Brel's widely heard complaint against militarism, regimentation, insensitivity and prostitution has long been known to the English speaking world through the 1968 translation of Mort Shuman and Eric Blau called Next. It was part of the highly acclaimed review Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and living in Paris and has been covered by Scott Walker, Marc Almond and Alex Harvey. It is one of Brel's most powerful, dramatic songs.

Correction: Mouzicheck writes from France that "Une armee en compagne" means an army on its way to war, not an army in the country.