BZN started out as a pop-rock band in their native Volendam in 1966, playin… Read Full Bio ↴BZN started out as a pop-rock band in their native Volendam in 1966, playing early-Bee Gees-like harmony pop. The initial line-up consisted of Jan Veerman (vocals), Cees Tol (guitar), Evert Woestenburg (guitar) Jan Tuyp (bass guitar) and Gerrit Woestenburg (drums).

In the early Seventies, the band switched to hard rock and had its first successes, including a brace of Top 40 hits. After original singer Veerman left and drummer Keizer took his place behind the microphone, the band made a musical U-turn and opted for commercial radio pop, adding female co-vocalist Annie Schilder and laying the foundation for their status as the most popular Dutch band ever (in terms of hit singles and albums). BZN has had over 50 hits in the Dutch hit parade to date.

BZN's claim to fame started with the song "Mon Amour" (1976), which held the #1 hit parade ranking for over 5 weeks. Outside of the Netherlands the band has had some success as well, amongst which several hits in South Africa (such as "Yeppa" in 1990) and minor successes with their French-language songs in Canada.

Through the years there have been many lineup changes, the most important of which have been the departure of Schilder in 1984 (replaced by Carola Smit) and in 1988 of the brothers Cees and Thomas Tol (keyboards), who until then had been responsible for most of the music and lyrics. The band remained nevertheless successful, making their last major change in strategy when they decided to write in Dutch instead of English as of 2003.

BZN are also responsible for the initial success of singer Jan Smit (singer), who was discovered by BZN at the age of 10 and went on to have pop and schlager successes in The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

On February 15 2006, BZN announced they would do one final tour and then call it quits. This goodbye tour is scheduled to last until June 2007.

Alleen Zonder Jou
BZN Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Doelloos zwerf ik door de nacht
De wind schuurt door de straten
Ik voel mij zo alleen
Alleen zonder jou

Veel lange nachten gepraat
Veel teveel dagen gezwegen
Zocht ik mijn eigen weg

Alleen zonder jou

Jij gaf mij warmte bij kou
't licht in mijn donkerste nacht
Jouw lach verstomde mijn zwanenzang
Als de arm om mij heen als ik huilen zou

't leek een enkele reis naar geluk
Maar de weg bleek een kronkelig paadje
Naar een doolhof dat nooit ontsluit
Alleen zonder jou

Maar stond jij vannacht voor mijn deur
Dan zou ik geen ogenblik twijfelen
Want het is zo alleen
Alleen zonder jou

Jij gaf mij warmte bij kou
't licht in mijn donkerste nacht

Jouw lach verstomde mijn zwanenzang
Als de arm om mij heen als ik huilen zou

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of BZN's song "Alleen Zonder Jou" express the feeling of being lost and alone without the presence of a loved one. The singer wanders aimlessly through the night, feeling the cold wind scraping through the streets, longing for the warmth and comfort that their partner used to provide. The lyrics suggest that despite the singer's efforts to find their own way, life without their loved one feels like a lonely and empty journey. They reminisce about the past, where they spent many long nights talking and too many days in silence, but always had each other. Their partner's presence had brought light to their darkest moments, and their smile had eased the pain of their sorrow. But life is unpredictable and often takes strange turns, often leading to unexpected situations. Although the path may seem like an easy one at first, it can ultimately lead to a maze that is difficult to find a way out of.

The lyrics convey how the singer has come to realize that they cannot cope alone, and their love is more important than anything else. They acknowledge that if their partner were to stand at their door tonight, they would not hesitate to take their hand and walk back into their life. The lyrics express the strength of the bond between the two lovers and how, even though the singer may try to move on and find happiness, life would always feel incomplete without their loved one to share it with.

Line by Line Meaning

Doelloos zwerf ik door de nacht
I am wandering aimlessly through the night

De wind schuurt door de straten
The wind is rubbing against the streets

Ik voel mij zo alleen
I feel so lonely

Alleen zonder jou
Alone without you

Veel lange nachten gepraat
Many long nights of talking

Veel teveel dagen gezwegen
Many, too many days of silence

Zocht ik mijn eigen weg
I searched for my own way

Alleen zonder jou
Alone without you

Jij gaf mij warmte bij kou
You gave me warmth in the cold

't licht in mijn donkerste nacht
The light in my darkest night

Jouw lach verstomde mijn zwanenzang
Your laugh silenced my swan song