Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)

Subject: seasons in the sun words????
From: bob
Date: 11 Oct 98 - 11:01 AM

anyone know where to fid the words for "Seasons in the sun"?

Subject: RE: seasons in the sun words????
From: Wolfgang
Date: 11 Oct 98 - 11:06 AM

go to The International Lyrics Server and you'll find it.

Subject: RE: seasons in the sun words????
From: alison
Date: 12 Oct 98 - 06:20 AM

hi,

We mentioned it here in a thread (click here) within the last few months..... so if anyone knows how to find it......

slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: SEASONS IN THE SUN (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: Cecilia
Date: 19 Oct 98 - 09:00 PM

Rod McKuen wrote Seasons in the Sun, Jacques Brel wrote the music. The lyrics in the link above are the watered down version that Terry Jacks did for popular release. I remember reading that McKuen hated it (and may not have even authorized the changed lyrics) but the info wasn't on any of my albums and it was years ago, so I can't be sure. The original lyrics are as follows:

SEASONS IN THE SUN
Rod McKuen, Jacques Brel

Adieu, Emile, my trusted friend
We've known each other since we were nine or ten
Together we climbed hills and trees
Learned of love and ABC's
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees
Adieu, Emile, it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
Pretty girls are everywhere
Wish for me and I'll be there
We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons have all gone

Adieu, Papa, please pray for me
I was the black sheep of the family
You tried to teach me right from wrong
Too much wine and too much song
Wonder how I got along
Adieu, Papa, it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
Little children everywhere
Think of me and I'll be there
We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the song and the rhyme
Were just seasons out of time

Goodbye, Françoise, my faithful wife
Without you I'd have had a lonely life
You cheated lots of time but then
I forgave you in the end
For your lover was my friend
Goodbye, Françoise, it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
With your lovers everywhere
Just be careful, I'll be there
We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beach

We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons have all gone
All our lives we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beach

The two versions are similar, except for the final verse. (You probably can tell that I prefer McKuen's.) Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: seasons in the sun words????
From: Wolfgang
Date: 22 Oct 98 - 10:22 AM

Cecilia, thanks for posting this. I never liked the watered down lyrics (nor the watered down music) of the better known version.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 16 May 10 - 02:29 AM

I have a version by Pearls Before Swine (Tom Rapp) which is quite good. But he adds a verse I hadn't heard before that starts:

Adieu my Priest, please pray for me
Though we were divided by a giant sea
Each man must chart a different course
But in the end........(forgotten the rest)

Does anybody know where that verse may have come from?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 11:20 AM

I believe these are the lyrics for the added verse by Tom Rapp.

Adieu my Priest please pray for me
Though we were divided by a giant sea
Each man must chart a different course
but in the end of course,
we all meet in the same port.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: John Foxen
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 12:56 PM

It's a reasonable translation (I don't know who did it) of the second verse of Brel's song.
The Adieu Papa verse is pure McKuen.
He also omits the verse dedicated to the wife's lover:
I've never liked the translation with its happy clappy Seasons in the Sun chorus which misses Brel's caustic side.
A possible new chorus might be:
Let them laugh
Let them sing
Let them all dance round and round
Let them dance
Let them sing
As they plant me in the ground.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: GUEST,Jon Harvison
Date: 22 Aug 11 - 07:30 PM

Brel wrote Le Moribond the tune is trad Flemish Funeral tune. McKuen did a very bad translation around 1964. The first UK version was the Coachmen on EMI in 1965 or 66. Brel once said on French TV,"the royalties are nice, but not my song"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Aug 11 - 07:43 PM

This song definitely belongs in a "worst songs ever" collection. Not knowing french, I blame McKuen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 22 Aug 11 - 09:03 PM

I think that anybody who puts it in a "worst songs ever" collection has obviously been tainted by that dreadful version by Terry Jacks who changed the whole meaning.

No problem accepting the controversy over the Rod McKuen translation.   

I've seen other English translations and they are different.

But I do think that the McKuen translation has a delightful "edge" to it.   (unlike the Terry Jacks abomination).

And the Tom Rapp verse----I think it's great!   Don't know where he got it from.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Aug 11 - 10:31 PM

Yes, Larry, I guess I was unfortunate only to hear the Terry Jacks version. Until today, I never knew it was originally a Jacques Brel chanson.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seasons in the Sun (R McKuen, J Brel)
From: goatfell
Date: 23 Aug 11 - 12:37 PM

i like the english version