The song began as "" (The Dying Man), written in 1961 by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel . Brel’s original was a biting, sarcastic march about a man dying of a broken heart because his wife had been unfaithful with his best friend.
In 1963, American poet Rod McKuen translated the lyrics into English, creating a version first recorded by The Kingston Trio. Terry Jacks eventually heard this version and significantly reworked it to make it less macabre and more sentimental. Personal Inspiration and Rewriting Terry Jacks Seasons In The Sun Official Audio
Terry Jacks was inspired to record his own version after a close friend, Roger, was diagnosed with acute leukemia and passed away four months later. Jacks altered roughly one-sixth of the lyrics to shift the focus toward gratitude and peaceful acceptance. The song began as "" (The Dying Man),