[First published January 3, 2015] It's a 40 year old Canadian mega hit. How did they even know about this song? Well, it was re-recorded by an Irish boy band, Westlife, in 1999. It's very well known and popular in China.
This song was originally a Jacques Brel song. Hey, it's a completely different chanson in French, with a driving rhythm and Jacques Brel singing it. Who knew. Well, maybe you did. My students didn't know how old the song was, and they were surprised when I downloaded the Terry Jacks and Brel versions to show them.
Anyway, last week we held the semi-annual International Department song contest. My Business English class chose to perform this song and they were happy to place second with it.
This song was originally a Jacques Brel song. Hey, it's a completely different chanson in French, with a driving rhythm and Jacques Brel singing it. Who knew. Well, maybe you did. My students didn't know how old the song was, and they were surprised when I downloaded the Terry Jacks and Brel versions to show them.
Anyway, last week we held the semi-annual International Department song contest. My Business English class chose to perform this song and they were happy to place second with it.
| I'm so used to Terry Jack's whiny-voiced version, so this version with five boys giving their best smoldering stares into the camera strikes me as comical. And the gospel "yeah-ah-YEAH-ah" thrown in before the final verse doesn't fit the arrangement at all. Yeah, it would be fair to say I've never cared for the song, and I'm in good company, as the song always ends up on top ten lists of most hated songs. | |
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