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.
Once I Had Dreams
BZN Lyrics
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I remember your face
Your jokes and your laughter
The smell of your perfume
Your warming embrace
All those moments
And the way that you smiled every night, every day
For it all passed away
You sit there so silent
I know that you're waiting
To talk about him
But he didn't feel up
To being near you
Still you hope to abide and to find consolation
But I could have told you
'Cause it happened before
Once I had dreams
I will always remember
So sad, but it happens that way
But I don't wanna say things that would grieve you
Though I feel that it all slips away
You were so afraid
To be part of a showdown
But you know me too well
It wouldn't happen to you
I won't abuse you
Even now that I know I will lose you again
Precious moments
But they all passed away
Once I had dreams
I will always remember
So sad, but it happens that way
But I don't wanna say things that would grieve you
Though I feel that it all slips away
Once I had dreams
I will always remember
So sad, but it happens that way
But I don't wanna say things that would grieve you
Though I feel that it all slips away
The BZN song Once I Had Dreams is a beautiful and melancholic tribute to a lost love. The lyrics are full of memories and regrets, as the singer remembers the face, laughter, and warmth of the woman he loved. He knows that she is grieving for someone else, and he wants to console her, but he can't help feeling that his own dreams and hopes have slipped away, like sand through his fingers.
The song is a powerful meditation on the fragility of happiness and the transience of love. The singer knows that life is full of precious moments, but he also knows that they can slip away in an instant, leaving only memories and regrets behind. He tries to comfort the woman he loves, but he also knows that he is losing her again, and that his dreams are slipping away as well.
The melody of Once I Had Dreams is haunting and beautiful, with a wistful quality that perfectly captures the mood of the lyrics. The simple piano accompaniment and the clear, plaintive vocals of the lead singer give the song a timeless quality that has made it a classic of the Dutch music scene.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember your face
I recall the image of your face
Your jokes and your laughter
The jokes you made and the sound of your laughter
The smell of your perfume
The scent of your perfume
Your warming embrace
Your comforting hug
All those moments
All the memories we shared
And the way that you smiled every night, every day
I remember how your smile brightened up my days and nights
Were just moments
All those memories were fleeting
For it all passed away
They all faded away
You sit there so silent
You're quietly sitting there
I know that you're waiting
I know you're waiting for a chance to speak
To talk about him
To discuss him
But he didn't feel up
But he wasn't ready
To being near you
To be in your presence
Still you hope to abide and to find consolation
Still, you wish to endure and seek comfort
But I could have told you
I could have warned you
'Cause it happened before
Because it has occurred previously
Once I had dreams
I used to have aspirations and desires
I will always remember
I will never forget them
So sad, but it happens that way
It's a sorrowful reality, but it's just the way life is
But I don't wanna say things that would grieve you
But I don't want to upset you with my words
Though I feel that it all slips away
Even though I feel like it's all slipping away
You were so afraid
You were extremely frightened
To be part of a showdown
To take part in a confrontation
But you know me too well
But you're aware of my character
It wouldn't happen to you
It would never happen to you
I won't abuse you
I would never mistreat you
Even now that I know I will lose you again
Even though I'm aware that I'll lose you again
Precious moments
Valuable memories
But they all passed away
But they've all disappeared
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.