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.
Reggae reggae
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're alone, nowhere to go
Out of temper all the time
Try to find out where's the late night show
Go down town and have some fun
Get your guitar, into a bar
Join the band and let them sing along
Sing your song and have some fun
All around the guys and the girls
Moving their bodies into a whirl
When the music goes on and on
Loose your head and get your guitar
No matter who you are
Reggae reggae how I love you
No matter what you do
All around the guys and the girls
Moving their bodies into a whirl
When the music goes on and on
Loose your head and get your guitar
No matter who you are
Reggae reggae how I love you
No matter what you do
Loose your head and get your guitar
No matter who you are
Reggae reggae how I love you
No matter what you do
The lyrics to BZN's song "Reggae reggae" speak to the importance of music as a means of escape and connection. The song begins by describing a feeling of restlessness and frustration, with the singer feeling "out of temper all the time" and seeking out a late night show to lift their spirits. The solution comes in the form of reggae music, which they play on their guitar in a bar and which quickly becomes a communal experience, with the band and audience alike joining in singing and dancing.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the power of music to bring people together and to transcend differences of age, background, and identity. The "guys and the girls / moving their bodies" in a "whirl" embody the idea of release and abandon that music can provide, and the repetition of the phrase "loose your head and get your guitar" reinforces the idea that music can be a kind of therapy or escape from everyday worries.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're alone, nowhere to go
When you feel lonely and directionless
Out of temper all the time
When you're constantly irritable and easily angered
Try to find out where's the late night show
Look for some late night entertainment
Go down town and have some fun
Go into the city to enjoy yourself
Get your guitar, into a bar
Bring your guitar to a bar
Play some reggae, play it cool
Play reggae music calmly
Join the band and let them sing along
Become part of the band and sing with them
Sing your song and have some fun
Sing your own music and enjoy yourself
All around the guys and the girls
Everyone around, both men and women
Moving their bodies into a whirl
Dancing excitedly and energetically
When the music goes on and on
As the music keeps playing continually
Loose your head and get your guitar
Let loose and grab your guitar
No matter who you are
Irrespective of who you are
Reggae reggae how I love you
Expressing the love for reggae music
No matter what you do
Regardless of what you do
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.