歌曲的内容大致描述一个罹患癌症、不久于人世的男子,在面临死亡的时候,对父亲、妻子以及挚友的依依难舍。Brel谱写这首歌曲,可说是有感而发,因为他当时发觉自己罹患了癌症。在跟病魔搏斗十多年之后,他于1978年十月九日病逝,享年四十九岁。
跟Brel私交相当不错的美国诗人歌手Rod McKuen,很早就把这首歌曲翻译成英文的「Seasons in the Sun」,并且在1964年由民歌界元老的Kingston Trio率先灌录成唱片,不过当时并没有造成太大的轰动。后来,跟Rod McKuen颇有交情的Terry Jacks把它重新灌录,在1974年的三月二日获得全美排行三周冠军,原本也没有在我国受到太多注意,直到几年之后,才因为柯达的广告而在台湾造成了疯狂的流行,只可惜主唱人Terry Jacks当时早就在歌坛消失了。这位男歌手留下来的歌曲并不多,不过这首歌却成了经典——尽管他的诠释老实说有点失真。
由于当时的唱片市场上,似乎以合唱团比较吃香,所以尽管只有他老婆一个人独唱,他们还是决定用The Poppy Family为名,并且在1970年以获得美国排行亚军的「Which Way You Goin' Billy」一曲成名。可惜的是,这对夫妻在1973年就宣告分手了。
离婚之后,Terry Jacks继续在歌坛奋斗。由于吉他弹得不错,他应邀为Beach Boys伴奏。有一次,在录音的时候,他建议Beach Boys灌录「Seasons in the Sun」这首歌。不过,录完之后,可能是由于效果不如理想,Beach Boys决定不发行。而极为喜爱这首歌的Terry则为了追悼一位意外过世的好友,决定自己来灌唱。
Seasons in the Sun / 阳光下的季节
Goodbye to you my trusted friend / 别了朋友,我的挚友
We've known each other since we were nine or ten /我们已相识很久,那时我们还是孩子
Together we've climbed hills and trees / 我们曾一起爬过无数山丘、树丛
Learned of love and ABC's / 一起学会了爱,还有许多等等
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees / 也曾一起伤过心,一起破过皮
Goodbye my friend it's hard to die / 别了,我的朋友,友情是不死的
When all the birds are singing in the sky / 到了鸟儿们一起飞到天空中歌唱的时候
Now that spring is in the air / 春天就弥漫在那空气中
Pretty girls are everywhere / 到处都会有可爱的女孩
Think of me and I'll be there / 想起我,我就会在那春天里
We had joy,we had fun,we had seasons in the sun / 我们曾欢喜,我们曾快乐,我们曾拥有那些阳光下的季节
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time / 但我们爬过的那些山,却早已经历了多少沧桑啊
Goodbye Papa,please pray for me / 别了,爸爸,请为我祈祷吧
I was the black sheep of the family / 我曾是家里的害群之马
You tried to teach me right from wrong / 你总是试图教我改邪归正
Too much wine and too much song /太多的酒,太多的歌
Wonder how I got along /真不知我是如何过来的
Goodbye papa,it's hard to die / 别了,爸爸,亲情是不死的
When all the birds are singing in the sky /到了鸟儿们一起飞到天空中歌唱的时候
Now that the spring is in the air /春天就弥漫在那空气中
Little children everywhere /到处都会有淘气的孩子
When you see them I'll be there / 当你看见他们时,我就会在那春天里
We had joy,we had fun,we had seasons in the sun / 我们曾欢喜,我们曾快乐,我们曾拥有那些阳光下的季节
But the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone / 但那酒与歌,就像那些季节,早已流逝而去啊
Goodbye Michelle my little one / 别了,米歇尔,我的小宝贝
You gave me love and helped me find the sun /你给了我爱,使我找到了阳光
And every time that I was down /每当我消沉的时候
You would always come around / 你总是会来到我身边
And get my feet back on the ground / 让我重新站起来
Goodbye Michelle it's hard to die / 别了,米歇尔,爱情是不死的
When all the birds are singing in the sky /到了鸟儿们一起飞到天空中歌唱的时候
Now that the spring is in the air / 春天就弥漫在那空气中
With the flowers everywhere / 到处都会有美丽的花儿
I wish that we could both be there / 我希望我们能一起徜徉在那春天里
We had joy,we had fun,we had seasons in the sun / 我们曾欢喜,我们曾快乐,我们曾拥有那些阳光下的季节
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time / 但我们爬过的那些山,却早已经历了多少沧桑啊