I sang Brel's 'Next' while a callow youth at Pontardawe Folk Club - it must have been in 1974. Brel, a French-speaking Belgian, brought up in Brussels, resided in Paris for most of his life. I latched on to Brel via Scott Walker, who considered Brel to be a stunning writer and a true artist. I loved Mort Shumann's translations, but then I heard Brel on record - fantastique!