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.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
God rest ye merry gentleman
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our saviour
To save us all from Satan's power
We were gone astray
Ohoh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Ohoh tidings of comfort and joy
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your King
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year, a happy New Year
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
The opening verses of this classic Christmas carol, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, are simple and straightforward. The lyrics repeat the same four-line verse three times before introducing a verse from another popular Christmas song, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The sentiment behind the song is one of joy, peace, and goodwill towards others, as the singers wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
However, the lyrics also have a deeper meaning beyond just the seasonal greetings. The mention of Christ's birth, and the idea of him being born to save humanity from Satan's power, illustrates the religious significance of Christmas. The song also touches on the idea of being lost and needing to be redeemed, which resonates with many during the holiday season.
The final verse of the song brings all the different themes together, with 'glad tidings' being brought to 'you and your King.' This acknowledges the religious significance of Christmas while also extending the blessings to all who celebrate the holiday, regardless of faith.
Overall, We Wish You a Merry Christmas is a beloved carol that simply and joyfully spreads the warmth and festivity of the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We hope that your Christmas is filled with happiness and joy.
And a happy New Year
Wishing you a joyful and prosperous New Year.
God rest ye merry gentleman
May God keep you happy and joyful.
Let nothing you dismay
Do not worry about anything or be discouraged.
Remember Christ our saviour
Remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to save us from our sins.
Was born on Christmas day
Christ's birthday is celebrated on Christmas day.
To save us all from Satan's power
Jesus came to save us from the influence of the Devil.
We were gone astray
We had lost our way without Jesus.
Ohoh tidings of comfort and joy
These are glad tidings of joy and comfort.
Comfort and joy
These tidings bring comfort and joy to our hearts.
Glad tidings we bring
We share this joyful and meaningful message.
To you and your King
To you and your loved ones.
Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.