Smit was discovered by Dutch middle of the road band BZN, who used his vocals in a duet called Mama. He has released several albums in Dutch and German since.
Jan dedicated the song Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen (means: I Sing this song just for you) to his grandmother. In 1997, Smit toured South Africa with popular Afrikaans singer Nádine. In 2000, Smit won the Grand Prix der Volksmusik singing Ich zeig dir die Berge with Oswald Sattler for South Tyrol. In 2001 Smit won the Exportprijs for his success in Germany, France and Italy. In Germany he became one of the best selling Dutch artists ever, with German-language albums specifically aimed at the German market.
After three big hits in the late 90's, Jan's popularity began to wane gradually. His albums Jan Smit 2000 #32 (2000), Zing en Lach (Sing and Laugh) #33 (2001), Zonder Jou (Without You) #40 and Op Eigen Benen (On My Own Feet) #45 sold fewer copies than his first two albums from his child star era.
However, Jan was still very popular in Germany, where he spent most of his time touring. 2005 marked his comeback in his home country, when regional television host Willie Oosterhuis picked up a Jan Smit song recorded in 2003, 'Als de nacht verdwijnt' ('When the night is over'). Willie heavily plugged the song on his show, resulting in a medium sized hit.
During the same period Dutch broadcaster TROS wanted to produce a real life soap about Jan, with the focus on his life as a teenage star in Germany and The Netherlands, and on his private life in the picturesque seaside village of Volendam. The reality soap became a TV hit and an accompanying album, 'Vrienden voor het leven' ('Homies for life') brought Jan back at the top of the charts for the first time in a few years. It was written for his cousin Niek Smit(s), who lives in Maastricht.
In 2006 Smit had several big selling hit singles, such as 'Laura' (about a friend who died of cancer), 'Als de morgen is gekomen' ('When the morning has come') and 'Cupido' (Cupid). Jan usually includes special tracks on his CD singles, such as live recordings, previously unreleased tracks and CD-ROM-content, which makes his singles more interesting for his hardcore fanbase. In 2007 he topped the single charts again with "Op Weg Naar Geluk" (On The Road To Happiness) and with "Dan Volg Je Haar Benen" ('And then you check out her legs'), and the album charts also with the album "Op Weg Naar Geluk" (the album sold 160.000 copies in its first four days after being released, more than double platinum).
In 2006 he also recorded "Kerst voor Iedereen" (Christmas for Everyone) which was a Christmas-duet with Dutch tv-host Bridget Maasland as a part of Dutch tv-show Katja vs Bridget. He later on recorded this song with his younger sister Monique Smit, who recently also started a singing career
In 2007 he planned to tour the Netherlands again with the "Jan Smit Komt Naar Je Toe"-tour (Jan Smit Comes To You) but due to problems with his vocal cords this tour had to be postponed. For at least 6 months Jan Smit has to rest his voice.
'Dan volg je haar benen' was Jan's fifth Number One single in The Netherlands, making him one of the most successful soloists in Dutch chart history. Only George Michael and Dutch singer Marco Borsato had more Number Ones.
Ik Zing Dit Lied Voor Jou Alleen
Jan Smit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dat zij op weg ging heel alleen
Voor haar allerlaatste reis
Naar 'n heel mooi paradijs
Ze zei toen lieve jongen
Als ik daar aan kom,
zing jij dan nog jouw lied voor mij
Want dan voel ik mij niet zo alleen
Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen
Breng witte rozen voor jou mee
Oh lieve oma, waar 'k van hou
't Is hier zo eenzaam zonder jou
Ik zing dit lied voor jou steeds weer
En droog m'n tranen keer op keer
Oh lieve oma, 'k hou van jou
Van jou,van jou
Bij oma thuis logeren met al m'n vriendjes
Wat was dat toch 'n mooie tijd
We speelden scrabble en Yahtzee
En altijd deed m'n oma mee
En we zongen samen, de mooiste liedjes
Die oma kende van weleer
Maar haar mooie stem klinkt nu niet meer
Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen
Breng witte rozen voor jou mee
Oh lieve oma, waar 'k van hou
't Is hier zo eenzaam zonder jou
Ik zing dit lied voor jou steeds weer
En droog m'n tranen keer op keer
Oh lieve oma,
'k hou van jou
Van jou, van jou
Van jou, van jou
Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen, by Jan Smit is a touching song about the love between a grandmother and her grandson. The song begins with the grandson's grandmother informing him that she is going on her final journey alone and that he should still sing his song to her when she gets there. The grandson then sings the song for his grandmother alone, bringing white roses as a symbol of love. The lyrics describe the loneliness he feels without his grandmother and how he continuously sings the song to remember her.
The second verse talks about the sweet memories the grandson has of his grandmother. He would stay with her and play games like Scrabble and Yahtzee, with his grandmother joining in the fun. They would also sing songs together that his grandmother knew from her earlier days. The lack of his grandmother's voice now makes him miss her even more.
The song is a touching tribute to a loved one who has passed away. It showcases the deep love and bond shared between a grandmother and her grandson, a relationship that remains even after she has gone to a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
Op 'n dag vertelde, mijn lieve oma,
One day, my dear grandmother told me,
dat zij op weg ging heel alleen
that she was going on her final journey all alone
Voor haar allerlaatste reis
For her final trip
Naar 'n heel mooi paradijs
To a beautiful paradise
Ze zei toen lieve jongen
She then said, dear boy,
Als ik daar aan kom,
When I get there,
zing jij dan nog jouw lied voor mij
will you still sing your song for me?
Want dan voel ik mij niet zo alleen
Because then I won't feel so alone
Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen
I sing this song for you alone
Breng witte rozen voor jou mee
I bring white roses for you
Oh lieve oma, waar 'k van hou
Oh dear grandmother, who I love
't Is hier zo eenzaam zonder jou
It's so lonely here without you
Ik zing dit lied voor jou steeds weer
I sing this song for you again and again
En droog m'n tranen keer op keer
And I wipe my tears time and time again
Oh lieve oma, 'k hou van jou
Oh dear grandmother, I love you
Van jou,van jou
From you, from you
Bij oma thuis logeren met al m'n vriendjes
Staying at grandma's with all my friends
Wat was dat toch 'n mooie tijd
What a beautiful time that was
We speelden scrabble en Yahtzee
We played Scrabble and Yahtzee
En altijd deed m'n oma mee
And my grandma always joined in
En we zongen samen, de mooiste liedjes
And we sang together, the most beautiful songs
Die oma kende van weleer
Songs that grandma knew from long ago
Maar haar mooie stem klinkt nu niet meer
But her beautiful voice doesn't sound anymore
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.