Westlife Revives "Seasons in the Sun"

It is certainly the most played song in the airlanes these days. Given its hugely infectious hook, it is also the one that invariably invites sing-alongs. Ironically, this is despite the fact that the song is actually a very sad one about dying. And because a lot of the fans of Westlife were not yet aware of pop music or were not even born yet during that time when it was first recorded, there is also a great deal of amazement each time they find out that Seasons in the Sun is in fact, an old song.

Seasons in the Sun was a huge hit for Canadian artist Terry Jacks in 1974. It was originally a French song by Jacques Brel but was given English lyrics by the famous poet and composer Rod McKuen. It was nothing new for the duo who had previously collaborated on other works most notably the classic If You Go Away. Aside from his many big selling books of poetry, McKuen was also behind the songs from the films You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Me Natalie and others.

Jacks turned out to be one of the music industry's one hit wonders and was not heard from again after Seasons in the Sun. During these past 25 years, it was thought that his song would be the same until somebody came up with the idea of making the song, one of the token oldies in the debut album of the Irish pop group Westlife. Also titled Westlife, the collection is the sort that is filled with earfriendly love songs in the best boy band tradition and the group easily made it to the top with Swear It Again, If I Let You Go and Flying without Wings. But the one that is turning out to be bigger than the others is Seasons in the Sun.

The nostalgia-tripping Pinoy fans of Westlife will then be glad to know that the five man group will be in town for a concert where they will surely sing Seasons in the Sun. This will be held at the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas, the former Folk Arts Theater at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on the evening of Tuesday, May 9. Titled East Meets Westlife Asian Tour Manila 2000, the visit is part of the group's current tour of Asian cities, which also includes Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Taipei.

The goodlooking guys who make up Westlife are Shane Filan, who loves his car and horses, Nicky Byrne who used to play football and wears a lucky pair of socks whenever he performs, Mark Patrick Feehily who was a real troublemaker in school, Bryan Nicholas McFadden who is the chubby one, and Kian Egan, who plays several musical instruments.

Shane, Kian and Mark formed the group in Sligo, a town West of Dublin, hence the name Westlife. It was there while performing in a local TV show that they caught the attention of Boyzone manager Louis Walsh and were asked to open for the Dublin show of the Backstreet Boys. The gig was a success more so because Boyzone Ronan Keating expressed interest in co-managing the group. With that the trio also decided there should be five of them and brought in Nicky and Bryan.

So it will be five guys performing at the old FAT on May 9 with Mero, a new pop act from the United Kingdom and the upcoming young star Ana Fegi. The concert is sponsored by Totally Cool Skechers USA and No Fear USA with MTV Asia, Westin Philippine Plaza, BMG Records Pilipinas and radio stations dwLS 97.1, dwRX 93.1, dwKC 89.9, dwKY 91.5 and dwVM of Lucena City.

Tickets to the show are priced at P1000, P850, P650, P450 and P300 and are available at Ticketworld outlets located at all National Bookstores, Robinsons Department Stores at Robinsons Galleria and in Malate and the CCP box-office.

If your budget does not allow you any leeway to watch Westlife live, then go for the album. It can stand some edge but it is definitely one you can play over and over again without losing the nice, stable warmth generated by the music. Other cuts included are Fool Again, No No, I Don't Wanna Fight, Change the World, Moments, I Need You, Miss You, More Than Words, Open Your Heart, Try Again, What I Want is What I've Got, We are One and Can't Lose What You Never Had.