She played and sang in The good, the bad and the fat, based on Marie Redonnet's book Hotel splendid (1988) as well as in the opera-production Fausto by Harry de Wit, about the life of Fausto Coppi.
In 1992 she made her first solo-album Eclipse, which was highly praised by the Dutch critics and sold extremely well. She made two more albums since then: Secret world (1994) and Into temptation (1996). In 1995 she composed and performed the soundtrack of Veroordeeld (Condemned) in collaboration with percussionist Peter Meuris, a series of five documentary films. The soundtrack album Condemned was released in 1995. Her new solo-album will be released in 1999.
In 1996 she was asked to compose music to a theatre production of Euripides' Women of Troy (Zuidelijk Toneel) in 1996. She wrote songs that were performed by her and other members of the cast.
She has toured the country with her own band ever since 1993: the Eclipse-tour, followed by her Secret world-tour (1994/1995), and the Into temptation-tour (1996/1997).
Singer Astrid Seriese and gitarist Martijn van Agt have composed the music to De Kinderen van de Hondsberg (The Children of Hondsberg): a series of five documentary films in which the lives of several mentally disabled children are reflected. The series was broadcast in 1998 by NCRV-television.
On Children
Astrid Seriese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
are not your children
they are the sons and daughters
of life's longing for itself
they come trough you
but they are not from you
and though they are with you
you can give them your love
but not your thoughts
for they have their own thoughts
they have their own thoughts
you can house their bodies
but not there souls
for their souls dwell
in a place of tomorrow
wich you cannot visit
not even in your dreams
you can strive to be like them
but you cannot make them just like you
strive to be like them
but you cannot make them just like you
The song “On Children” by Astrid Seriese explores the idea of parenthood and the relationship between parents and their children. The lyrics suggest that children are not possessions or extensions of their parents but rather unique individuals that belong to the universe, brought into this world by the longing of life itself. The song emphasizes the importance of cherishing children while allowing them to grow and find their own path in life.
The opening lines “your children are not your children, they are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself” suggests that children are a gift from the universe and do not belong to parents in the traditional sense. The second line “they come through you, but they are not from you” emphasizes the idea that parents are merely vessels through which children come into being, but they do not fully belong to them. The repetition of “you can give them your love, but not your thoughts” is a reminder that children have their own thoughts, personalities, and desires that should be respected rather than controlled.
The chorus of the song, “you can house their bodies, but not their souls,” emphasizes that parents can provide a physical home for their children but their emotional and spiritual needs cannot be contained. Children are unique individuals with their own destinies that they need to fulfil, and parents should not try to mould them into being a reflection of themselves. The final line “strive to be like them, but you cannot make them just like you” suggests that parents should learn from their children and strive to be better individuals rather than trying to impose their own beliefs and values onto them.
Line by Line Meaning
your children
The ones you claim as your own offspring
are not your children
You do not own them entirely
they are the sons and daughters
They exist due to the force of nature
of life's longing for itself
They are here because life has an innate desire to reproduce
they come trough you
They are brought into the world through you
but they are not from you
But they are not created by you
and though they are with you
They may be in your presence
they belong not to you
But they are not yours to possess
you can give them your love
You can show them affection
but not your thoughts
You cannot force them to think the same way as you
for they have their own thoughts
They have their own unique perspective
you can house their bodies
You can provide physical shelter for them
but not their souls
Their spiritual essence is not yours to control
for their souls dwell
Their true being resides
in a place of tomorrow
In a realm of possibilities that have not yet been realized
which you cannot visit
You cannot foresee their future
not even in your dreams
Not even through your subconscious mind
you can strive to be like them
You can try to emulate their positive qualities
but you cannot make them just like you
But you cannot change their fundamental nature to be exactly like yours
Writer(s): Astrid Seriese
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@keno224
Ik heb de documentaire 10 jaar geleden (toen als 17 jarige) met veel bewondering gekeken en vond het een schitterende documentaire! Geweldig om te zien hoe het nu met deze kinderen, inmiddels (jong) volwassenen gaat!
@baylamoon8070
Wat ontzettend prachtig, ik kende de tekst al van Kahlil Gibran. Ik heb deze gestuurd aan mijn moeder samen met dit lied. Astrid, ik ben je ontzettend dankbaar voor deze intens mooie muzikale vertolking!
💕🙏🏼💕
@blossiehappylife7292
Een geweldige documentaire!! Hoorde hier ook voor het eerst dit nummer, heel bijzonder nummer made by Kahlil Gibran!
@corinegschipper-pries6142
Wat een prachtig nummer is dit zeg, ik hoorde het bij het programma ontvoerd van rtl 4. En krijg echt kippenvel ervan..
@amidared812
it takes a lot of strength and feeling to interpret the original gospel song to what I have heard here from Astrid, love it, and all the best.
@capoeirastronaut
It is a poem by Kahlil Gibran
@roelvandalen
Ik ben de regisseur van 'De Kinderen van De Hondsberg', de documentaire-serie waar Astrid de muziek voor heeft gecomponeerd. Volgend jaar, ergens in 2011, wordt het vervolg van de originele serie bij de NCRV uitgezonden: 'De Kinderen van De Hondsberg - 13 jaar later'. Dan kan iedereen zien hoe het met de kinderen gaat. De kinderen zijn nu adolescenten geworden... Groet, Roel van Dalen
@sandraterpstra8705
Roel van Dalen .Prachtig!
@sandraterpstra8705
Dit gedicht is 94 jaar geleden geschreven. Prachtig vertolkt in dit lied.
@sandraterpstra8705
raoul Hilbink wie koopt nog cd's