anglo, living in his little world...too sad...Open your eyes and ears, french is better spoken, more romantic and way more beautiful than english. Open up to other cultures, you will grow in this....and stop making stupid comments like this.

[turnover7]

@robbiesyohn

French has more power +strength when sung.

Also just so you know singers of those days (Brel , Brassens, Piaf, etc) accentuated the pronunciation while singing, especially forcing the "r", which makes it sound harsher.

[stupidvideos21]

OH...MY...GOD. I just clicked the play button five seconds ago and I'm already starting to regret it.

[kkrryysttllee]

i think the beirut cover is pretty spectacular!

[blueberry19910]

How this song became real famous 13 years after? =d You definitely don't life in France or belgium

[DisChickDaBaddhest]

i cant even understand french and i still really liked this though.........and the sarcasm about his wife

[DisChickDaBaddhest]

well the first version i heard was terry jacks, so of course i like it best..........and no diss to nirvana but i didnt really like their version....and i happened to like how terry jacks changed the meaning

[AuntThebe]

The best part about it ... is that it's not translated. Getting translated for US pop should have been forbidden or did the French do it on purpose ... I can't think of anything we done so bad to the French that they would allow Terry Jacks to translate and record this for US radio. I remember hearing or reading that the dreadful Rod McKuen wrote these lyrics (american translation). Guess that was false.

[birron]

@AuntThebe Jacques Brel is Belgian, not French.

Totally different country! On top of that, he was from flemish origin (the flemish are the dutch speaking belgians in the north of the country and make up roughly 60% of the belgian population).

[AuntThebe]

@birron : sorry I don't speak either so it sounded French to me. :-)

[waldgeist8]

I used to love the English version, but the original is *much* better indeed. Much harder, much more sarcasm and much more power.

[MarcoMin16]

the english version lacks the fantastic sarcasm of the song that turns the text hillarious

[mitomarcomane]

great song. Very good is also the new italian editon of this song: Roberto Vecchioni, "le stagioni del sole"!

[innschbrucka]

much better than all english covers...!!!!

[sec101]

love this song, better than anything

[ItachiThe7th]

i wish i could hear the words but still amazeing this song is brillant

[DjMarMex]

I liked it so much.

[ERICinCOLOUR]

tres bien!

[ironosku]

Arto Sotavalta: Päivät kuin unta

[horsey05]

Translations would be much appreciated.

[vie206]

Thanks for sharing the brilliant Brel...

[1martuska]

Thirteen years later, this song would resurrect into a sensation when Terry Jacks sang it.

[cerisebleue23]

C'est la chanson qu'avait choisi mon grand pere pour son enterrement ...

[xShredx4xLifex]

WTF...

[DOHCtorDOHC]

Listen to the version by ''Me First and the Gimme Gimmes''

[cesime]

cette chanson pour Iona Popp-Bogdan

[GAZI1953]

Für Ute und Maria - in Liebe

[oszi2100]

Ez micsoda szar gyerekek!

[seahawkak]

i like terry jacks better but that probly cause i heard that one first......the orginal ist bad tho i like it

[Iain1962]

Interesting, Terry Jacks version is kind of sad, whereas this is an ironic parody about a cheating wife, TJ changed the entire meaning of the song.

[worldcoup]

@Iain1962

the french version is very average. TJ took a lump of coal and transformed it into a diamond. it doesnt matter what purists say, it really doesnt

[maellen1]

@Iain1962 i m french and i do really agree with you. terry jack s one is reduced to a soapy and sirup song! thing is i knew first,terry jack s one,isn it ironic? tell me if u know a the real version in english,mean if u know a band that made the real translation of it,thxs,maellen.

[guyrr1]

@Iain1962 Brel is caustic, this song is not his best in this style, "Les Flamands", goes much further ("Nazi during the wars and Catholics in-between " referring to the Church). People loved him or hated him. His private life was not that good. TJ made a nice romantic poem of it and most translations are romantic, one Italian translation " Stagioni nel Sole (Vecchioni)" has the cheating wife back but it is quite different and not as good as Brel in my biased opinion.

[BF2006falcon]

@Iain1962 Actually the words were translated and changed by Rod McKuen, with a small reference to the cheating wife with

Goodbye, my wife, I'm going to die,

It's hard to die in springtime, you know,

But I'm leaving for the flowers with my eyes closed, my wife,

Because I closed them so often,

I know you will take care of my soul.

("eyes closed" refers to closing his eyes to her infidelity, following on from the preceding verse in which he bids goodbye to his wife's lover Antoine).

[Rnewmanguy]

@Iain1962 this one is sad too it's just ironic as well. more multi-layered than tj's version. its superior

[chiisanawani]

@Iain1962 The song is very sad, probably much sadder than Terry Jack's version, but in a twisted way. It might be hard to feel if you're not used to French, but through the intonation you just know the dying man here desperately tries to show his best face to the world. And you'll notice that in his four apostrophes the wife always comes up, because she's the one who matters the most.

[MisterPenguinMusic]

@chiisanawani I was under the impression that each of these men he talks to were men his wife cheated with.

[svagrod]

@seahawkak Don't know why people always give a thumbs down for someones preference for a song. You even said you did like this version but just like the version of T.J.'S better Everyone has different taites in music whats the big deal.

[seahawkak]

im not giving it a thumbs down T.J.'s version is wat i first heard when i was a little kid i always enjoy listening to the orginal

[svagrod]

@seahawkak...Hey I was referring to the people giving you a thumbs down for your comment...Not you giving it a thumbs down...Take care

[seahawkak]

oh lol =P well i feel sheepish

[svagrod]

LOL NP. Take care...

[SpringbubblesM]

Moi, j'aime bien.

I really like that song, it's kind of sad, but still....

[097555827]

Version original despues la hizoTerry Jacks en 1974 y antes Jorge Duarte. Finalmente le partio la madre westlife. Terry

[syngar99]

i like terry jacks and you frogs can take your ego elsewhere.

is it possible to just compliment a song without insulting other versions?

its so pretentious

[BarryBagwell]

I have a new found appreciation of the Terry Jacks version after listening to this.

[eraguallo]

I second that :(

[esca7902]

pour alex

[07elguirre]

Muy buena calidad de reproducción. Gracias

[57TRANQUILLE]

J'veux qu'on rie

J'veux qu'on danse

J'veux qu'on s'amuse comme des fous

J'veux qu'on rie

J'veux qu'on danse

Quand c'est qu'on m'mettra dans l'trou

[sha4096]

Goodbye Emil, I loved you well

Goodbye Emil, I loved you well, you know

We sang that same wines

We sang the same ladies

We sang the same sorrows

Goodby Emil I'm going to die

It's hard to die during spring you know

But I go to flowers with peace in mind

As you are good like good bread

I know you'll take care of my wife

[sha4096]

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to amuse like fools

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to amuse like fools

When they'll put me in the hole.

[sha4096]

Goodbye my wife, I loved you well, Goodbye my wife, I loved you well, you know But I'm taking the train to God, I'm taking the train that is before yours, But we all take the train that we can, Goodbye my wife, I'm going to die, It's hard to die during spring, you know, But I go to flowers with closed eyes, my wife, As I have often closed mine, I know you'll take care of my soul, (...)

[PhoenixEmbers]

Awful that this video is loading that slow...

Well this is the originial version and I like the voice but not the crude instrumentation. In my ears the best version of this song is from a german singer, Klaus Hoffmann, who kept carefully a vowing closeliness to the original. All other versions (Seasons in the sun) are mainstreamly shallow, the Nirvana version is hellish crap.

[frenymai]

will someone please translate this song in english for me

[bartonim]

There is a live clip of Brel doing it with subtitles. Sorry, I don't have the link, but it's here. Scroll the related vids and you'll get it. Some kind soul has uploaded quite a few of Brel's performances with subtitles. The live clip of this with English appears to follow a Beach Boys version, oddly enough! Beautiful song either way!

[billsmemo]

he is such a dirty boy!

[KinkYBQY13]

totally agree with forloveffilm, from jacques brel to nirvana this song has been "raped"

[skieurfoux]

Alors que la version original est imcomparable !!!!!!!

VIVE JACQUE BREL!!!!!

[skieurfoux]

abusé mettre le titre de la reprise car elle a cartoné au stats.........

[Jadranas]

There's Jacques Brel and then ther is everybody else.

[forloveoffilm]

Only in French does this song have sincere, genuine passion and emotion. In English it is reduced to forced emotion. For me the weakest version is Nirvana followed closely by Terry Jacks. Kingston Trio, tried, but the languange/translation hurts this story.

[orion472]

@forloveoffilm  esta canción en francés se escucha muy feo, es mejor la versión en inglés

[precinctful]

@forloveoffilm Nirvana's version is just a mess around. In the real world, well adjusted, intelligent people find it possible to enjoy many versions of this song.

Quest for a bit of wholeness in your life.

[Nezzib]

@forloveoffilm I found Beirut's cover to be fantastic. They did it in french, however. I actually prefer it over this...

[DElasee]

@forloveoffilm

I kind of like Nirvana's version, besides it's not like they released their cover on an LP. I mean, Kurt Cobain ended up killing himself not too long afterwards...

[Robertgregormcgregor]

@DElasee Jesus thats a bit out of proportion! It can't have been THAT bad!

[DElasee]

@Robertgregormcgregor

lololol, not what I meant.

[annamariapiotrowicz2]

@Robertgregormcgregor its franch version of seasons in the sun english versions- who ever trys sing it have different meanings- beachboys sing it about michelle who cheat her boyfriend terry jacks version is about michelle who take her own life and he thinks about their past /love together west life version is about michelle who take her own life and her friends rembmer the good or bad times they shared together im not sure what the franch verison is about?

[bingalong]

@forloveoffilm exactly!

[JoeNoobie]

@forloveoffilm french fucking snob

[seanankerr]

@forloveoffilm Westlife?

[TheArksenal]

@forloveoffilm nirvana's version wasnt even a serious cover...it was like they were just doing something just for spending some time

[hunchbacked]

"Terry Jacks is so much better "

Terry Jacks is just a pale imitation; the original, Jacques Brel, is so much better.

[remofflan]

It's easier to embrace the English version of this song for those of us that doesn't speak French. Also, I disagree with the English (Terry Jacks) version lacking emotion.

[bomber1967]

Terry Jacks is so much better

[animaldan]

Nonsense... did he WRITE the song, too ..?

[srxsteve]

check wiki!!infor urself!!

[SirPhlip]

Jacques Brel wrote this song...

[verbumsv]

superbe...¡¡¡ brel