He became one of the most popular dutch singers with songs like "Oh Amsterdam, wat ben je mooi", "Er is een Amsterdammer Doodgegaan" and "Diep in mijn Hart", some of them with the accordeonist Johnny Meijer.
His biggest hit was 'Kleine Jodeljongen' in 1987.
He also gets very popular singing Ajax soccer team songs, like a version of "Que sera" originally of Doris Day.
He died of cancer in 1993.
Kleine Jodeljongen
Manke Nelis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jij heb voor mij gezongen
En jou liedje was mij in gedachten
En de bergen met hun wond're nachten
Oh 't is alsof m'n oren
Zacht zilv'ren klokjes horen
Die jou jub'lend door het dal
De lente brengen overal
Liedje en het wondere melodietje
Uit het land der bergen bied je
Al die pracht van het heelal
Kleine jodeljongen waarom zing je niet
Zeg mij toch eens waarom jij het dal verliet
Lonken jou de lichten van de stad zo aan
Ben je daarom uit je dorp gegaan
Oh kleine jodeljongen
Jij heb voor mij gezongen
En jou liedje was mij in gedachten
En de bergen met hun wond're nachten
Oh 't is alsof m'n oren
Zacht zilv'ren klokjes horen
Die jou jub'lend door het dal
De lente brengen overal
Liedje en het wondere melodietje
Uit het land der bergen bied je
Al die pracht van het heelal
Oh 't is alsof m'n oren
Zacht zilv'ren klokjes horen
Die jou jub'lend door het dal
De lente brengen overal
Liedje en het wondere melodietje
Uit het land der bergen bied je
Al die pracht van het heelal
Oh kleine jodeljongen
Jij heb voor mij gezongen
En jou liedje was mij in gedachten
En de bergen met hun wond're nachten
Oh 't is alsof m'n oren
Zacht zilv'ren klokjes horen
Die jou jub'lend door het dal
De lente brengen overal
Liedje en het wondere melodietje
Uit het land der bergen bied je
Al die pracht van het heelal
The song "Kleine Jodeljongen" by Manke Nelis is about a young boy who sings a beautiful jodeling melody in the mountains. The singer of the song is deeply touched by the boy's song, which he keeps hearing in his head. The mountains and the boy's music seem to bring the very essence of spring to the singer, even though he may be far away from the mountains. The singer asks the boy why he left the mountains and wonders if the city lights might have been too alluring for the boy.
The lyrics of the song display a sense of longing for something that may be out of reach, a longing for an innocent and pure way of life that seems to exist only in the mountains. The song celebrates the beauty of nature and the simple joy found in hearing a young boy's melody. The jodeling style is a genre of Swiss folk singing done to audio effects. It's popular in Switzerland and Austria.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh kleine jodeljongen
The singer addresses a young man who sings with yodeling and praises his talent.
Jij heb voor mij gezongen
The singer heard the young man's song and is grateful to have experienced it.
En jou liedje was mij in gedachten
The singer recalls the melody of the young man's song in their thoughts.
En de bergen met hun wond're nachten
The singer remembers the beautiful and magical nights of the mountains where the young man comes from.
Oh 't is alsof m'n oren
The singer expresses the way they feel as if their ears are hearing something very special and beautiful.
Zacht zilv'ren klokjes horen
The singer describes the sound of the yodeling as soft and silver like bells ringing.
Die jou jub'lend door het dal
The singer imagines the sound echoing and reverberating throughout the valley.
De lente brengen overal
The singer feels that the young man's song brings new life and hope to the world by representing the spring season.
Liedje en het wondere melodietje
The singer praises the young man's song and its magical melody.
Uit het land der bergen bied je
The singer appreciates that the young man has come from the beautiful mountains to share his music.
Al die pracht van het heelal
The singer sees the beauty of the entire universe reflected in the young man's song.
Kleine jodeljongen waarom zing je niet
The singer is curious why the young man is not singing at the moment.
Zeg mij toch eens waarom jij het dal verliet
The singer wonders why the young man left his home in the valley and came to the city.
Lonken jou de lichten van de stad zo aan
The singer speculates that the young man was attracted to the bright lights and excitement of the city.
Ben je daarom uit je dorp gegaan
The singer asks if that was the reason why the young man left his village and ventured into the city.
Contributed by Caden O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.