ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks

TL;DR

Terry Jacks had one hit because he genuinely didn't want fame — he bought a boat and retired.

Key Points

• 1."Seasons in the Sun" originated as a 1961 Belgian song by Jacques Brel called "Le Moribond," featuring a cheating wife and a verse telling her lover Antoine to go f*** himself — all removed by Terry Jacks.
• 2.The song was first attempted as a Beach Boys recording for the album Surf's Up, but was rejected — Mike Love called it "too wimpy," and Brian Wilson reportedly couldn't handle someone else being in charge.
• 3.Terry Jacks rewrote the lyrics after his friend Roger revealed he had 6 months to live; Roger died 4 months later, leaving behind a young daughter, which is why the song addresses a child.
• 4."Seasons in the Sun" sold over 12 million copies and became the 6th most popular recording in the world, despite being consistently ranked one of the worst songs ever made.
• 5.Kurt Cobain named it one of the only singles he cried to as a child, and music writers believe he was completely sincere — not doing a piss-take.
• 6.The B-side of the single, "Put the Bone In" — a literal song about asking a butcher to leave the bone in meat for a dog — featured Vancouver Canucks hockey players on backup vocals.
• 7.Terry Jacks starred in, produced, and apparently secretly wrote a 1986 Canadian TV movie where he played a famous rock star who gets a terminal illness, then gets involved in CIA spy intrigue and beats up jealous husbands.
• 8.Jacks deliberately avoided promotion, had an impersonator tour for 20 years in his place, moved to the woods, bought boats with royalties, found Jesus, and released a Christian album in his 80s.