Seasons in The Sun - Other Versions

Other Versions

Apart from the versions noted above, there have been numerous cover versions of the song. Generally, these use the same translation as the Terry Jacks version, and thus inherit that version's less harsh interpretation of the song's storyline.

The Westlife version from their self-titled debut album Westlife has sold over 650 000 copies in UK so far.

Swedish dansband Vikingarna covered the song in Swedish in 1974, as "Sommar varje dag". The song has also been covered by Spell, The Beach Boys, The Fortunes, Bad Religion, Too Much Joy, the Squirrels, Black Box Recorder, Nirvana, Indochine, Karel Gott (Czech version), Klaus Hoffmann (in German), Pearls Before Swine, Alcazar, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Westlife, Second Run, Nana Mouskouri, Television Personalities, and Gob featuring blink-182.

In 1993, Nirvana recorded an informal version of the song which was never intended for release, but was eventually included on the DVD portion of their 2004 box-set With the Lights Out. Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, would often reference the song in interviews, mentioning the fact that it made him cry as a child.

Another cover version, by Bobby Wright (son of Johnnie Wright and Kitty Wells), reached the Top 40 of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in 1974.

The Manchester-based Coachmen's version was recorded at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in July 1966 and released on Columbia DB8057 in November 1966.

Spanish versions are entitled 'Epocas de Sol, Estaciones en el Sol, or Etapas de mi Vida.

There is a German version called Adieu Emile by Klaus Hoffmann published in 1975. The translated lyrics are very close to the French ones but the melody is slightly altered and the whole song has a 3/4 beat.

Italian singer/songwriter Roberto Vecchioni recorded an Italian version called "Stagioni nel sole" for his 2005 acoustic, jazz-influenced live album Il Contastorie. The title of his version is a literal translation of "Seasons in the Sun", but both the lyrics (rewritten by Vecchioni himself) and the musical structure of Vecchioni's version are much closer to Jacques Brel's original (including a vague allusion to the protagonist's wife being unfaithful) than to the Jacks/McKuen version. The accompaniment of this rendition, played on acoustic guitar, piano and double bass (with no drums) is march-like, similar to Brel's, and pointedly un-romantic.

The band Beirut has covered "Le Moribond" live on a number of occasions. A version performed for KEXP was recorded along with "My Family's Role in the World Revolution" for the third track on the Elephant Gun EP. Beirut performs a cover that is quite faithful to the original Jacques Brel version, maintaining the French lyrics and the marching up-beat tempo.

The Finnish schlager singer Arto Sotavalta have recorded a Finnish version of the song called Päivät kuin unta (Eng. Days like dreams). The Finnish translation is very similar to the English text.

The Vietnamese version, called "Những mùa nắng đẹp" was translated by musician Pham Duy. The translated lyrics are quite similar to the English ones. A number of overseas Vietnamese singers have covered this version.

Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio would later rank Jacks' version of the song at #63 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, stating that a new T-shirt slogan should be: "He had joy, he had fun, he had seasons in the sun, and all we got was this lousy song."

In the spring 1987 a parody version titled "Condos In The Sun" was recorded at the Appalachian State University college radio station (WASU). The song spoofed the Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker scandals that had become national news. The parody was picked up on several commercial radio station in the south.

Another spoof was recorded in 2006 by Dundee United fan under the alias 'Terry Jack'. This version mocks the possible demise of Dundee United's arch rivals, Dundee FC who were suffering severe financial difficulties at the time. This version contains swearing and adult themes.