Which 1974 song made Canadian singer Terry Jacks a one-hit wonder with a melancholy farewell theme?

Terry Jacks’s 1974 recording of “Seasons in the Sun” made the Canadian singer a one-hit wonder.

The song was adapted from “Le Moribond,” written by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel and later translated into English by Rod McKuen. Jacks produced his version after an earlier recording with Susan Jacks, his former wife and musical partner, was not released as planned. His solo version used a polished pop arrangement around lyrics about saying farewell.

The single became a major international success in early 1974. It reached number one in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and it sold millions of copies worldwide. Its emotional subject matter helped distinguish it from many contemporary radio singles.

Listeners sometimes attribute the recording to the Kingston Trio or Westlife because both acts also recorded versions. Terry Jacks’s version, however, is the recording associated with the 1974 one-hit-wonder phenomenon.