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.
Isles Of Atlantis
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They fly on the wind
When they're passing the high clouds to be free
Across the oceans far beyond the horizon
Far away, lies a land of mystery
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Your secrets and beauty are a tale to tell
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Way down in the ocean, you cast your spell
Carried by the wind, you'll find a place
Somewhere by the pillars of Hercules
There they lie, the ancient ruins of Atlantis
The mysterious legend of Greece
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Your secrets and beauty are a tale to tell
Thousands of years, forgotten, in silence and in shades of blue
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Way down in the ocean, you cast your spell
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Way down in the ocean, you cast your spell
The opening lines of BZN’s "Isles of Atlantis," "Seagulls they cry, They fly on the wind," set the tone for a song that speaks of mystery and wonder. The cries of seagulls and their flight on the wind symbolize the freedom that the land beyond the horizon might offer. The song speaks of the fabled land of Atlantis, a place of forgotten secrets and beauty, which lies far beyond the ocean and is carried by the wind to a place somewhere by the pillars of Hercules. The "pillars of Hercules" refer to the Straits of Gibraltar that separate Europe and Africa, and according to Greek mythology, were said to have been created when Hercules split a mountain in half.
The song is an ode to the lost city of Atlantis, which is believed to have been a civilization and city on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, which was destroyed in a catastrophic event. The song uses the myth of Atlantis to speak of the beauty and mystery of the world, of lands beyond the horizon and secrets that are forgotten in the silence and shades of blue. The chorus, which repeats the words "Isles of Atlantis fare thee well," acts as a farewell to the lost civilization, which is now just a mysterious legend.
Line by Line Meaning
Seagulls they cry
The sound of seagulls crying is heard as they fly through the wind
They fly on the wind
Seagulls are propelled by the force of the wind as they soar
When they're passing the high clouds to be free
As the seagulls reach the high, wispy clouds, they feel free and liberated
Across the oceans, far beyond the horizon
The seagulls fly over vast oceans, beyond what the human eye can see
Far away, lies a land of mystery
In the distance, there is a place shrouded in mystery and intrigue
Isles of Atlantis fare thee well
Farewell to the fabled land of Atlantis
Your secrets and beauty are a tale to tell
The secrets and natural splendor of Atlantis remain a story worth telling
Thousands of years, forgotten, in silence and in shades of blue
Over time, the memory of Atlantis has been lost and its existence fades into the depths of the ocean, where everything is in shades of blue
Way down in the ocean, you cast your spell
Deep below the waters of the ocean, Atlantis has a mysterious and powerful influence
Carried by the wind, you'll find a place
Guided by the power of the wind, one can reach a specific location
Somewhere by the pillars of Hercules
The place in question is likely located near the pillars of Hercules
There they lie, the ancient ruins of Atlantis
At that location, you can find the long-forgotten ruins of Atlantis
The mysterious legend of Greece
The legendary tale of Atlantis is deeply intertwined with Greek mythology
Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@silviavasile9854
Carola si Jan sunteți superbi! Va doresc sanatate și fericire!❤❤❤
@lorettahildebrand8726
Ich finde das Lied einfach Wunderschön und mit dem Lieben Mädschen das kleine Tenzschen einfach Prima!!,Super Toll.
@ursulawilhelm3974
BZN ihr seid der Knaller. Ich bin voll Hochachtung für euch.🎉❤
@heatherkoekemoer3933
Fabulous!!!❤ Can't BZN start their group again! Such beautiful music❤❤
@frederik2201
This video is warming up my heart ❤️
@herbetfrentzen9738
So Herzzerreißend
--Als ich dieses Lied vor kurzem zum ersten Mal hörte, war gerade meine geliebte Frau gestorben, ich in tiefster Trauer ---Meine Tränen wollten nicht mehr aufhören zu fließen --- Seitdem höre ich diesen Song öfters und meine Augen werden ständig nass 💔@amydason9332
Stunning voices! 🌹🕊🎼Great song🕊
@Krystyna271
Cudowna piosenka.:)
@evelynoconnor3062
A MARVELLOUS SONG AND ANOTHER STUPENDOUS PERFORMANCE FROM THE VERY VERSATILE AND TALENTED BZN LOVE ❤️
@comprehensivethoughts2774
What a beautiful melody ❤️