Born in a Japanese concentration camp in the former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II, Grönloh and her family moved to the Eindhoven area in The Netherlands after the war. Anneke's career soon started to take off. She sang jazz material, American standards, Indonesian folk songs and rock 'n roll with Peter Koelewijn & Zijn Rockets. Koelewijn attended the same Eindhoven high school as Grönloh.
Her début solo single, 'Asmara', failed to chart in The Netherlands, but was a hit in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, where Grönloh toured succesfully as early as 1960. Her Dutch big break followed in the summer of 1962 with the Dutch smash hit, 'Brandend Zand' ('Burning Sand'), which hit #1 in the Dutch Top 40. It was the first of four consecutive #1 hit singles for Grönloh in some eleven months' time. 'Paradiso', 'Soerabaja' and 'Cimeroni' also hit the top spot. Versions of these hit singles in other languages charted in no less than 48 countries. In total, Anneke Grönloh has 'claimed sales' of over 30 million records, primarily singles.
Anneke Grönloh never had a Dutch chart hit again after 1964, but she continued to perform succesfully until 2017, in The Netherlands and the Far East. Her anniversary concert in Singapore in 1994, celebrating her career of 35 years, was attended by 30,000 people. Some of her albums are hardly known in The Netherlands, but sold over 100,000 copies in Indonesia and Malaysia, notably 2002's Nina Bobo.
Having suffered severe pulmonary embolism in 2016, Grönloh's health deteriorated. She stopped performing in the summer of 2017, aged 75, and passed away on 14 September 2018 at her home in France, where she spent the final years of her life. She was 76 years old.
Bengawan Solo
Anneke Grönloh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Riwayatmu ini
Sedari dulu jadi
Perhatian insani
Musim kemarau
Tak seberapa airmu
Di musim hujan
Mata airmu dari Solo
Terkurung Gunung Seribu
Air mengalir sampai jauh
Akhirnya ke laut
Itu perahu
Riwayatnya dulu
Kaum pedagang selalu
Naik itu perahu
Bengawan Solo
Riwayatmu ini
Sedari dulu jadi
Perhatian insani
Musim kemarau
Tak seberapa airmu
Di musim hujan
Air meluap sampai jauh
Mata airmu dari Solo
Terkurung Gunung Seribu
Air mengalir sampai jauh
Akhirnya ke laut
Itu perahu
Riwayatnya dulu
Kaum pedagang selalu
Naik itu perahu
The song "Bengawan Solo" by Anneke Grönloh is a tribute to the Bengawan Solo river, which has been a significant part of Indonesian history and culture. The river has been revered for centuries and has inspired various art forms such as poetry and music. The song talks about the river's history, its significance to Indonesian people, and the role it played in the lives of people who depended on it.
The song begins by acknowledging the river's rich history and how it has been the focus of human attention for centuries. The river's features are discussed, with its water levels fluctuating between seasons, being low during the dry season and rising high during the rainy season. The powerful image of the river overflowing and reaching distant shores is presented, emphasizing its significance and force.
The second verse focuses on the role the river played in the lives of the people who depended on it. The song describes the boats that sailed on the river, carrying the goods and dreams of traders who relied on the river as the main source of transportation. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the reverence and importance of the Bengawan Solo river.
Line by Line Meaning
Bengawan Solo
This is about the Bengawan Solo river.
Riwayatmu ini
It has been around for a long time, and has a rich history.
Sedari dulu jadi
It has always been an important part of human life and culture.
Perhatian insani
People have always paid attention to it and depended on it.
Musim kemarau
During the dry season,
Tak seberapa airmu
the water levels are quite low.
Di musim hujan
But during the rainy season,
Air meluap sampai jauh
the water overflows and floods areas far and wide.
Mata airmu dari Solo
The source of the river is in the Solo area.
Terkurung Gunung Seribu
It flows through the mountains.
Air mengalir sampai jauh
The river flows a long distance.
Akhirnya ke laut
And eventually empties into the sea.
Itu perahu
The song then shifts to talking about a boat.
Riwayatnya dulu
This boat also has a long and important history.
Kaum pedagang selalu
It was always used by merchants for transportation.
Naik itu perahu
They would ride on this boat as they sailed on the Bengawan Solo river.
Contributed by Nicholas G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.