Seasons in The Sun - Version Comparison

Version Comparison

This is an English translation of the original final verse by Jacques Brel:

Good-bye, my wife, I loved you well

Good-bye, my wife, I loved you well, you know,

But I'm taking the train for the Good Lord,

I'm taking the train before yours

But you take whatever train you can;

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).

The Kingston Trio's 1963 recording was the first cover of McKuen's English-language version. The last verse in McKuen's three verse freehand rendering retains Brel's reference to the wife's infidelity but with a different sensibility:

Adieu, Francoise, my trusted wife;

Without you I'd have had a lonely life.

You cheated lots of times but then,

I forgave you in the end

Though your lover was my friend.

Adieu, Francoise, it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky.

Now that spring is in the air

With your lovers ev'rywhere,

Just be careful; I'll be there.

Terry Jacks' lyrics omit the original third and fourth verses and adds this verse, which could refer to either a daughter or a young girlfriend:

Goodbye, Michelle, my little one;

You gave me love and helped me find the sun,

And every time that I was down

You would always come around

And get my feet back on the ground.

Goodbye, Michelle, it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky;

Now that the spring is in the air,

With the flowers everywhere,

I wish that we could both be there!