Le Moribond

About

Jacques Brel's songs have spawned a whole host of covers, some good, some bad and some INCREDIBLE (see Scott Walker's 'My Death'). One cover I couldn't wrap my head around was 'Seasons In The Sun'. Firstly, I HATED the fucking song. The chorus seemed like the chanting of a 5 year old and it's made worse by the fact that the song is melodramatic pap about going to die. Seriously, 'we had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun'. I have nothing against boybands but that one song from Westlife made me RAAAGGE when I heard it. So... it's a Jacques Brel cover? You've got to be kidding me, right? Right?

It took Google for me to realise that the original song in question was Le Moribond. Which I really liked! That should give you an idea of how far apart the versions are. I honestly couldn't recognize Seasons In The Sun in that song. Apparently, the first offender was some guy called Terry Jacks back in sixties who translated what was at first a happy, fun track about wanting people to sing and dance at your funeral into what can only be described as the worst of the worst melodramatic pap. Cue 101 covers. By Nirvana, even.

Also, the original instrumentation and beat made the chorus melody much, much, MUCH less mind-numbingly simplistic.

It's really time to set the record straight about this song. Seasons In The Sun sucks, Le Moribond rules. You can watch a video of Le Moribond with english subtitles at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbhvoYYIdnQ and you can witness your own horror at what it has turned into by digging out the old Westlife CDs that I know you have somewhere, listening to them and burning them in a fit of rage. Thanks. Also, Terry Jacks if you're old enough.

This translation was done by Anne-Marie de Grazia and was originally found at http://www.grazian-archive.com/quiddity/brel/le_moribond.htm


Original

Adieu ,l’Emile, je t’aimais bien
adieu, l’Emile je t’aimais bien, tu sais!
on a chanté les mêmes vins,
on a chanté les mêmes filles,
on a chanté les mêmes chagrins!
Adieu, l’Emile, je vais mourir,
c’est dur de mourir au printemps, tu sais!
Mais je pars aux fleurs
la paix dans l’âme
car vu que t’es bon comme le pain blanc
je sais que tu prendras soin de ma femme!


Et je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
je veux qu’on s’amuse comme des fous!
Je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
quand c’est qu’on me mettra dans le trou!


Adieu, curé, je t’aimais bien,
adieu, curé, je t’aimais bien, tu sais!
On n’était pas du même bord,
on n’était pas du même chemin,
mais on cherchait le même port!
Adieu curé, je vais mourir,
c’est dur de mourir au printemps, tu sais!
mais je pars aux fleurs
la paix dans l’âme,
car vu que t’étais son confident,
je sais que tu prendras soin de ma femme!


Et je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
je veux qu’on s’amuse comme des fous!
Je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
quand c’est qu’on me mettra dans le trou!


Adieu, l’Antoine, je t’aimais pas bien,
adieu l’Antoine, je t’aimais pas bien, tu sais!
j’en crêve de crever aujourd’hui
alors que toi t’es bien vivant
et même plus solide que l’ennui.
Adieu l’Antoine, je vais mourir,
c’est dur de mourir au printemps, tu sais!
mais je pars aux fleurs
la paix dans l’âme
car vu que t’étais son amant
je sais que tu prendras soin de ma femme!


Et je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
je veux qu’on s’amuse comme des fous!
Je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse
quand c’est qu’on me mettra dans le trou!


Adieu ma femme, je t’aimais bien
adieu l’Emile je t’aimais bien, tu sais!
mais je prends le train pour le bon Dieu
je prends le train qui est avant le tien
mais on prend tous le train qu’on peut!
Adieu, ma femme, je vais mourir,
c’est dur de mourir au printemps, tu sais!
mais je pars aux fleurs
les yeux fermés, ma femme
car vu que je les ai fermés souvent,
je sais que tu prendras soin de mon âme!


Et je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
je veux qu’on s’amuse comme des fous!
Je veux qu’on rie,
je veux qu’on danse,
quand c’est qu’on me mettra dans le trou!

Translation

Goodbye, Emile, I liked you a lot,
goodbye Emile, I liked you a lot, you know!
We have sung to the same wines,
we have sung to the same girls,
we have sung to the same sorrows!
Goodbye, Emile, I’m gonna die
it’s hard to die in spring, you know!
But I’m going with the blossoms,
my soul at peace,
for, given that you are as true as bread,
I know that you’ll take care of my wife!


Then I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
I want you to have a hell of a time!
I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
when you put me in the hole!


Goodbye, priest, I liked you a lot
goodbye, priest, I liked you a lot, you know!
We were not from the same side,
we were not on the same path,
but we were looking for the same harbor!
Goodbye, priest, I’m gonna die,
it’s hard to die in spring, you know!
But I’m going with the blossoms,
my soul at peace,
for, given that you were her confidant,
I know that you’ll take care of my wife!


Then I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
I want you to have a hell of a time!
I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
when you put me in the hole!


Goodbye, Antoine, I didn’t like you much,
goodbye, Antoine, I didn’t like you much, you know!
And it kills me to die today
when you are well alive
and more enduring than boredom.
Goodbye, Antoine, I’m gonna die
it’s hard to die in spring, you know!
But I’m going with the blossoms,
my soul at peace,
for, given that you were her lover,
I know that you’ll take care of my wife!


Then I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
I want you to have a hell of a time!
I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
when you put me in the hole!


Goodbye, my wife, I liked you a lot,
goodbye, my wife, I liked you a lot, you know!
But I’m taking the train to the Good Lord,
I am taking the train that leaves before yours,
but we must all take the train we can get!
Goodbye, my wife, I’m gonna die,
it’s hard to die in spring, you know!
But I’m going with the blossoms
with my eyes closed, my wife,
for, given that I’ve kept them closed often,
I know that you’ll take care of my soul!


Then I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
I want you to have a hell of a time!
I want you to laugh,
I want you to dance,
when you put me in the hole!