Belgium is a cultural crossroads where Flemish Dutch-speaking and Walloon French-speaking inhabitants mix with German minorities and immigrant communities from Republic of the Congo and other distant countries.
Classical music
During the centuries Belgium produced several notable names in the field of classical music. In the 15th and 16th century composers like Guillaume Dufay, Orlando di Lasso, Josquin des Prez reached European acclaim. Read Full BioBelgian music is music made by artists from Belgium.
Belgium is a cultural crossroads where Flemish Dutch-speaking and Walloon French-speaking inhabitants mix with German minorities and immigrant communities from Republic of the Congo and other distant countries.
Classical music
During the centuries Belgium produced several notable names in the field of classical music. In the 15th and 16th century composers like Guillaume Dufay, Orlando di Lasso, Josquin des Prez reached European acclaim. André Ernest Modeste Grétry was the most famous composer- born in what is now called Belgium- of the 18th century. The 19th century supplied composers like Henri Vieuxtemps, César Franck, Guillaume Lekeu and Eugène Ysaÿe. The famous German composer Ludwig van Beethoven was of Flemish descent and his grandfather (who was born in Mechelen). At the end of the 20th century the most notable Belgian composer was Wim Mertens.
In the field of opera, baritons Jules Bastin and José van Dam have become the most famous and internationally successful Belgian opera singers. In the lighter classical genre Flemish singer Helmut Lotti reached huge international success with his interpretations of popular opera songs for large audiences.
Blues and Jazz
One of the most famous jazz instruments, the saxophone, was invented by a Belgian: Adolphe Sax.
Some known Belgian blues artists are Elmore D (who sings in English and Walloon dialect), the Flemish Roland van Campenhout (also known as Roland) and the Brussels band Tomahawk Blues Band.
In the 1930s, the Belgian gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt became one of the first important jazz musicians to be born in Europe, and one of the most important jazz guitarists of all time. In 1949 Toots Thielemans joined a jam session in Paris with Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach and others. He moved to the US in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. Toots Thielemans is often credited by jazz aficionados and jazz critics of being the greatest jazz mouth hamonica player of the century. His music has been used in films like Midnight Cowboy and Turkish Delight, and television series such as Sesame Street and Baantjer. Other wellknown Belgian artists are Aka Moon, Bobby Jaspar, Bert Joris, Philip Catherine, Steve Houben, Octurn and René Thomas
Folk and other traditional music
Bobbejaan Schoepen has been a pioneer in Belgian vaudeville and popmusic since the late 1940s. Not only was he the first Belgian singer to manage an international breakthrough, he was also the first to use modern equipment, a personal tourbus and a system of artist sponsoring. He also introduced the first country & western recordings in the Low Countries and Germany. In the 1950s Bobbejaan Schoepen recorded his own absolutely crazy folk music often singing in the dialect of his native Brussels. He is also a virtuoso whistler.
During the 1950s and following decades the most popular, enduring, commercial and critical successful Flemish singer was Will Tura, whose most well known hit in Flanders is "Ik ben zo eenzaam zonder jou" (1963) ("I'm so lonely without you").
The most popular and enduring artists in Flanders and the Netherlands who sing in either their Flemish dialect or standard Dutch are Eddy Wally, Raymond van het Groenewoud, De Kreuners, Clouseau, Gorki (band), Noordkaap and de Fixkes.
Walloon folk music has not had as vibrant a revival as Flemish, but artists like Coïncidence, Remy Dubois, Luc Pilartz, Rue du Village and Claude Flagel have kept the folk traditions alive.
Chanson
The greatest Belgian chansonnier was Jacques Brel, whose classic songs have been covered by several international artists such as David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, Scott Walker and Terry Jacks. Others like Salvatore Adamo, Pierre Rapsat, Arno, Maurane, Axelle Red and Lara Fabian have also enjoyed some success in other French-speaking countries.
Pop, Rock and indie rock
In 1959 the Belgian singer of Italian descent Rocco Granata scored a big European hit with "Marina". The singing nun Soeur Sourire had an international number one hit in 1963 with Dominique (song). When folk and hippie culture finally hit a chord around the world the groups The Pebbles ("Seven Horses in the Sky", "I Get Around") and The Wallace Collection ("Daydream") have considerable success in other countries. Due to a lack of real professional management these few pop groups fail to build out a durable international career, a trend which continues during the 1970s when the most successful artists sing in their native tongue. The only real new international successful artist is Plastic Bertrand. (See "Punk" below).
Real international success for Belgian acts begins in 1980 with the rock group TC Matic They are quite popular in the rest of Europe with numbers like "Oh la la la" and "Putain Putain". Lead singer Arno later started his own successful solo career. Many groups and artists have considerable success in other countries, but they usually don't reach much further than West Europe. Notable exceptions are Maurane, Jo Lemaire, Soulsister ("The Way To Your Heart", 1987) and Vaya Con Dios ("Puerto Rico", 1988).
In the early 1990s many alternative rock bands finally start to achieve larger international acclaim and success. In Antwerp, a lively indie rock scene sprouts where dEUS is probably the most famous, next to other people and groups like Zita Swoon (formerly Moondog Jr), Evil Superstars, Kiss My Jazz, Dead Man Ray, K's Choice ("I'm not an addict") and Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung. In the noise genre Antwerp houses the pioneer band Club Moral. Ghent also has a booming indie scene: Absynthe Minded, Das Pop, Millionaire, Zornik, Admiral Freebee, Awaken and the successful Soulwax bring indierock with a slightly rougher edge than their Antwerp fellows, while The Vogues (Brussels) have a British-influenced sound. Other popular artists are Kate Ryan and Gabriel Rios.
Punk
The most wellknown Belgian punk bands are Chainsaw, The Kids (Belgian band) ("Fascist Cops", "There will be no Next Time"), Janez Detd, Funeral Dress and Plastic Bertrand who had a worldwide hit with "Ça Plane Pour Moi" (1978).
Trip-Hop
Hooverphonic a famous Belgian trip-hop band, who scored hits with "Mad About You" and "Vinegar and Salt").
Electronic Music
The earliest Belgian electronica act was Telex ("Moskow Diskow", "Eurovision"). Frontman Marc Moulin later moved on to pursue a solo career.
At the end of the 1980s Belgium started to play a very important role in the development of house music. A new genre, newbeat was created and scored international hits with acts like The Confettis ("The Sound of C." (1988)), Front 242. The group Technotronic has a massive international hit with Pump Up The Jam.
In the 1990s acts, like the partially Dutch-Belgian 2 Unlimited ("No Limit") and the Flemish Lords of Acid and Praga Khan, were internationally successful. Other internationally renowned Belgian dance acts are 2 Many Dj's (a spin-off from the group Soulwax), Sylver, Milk Inc., Vive La Fête,...
African music
Since the early 1980s, African musicians have played an important part on the Belgian scene, especially those from the former Belgian colony of Congo. Congolese-Belgian Princesse Mansia M'Bila, Rwandan-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa and Dieudonné Kabongo led this wave that soon incorporated Argentinean tango music, Moroccan oud and other music from around the world. The 1990s saw the emergence of Zap Mama, a group of Congolese-Belgian women who played a fusion of Pygmy and other African music with European influences.
Eyes Wide Open
Gotye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
With our eyes wide open, we
So this is the end of the story,
Everything we had, everything we did,
Is buried in dust,
And this dust is all that's left of us.
But only a few ever worried.
Well the signs were clear, they had no idea.
You just get used to living in fear,
Or give up when you can't even picture your future.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we)
Yeah, we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open.)
Some people offered up answers.
We made out like we heard, they were only words.
They didn't add up to a change in the way we were living,
And the saddest thing is all of it could have been avoided.
But it was like to stop consuming is to stop being human,
You'll want to make a change if you won't.
We're all in the same boat, staying afloat for the moment.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open.)
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open,
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open,
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
That was the end of the story.
The song "Eyes Wide Open" by Gotye serves as a commentary on society's tendency towards complacency and inaction in the face of looming crises, be it societal or environmental. According to the lyrics, we are all walking the plank with our eyes wide open, which means that we are all aware of the problems surrounding us yet we continue to ignore them while going through the motions of everyday life.
The song suggests that many of us have resigned ourselves to accepting the status quo, even though we know deep down that significant changes must be made. The "dust" referred to in the lyrics represents the detritus of our lives and our failure to take the necessary steps to improve the world for future generations. We continue to consume without thinking about the consequences, and as a result, the problems continue to pile up.
Gotye also points out that there have been people who have tried to offer solutions, but their words often fall on deaf ears. The song mourns the fact that we have become so accustomed to living in fear and uncertainty that we are unable to envision a better future. The last line of the song, "That was the end of the story," suggests that it may be too late to make a significant difference, and that we may all be fated to walk the plank with our eyes wide open.
Line by Line Meaning
With our eyes wide open, we
We were fully aware of everything that was happening.
So this is the end of the story,
We have reached the end of our journey or experience.
Everything we had, everything we did,
All the things we had, the experiences we went through.
Is buried in dust,
It is over and forgotten.
And this dust is all that's left of us.
Only memories remain of what happened.
But only a few ever worried.
Not everyone was concerned about the outcome.
Well the signs were clear, they had no idea.
There were clear indications of what was going to happen, but some people didn't realize.
You just get used to living in fear,
Living with anxiety becomes a normal part of life.
Or give up when you can't even picture your future.
When you can't imagine a positive future, it's easy to give up.
Some people offered up answers.
Others suggested solutions.
We made out like we heard, they were only words.
We pretended to listen, but their words had no effect on us.
They didn't add up to a change in the way we were living,
Their words didn't make us change our behavior or lifestyle.
And the saddest thing is all of it could have been avoided.
It was all preventable and it's regrettable that it wasn't prevented.
But it was like to stop consuming is to stop being human,
We feel that we have to keep consuming to remain human.
You'll want to make a change if you won't.
If you don't change, you'll eventually be forced to.
We're all in the same boat, staying afloat for the moment.
We're all experiencing the same thing and just trying to survive for now.
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
We are making a conscious decision to risk everything.
That was the end of the story.
That was how it all ended.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Walter Andre De Backer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Allison Ghost
"Eyes Wide Open"
[Hook]
With our eyes wide open, we...
With our eyes wide open, we...
[Verse 1]
So this is the end of the story
Everything we had, everything we did
Is buried in dust, and this dust is
All that's left of us left of us
And only a few ever worried
While the signs were clear, they had no idea
You just get use to livin' in fear
Or give up, when you can't even picture your future
We walk the plank, with our eyes wide open
[Chorus: Call and (response)]
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank, with our eyes wide open, we)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank, with our eyes wide open, we)
[Verse 2]
And some people offered up answers
We made out we like we heard
They were only words
They didn't add up, to a change in the way we were living (it)
And the saddest thing, is all of it could've been avoided
But it was like to stop consuming's to stop being human
And why'd I make a change if you won't
We're all in the same, boat, stayin' afloat for the moment moment moment
[Chorus]
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we
(We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we)
We walk the plank with our eyes wide, we
We walk the plank with our eyes wide, we
We walk the plank with our eyes wide, we
Mmmm hmmm mmm
[Hook]
(With our eyes wide open)
We, walk the plank, we walk the plank
(With our eyes wide open)
We, walk the plank, we walk the plank, we walk the plank
(With our eyes wide open)
We, walk the plank, we walk the plank
(With our eyes wide open)
And that is the end of the story
fatima rafael
Great song, great video and great lyrics! Thanks Yeshe!
"Eyes Wide Open"
With our eyes wide open, we...
With our eyes wide open, we...
So this is the end of the story,
Everything we had, everything we did,
Is buried in dust,
And this dust is all that's left of us.
But only a few ever worried.
Well the signs were clear, they had no idea.
You just get used to living in fear,
Or give up when you can't even picture your future.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...)
Yeah, we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open.)
Some people offered up answers.
We made out like we heard, they were only words.
They didn't add up to a change in the way we were living,
And the saddest thing is all of it could have been avoided.
But it was like to stop consuming's to stop being human,
And why would I make a change if you won't?
We're all in the same boat, staying afloat for the moment.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...
(Walk the plank with our eyes wide open.)
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open,
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open,
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open, we...
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
With our eyes wide open, we walk the plank, we walk the plank.
That was the end of the story.
Ale Mendoza
10 years later... this song sounds like a reality for the world.
Marina Albu
@José Benardi also God :)) i mean religious people who believe in an ALL-MIGHTY GOD may believe HE can destroy and restore nature at will, as easy as clicking to fingers is to us :) so... we'll see how it gows, how and what grows, how and what dies... but yea, we ought to care about everything, as everything is done FOR US inhabitors of the Universe, Multiverse or Planets or what may be, in a way, so we ought to enjoy stuff and take care of stuff. Well, some we let go, can't keep just everything, as we can't keep all the kids toys forever in our house, but yea... something like that :D ♡ have a nice nice day, i think our Creator would love it for us to love it, the day & everything else ;)
David Tyndall
Yes. Can you bail me out first mam
David Tyndall
Yeah it’s crazy I think it might have to do with how musicians write about them things that are on their mind and I think the fact that so many people think it’s amazing they find a song that still resonates with today is part of the fucking problem we have in this world that we’re so prophetic about nothing we just waste our fucking time on super little shit the big shit goes right past us sorry have a nice day
David Tyndall
Again. Every heavy metal song from the 90s also feels like prophecy. How prophetic of you.
David Tyndall
Can you pick w song which doesn’t do this?
L.L.I
This song is deeper than anyone imagines . He's literally talking about society and the way we all think as a human race
Mr send me the addy gli-bow
2022 almost Christmas 🎄 an I’m still playing this
JustKaizen
“It was like to stop consuming is to stop being human and why would I make a change if you won’t? We’re all in the same boat staying afloat for the moment.”
I’ve remember this line for nearly a decade now.
Marina Albu
@Rhea Welsh dunno... never met a politician actually, or a very powerful person probably... anyway, even death is not that terrible, i think people psychically tormenting others do more harm than death, to the ones they torture and their future kids, grandkids, the ones around the victim... but really, not an expert ! :))