In the United States, the song's popularity grew through its appearance (as "Jackie") in the score of the off-Broadway revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, which opened on 22 January 1968.

The accompaniment for "The Plague" was directed by Peter Knight in an atypical arrangement that featured guitar and female backing singers.

[6] In May 1986, Momus released his version of the song, retitled as "Nicky" after the singer's first name, as the title track of a three-song EP of Brel covers.

[7] In 1991, Marc Almond recorded a cover version of Brel's song for his album Tenement Symphony, and released it as a single.

It also marks the first recorded collaboration of original Mr. Bungle founders Mike Patton and Trey Spruance since the band dissolved in 2004.