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.
Desperado
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been out ridin' fences
For so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
But I know that you've got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow
She'll beat you if she's able
The queen of hearts is always your best friend
Well it seems to me some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the things that you can't get
Desperado, you know you ain't gettin' younger
Your pain and your hunger, drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom
well there's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone
Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the nighttime from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
And it's funny how the feeling goes away
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you
Let somebody love you, let somebody love you
Before it's too late.
BZN's song "Desperado" is a classic example of a country rock ballad. The song revolves around a protagonist who is a desperado, a lone ranger who has been on the road for too long, riding fences and searching for something he cannot find. Throughout the song, the singer pleads with the singer to give up his solitary ways and come back to the real world, where he might find love and companionship. The song highlights the desperation and melancholy of the singer's life, as well as the singer's concern for his well-being.
The lyrics begin by addressing the desperado and his long stint of being alone, which the singer acknowledges is due to the desperado's personal reasons. The singer warns him against chasing things that will cause him harm and encourages him to focus on what's truly worthwhile. The desperado's tendency to pursue unattainable things quite apparent in the song's refrain, where the singer urges him not to go after the queen of diamonds but instead stick close to the queen of hearts, who will be the best friend he'll ever have.
As the song continues, the singer reminds the desperado that he isn't getting younger, and his loneliness is eating him up. The singer speaks of the freedom offered, but acknowledges that their words are only words, and it's not easy being so lonely. He talks of the desperate life the desperado leads, which is always full of danger and isolation. That being said, the singer urges the desperado to let somebody love him before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
Why are you living this way? Can't you see the harm it's causing?
You've been out ridin' fences
You've been wandering aimlessly without direction or purpose.
For so long now
This behavior has been going on for an extended period of time.
Oh, you're a hard one
You're a difficult and stubborn person.
But I know that you've got your reasons
I understand that you have your own motivations and justifications for your actions.
These things that are pleasin' you
Your desire for certain things or experiences is driving your behavior.
Can hurt you somehow
These same things that give you pleasure may ultimately lead to your downfall.
Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy
Be careful when taking risks or going after what you want.
She'll beat you if she's able
If you go after things carelessly, you might get hurt or suffer negative consequences.
The queen of hearts is always your best friend
Your truest joys and happiness comes from relationships with others, not material possessions or experiences.
Well it seems to me some fine things
It's obvious that you have had many great experiences and opportunities.
Have been laid upon your table
You've been given many opportunities or resources that others may not have had.
But you only want the things that you can't get
You constantly want more than what you have, particularly the things that seem unattainable.
Desperado, you know you ain't gettin' younger
Time is running out and the consequences of your reckless lifestyle may catch up with you.
Your pain and your hunger, drivin' you home
Your persistent longing for something, despite the pain that it causes, is driving you towards self-destruction.
And freedom, oh freedom
Despite your attempts to be free, you're actually captive to your own desires.
well there's just some people talkin'
There may be talk and rumors about you or your behavior.
Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone
Your loneliness and isolation is the real prison that you're trapped in.
Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime
Are you not bothered by the effects of your actions or lifestyle?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It may seem like there's no hope or redemption at times.
It's hard to tell the nighttime from the day
Your behavior and actions have distorted your sense of time or reality.
You're losin' all your highs and lows
You're losing your emotional range and depth.
And it's funny how the feeling goes away
The fleeting nature of pleasure or excitement is temporary and short-lived.
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
Why not take a step back and re-evaluate your current situation and behavior?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It's time to let go of your old self-destructive ways and start anew.
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
Even in bad times, there are always bright spots or things to be hopeful for.
You better let somebody love you
Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and love someone is a key to happiness.
Let somebody love you, let somebody love you
Give yourself permission to open up to love and connection with others.
Before it's too late.
Don't wait until it's too late to change or make things right.
Contributed by Sophie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ursulawilhelm3974
Carolas Stimme ist wundervoll. Das ist ein wunderschönes Lied. Diese Band war einmalig und Großartig. Vielen Dank ❤
@fransbakker8990
Fantastisch , niet te evenaren !!! En wat adembenemend mooi !!!
En dan Cees Tol met klarinet ... kippenvel !!!