Favourite songs from way back when.

Hi @Logan That version of 'Seasons In The Sun' was a very good one and a big hit for Terry Jacks in 1974.

It was written and recorded by the Belgian singer Jacques Brel in 1957 who almost always wrote sad songs. He was also a film star, playwright and director. Rod Mckuen translated it into English and had a hit with it in 1964 and the song has been covered by hundreds of well known singers.

There was a musical stage show, and then a film, made of Jaques Brel's songs call Jacques Brel Is Alive And Living In Paris. It was first performed in New York in 1968 and in London in 1995. It returned to London only six years ago.

Scott Walker recorded 'Jackie' (La Chanson De Jacky), also a song in the musical, as his first song.



Another of his songs in the show was 'Ne Me Quitte Pas', translated by Rod McKuen into 'If You Go Away' and was recorded and made a hit by dozens of singers ranging from Marlene Dietrich , through Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and right up to Madonna.

 

Rod McKeun wrote a lot of songs and a lot of poems.

Mary Travers sang one of his poem/songs and this one is an acquired taste



Some of you may recognise the tune in this Mary Travers song even if you don't know the song

It was the theme to the BBC TV 'Film...' series. Barry Norman hosted it from 1972 - 1998 and it was then hosted by 1999 - 2010, followed by Claudia Winkleman until 2016 and various other hosts until the end of 2018.



She made a good job of the song 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' - but not as good as Roberta Flack. It was written in 1957 by Ewan McColl for Peggy Seeger (his lover and later his wife - after his divorce). Peggy was half sister to the famous folk singer Pete Seeger.