Rod McKuen was wildly popular as a poet and songwriter in the sixties. Two of his more famous songs were translated from Jacques Brel, (“If You Go Away” and “Seasons In The Sun.”) He wrote an Academy Award-nominated song, “Jean” (from the film, “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” ) as well as “A Boy Named Charlie Brown.”
His singing voice was uncommon, raspy and quite rough-sounding, yet his albums sold extremely well in the era. However, those and the books he published did not have the lasting impression on the public as tastes changed.