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.
Boeroeng kaka
Anneke Grönloh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mentjiok di tjende la
Neneh soedah toea
Gigingja tinggal doea
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
The lyrics of Anneke Grönloh's song "Boeroeng Kaka" tell the story of a bird, "Boeroeng Kaka," who leaves his nest, where his mother waits for him, to explore the world. The first line translates to "Boeroeng Kaka flew away, leaving his mother in the tree." The next lines describe Boeroeng Kaka's adventures, but also reveal the sadness of his departure. The repetition of "Leitrum" in the chorus is a word that doesn't carry any meaning today but may have been a nonsense word or a sound used for rhythm and emphasis.
On a deeper level, the song could be interpreted as a metaphor for leaving home and growing up, and the bittersweet balance between the excitement of new experiences and the sadness of leaving behind loved ones. Boeroeng Kaka's journey represents a coming-of-age story, where the singer leaves behind the comforts and familiarity of his home to explore a new world. The chorus, with its repetition of "Leitrum," emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, where leaving and returning are inevitable parts of the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Boeroeng Kaka toea
Oh, my dear parrot
Mentjiok di tjende la
Whistling from the cage
Neneh soedah toea
Grandmother has gone away
Gigingja tinggal doea
Left us all alone
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
Sorrow, the sorrow, the sorrow, la la la
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
Sorrow, the sorrow, the sorrow, la la la
Leitrum, Leitrum, Leitrum la la la
Sorrow, the sorrow, the sorrow, la la la
Contributed by Kylie F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@francisng2561
Now I know a very popular old Malaysian timer, used to sing Burung Kaka and Bangawan Solo, definitely due to Annekr Gronloh's songs. His name was Wong Wong Han of Seremban, Malaysia. As most Bahai functions in Yan Kee Leong’s home in 1960s, Wong Wong Han would always sing both songs to lighten up the atmosphere. Those Bahais who were had the opportunity to experience that early Bahai era, that friends throughout Malaya, never got to experience. Counsellor Yan Kee Leong later years, donated his home to be the 1st Bahai Centre in Malaya. Mind you, all other states did not have a Bahai Centre, then. Seremban had the most Bahais, followed by Malacca and may be Kuala Lumpur. What an era and experience it was.
@MrDfernz
In 1982, when I was living in Singapore, there were a number of Bahais from Malaysia staying in the same apartment. They would often invite me to visit with them to share meals and visits. Bahais are from my experience very friendly and pleasant people to get to know.
@insansiregar6158
This is an Indonesian song created by an Indonesian, but also very popular in Malaysia, Bruinei, and Singapore. And this version is sung by a mixed Dutch-Indonesian singer. So, it can't be Malaysian or Singaporean because they were colonized by the British, so why is this singer Dutch-Indonesian? Because this is an Indonesian song. We can just Google check who created it, and it's Indonesian
@LakshanWickrema
From Sri Lanka - even though this song was already very old it played in SLBC morning show in early 1980s in my childhood -
@sdias8069
There was a Sinhala song to this tune recorded during the same era (60's), which goes something like "Boru katha kiyuwa". Cannot remember the singer (female, I think). Do you have any recollection?
@LakshanWickrema
@@sdias8069 no idea - Haven't heard
@kaushala1988
@@sdias8069 I've heard a version called 'Murunga kaapuwa'. Something about an indigestion caused by a Murunga curry
@lazranasinghe7086
70s to early 80s on SLBC. There was also Rasa Sayang and a Turkish song called Uskudar by Eartha Kitt... 😁
@insansiregar6158
Didn't know Indonesian songs were popular overseas@@lazranasinghe7086
@ansjansen604
Rust in vrede lieve Anneke en bedankt voor al je prachtige muziek!