About the Song
“Seasons in the Sun” by Terry Jacks isn’t your typical pop song. Released in 1974, this melancholic ballad tells a story of loss and reflection, wrapped in a hauntingly beautiful melody that lingers long after the last note fades.
Inspired by a Legacy of Loss:
The song’s origins lie in tragedy. Jacks based it on “Le Moribond” (“The Dying Man”), a French song written by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. Brel’s song explored themes of mortality and regret, resonating deeply with Jacks, who then translated it into English and transformed it into the version we know today.
A Farewell from a Dying Man:
The lyrics paint a poignant picture. The narrator, a man facing his own mortality, reflects on his life and bids farewell to loved ones. Lines like “Now that the spring is in the air/Pretty girls are everywhere” create a bittersweet contrast between the beauty of life and the inevitability of death. He longs for simpler times, reminiscing about past joys with the refrain, “We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.”
A Message of Cherished Memories:
Despite the somber theme, the song isn’t an ode to despair. It’s a celebration of life’s precious moments and the enduring power of love. The narrator urges those he leaves behind, particularly “Michelle my little one,” to cherish the memories they’ve shared. “Goodbye Michelle it’s hard to die” is a line filled with tenderness, a final act of love and a plea to remember him with fondness.
A Timeless Classic:
“Seasons in the Sun” transcended its origins as a translated song. Jacks’s melancholic vocals and the song’s simple yet evocative melody resonated with listeners worldwide. The song topped charts in numerous countries and continues to be covered by artists across genres.
A Universal Message of Mortality:
While the song deals with death, its message is ultimately about life. It reminds us to cherish the moments we have, to embrace the beauty of the world around us, and to hold onto the people we love. “Seasons in the Sun” is a bittersweet reminder that life, like the seasons, is ever-changing, and the memories we create are what truly matter in the end.
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Lyrics: “Seasons In The Sun”
Goodbye to you my trusted friend
We’ve known each other since we were nine or ten
Together we’ve climbed hills and trees
Learned of love and ABCs
Skinned our hearts and skinned our kneesGoodbye my friend, 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
Think of me and I’ll be thereWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed
Were just seasons out of timeGoodbye 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 alongGoodbye 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
When you see them, I’ll be thereWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons, have all goneWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons, have all goneGoodbye 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 groundGoodbye 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 thereWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beachWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beachWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons, have all goneAll our lives we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed
Were just seasons out of timeWe had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun