He rarely sang in English but Jacques Brel, one of the few Belgian performers to
make an international impact, ranks as one of the greatest songwriters of his
generation, responsible for a string of epic, graphic songs like If You Go Away,
Jackie and Seasons In The Sun, which earned his reputation as a master of the
chanson form. Growing up in the 1930s, Brel began playing guitar at 15, formed a
theatre group, began writing plays and performed in cabaret clubs in Brussels,
where his hard-hitting lyrics and highly emotive performances had a dramatic
impact. He made his first recor...