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.
The Sleighing Song
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Th. Tol/C. Tol/J. Tuijp/J. Veerman/A. Schilder/J. Keizer/P. Natte)
Well you can hear the sleighbells ringin', softly as we go
The trees around are dressed up white, we're rushing through the snow
- Goodbye goodbye goodbye -
We're all in style this very night, you even say: "my dear"
- Tonight tonight tonight -
It's fun to ride a sleigh tonight
When all the bells are ringin'
So on this very evening
Come and sing this sleighing song
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We're riding up and down the hills, all through the wind and snow
The coachman says: "Another mile and we will be back home"
- Goodbye goodbye goodbye -
We're all in style this very night, you even say: "my dear"
And I will pass the wine tonight, like Christmas every year
- Tonight tonight tonight -
It's fun to ride a sleigh tonight
When all the bells are ringin'
So on this very evening
Come and sing this sleighing song
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
And we wish you a happy New Year
The Sleighing Song by BZN is a festive, upbeat song that captures the joy and excitement of riding in a sleigh on a wintery night. The opening line, "Well you can hear the sleighbells ringin', softly as we go," creates a magical and playful atmosphere, suggesting that the snow-covered surroundings and jingling bells are refreshing and soothing to the soul. The next line, "The trees around are dressed up white, we're rushing through the snow," enhances the vivid imagery of the winter wonderland, while the repetition of "goodbye goodbye goodbye" signifies a joyful farewell to the old year and warm welcome to the new one.
The following lines highlight the camaraderie among the riders and their sense of belonging, as everyone is "all in style this very night" and addresses each other with affectionate endearment "my dear." The chorus describes the excitement of everyone participating in the sleigh ride, with ringing bells and beautiful singing, and extends warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Overall, The Sleighing Song paints a picture of a joyful, peaceful, and festive Christmas season, filled with camaraderie, warmth, and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you can hear the sleighbells ringin', softly as we go
As we journey through the snow, the sound of the sleighbells fills the air with its gentle vibrations.
The trees around are dressed up white, we're rushing through the snow
As we speed through the snowy landscape, the trees that surround us are covered with a blanket of white snow.
We're all in style this very night, you even say: "my dear"
Tonight we are dressed in our finest clothes, and you, my dear, look particularly elegant.
And I will pass the wine tonight, like Christmas every year
Just like every Christmas, tonight I will offer wine to everyone present.
It's fun to ride a sleigh tonight
When all the bells are ringin'
Riding a sleigh tonight is an enjoyable experience, especially when the bells on the sleigh are ringing.
We're riding up and down the hills, all through the wind and snow
The coachman says: "Another mile and we will be back home"
We're joyfully riding up and down hills, with snow and wind all around us. Our coachman predicts that we will be back home soon.
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, every day
We hope that you have a very Merry Christmas, every day of the year.
And we wish you a happy New Year
We also hope that you have a happy New Year.
Contributed by Leah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.