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.
Wheels On Fire
BZN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She ain't got no place to go
Undaunted but always on the run
She's the girl behind the lines
She ain't dressed up to the nines
She's wondering what have they done
It's a broken heart
That never mends again
Wheels on fire, keep on rollin'
Take her home into your paradise
Wheels on fire, no more crying
Fly away on wings of time
In purple lace with diamonds in her hair
Oh, she's so beautiful, it's all beyond compare
She feels hungry and bizarre
Hates the burning face of war
She won't have it any more
But deep inside there's a woman's heart that cries
It's a broken heart
That never mends again
Wheels on fire, keep on rollin'
Take her home into your paradise
Wheels on fire, no more crying
Fly away on wings of time
In purple lace with diamonds in her hair
Oh, she's so beautiful, it's all beyond compare
Wheels on fire, keep on rollin'
The lyrics of BZN's song Wheels on Fire tell the story of a woman who has grown up in a difficult environment where guns are common and she has no place to call home. Despite her difficult circumstances, she remains determined and always on the move. The song conveys the struggle and heartache that she experiences, as she navigates loss, pain and disillusionment. The lyrics convey the message that despite life's difficulties, there remains a heartfelt yearning for something better and a sense of hope that one day it will be found.
The chorus of the song "Wheels on Fire, keep on rollin'", serves as a metaphor for the woman's journey through life, urging her to persevere and keep moving forward. Despite the difficulties that she encounters, the chorus communicates the idea that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that there is hope out there. The references to purple lace with diamonds in her hair conveys a sense of beauty beyond the difficulties and struggles of everyday life.
Overall, "Wheels on Fire" is a song about the human experience, a journey full of ups and downs, setbacks and triumphs, sadness and joy. It offers a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, urging us to keep on rolling forward and reaching for our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
She grew up where guns get low
She was raised in a place where firearms are scarce
She ain't got no place to go
She's homeless and has nowhere to go
Undaunted but always on the run
She's fearless despite being constantly on the move
She's the girl behind the lines
She's the woman behind enemy lines
She ain't dressed up to the nines
She's not wearing fancy clothes
She's wondering what have they done
She's asking herself what the war has accomplished
But deep inside there's a woman's heart that cries
Despite the tough exterior, she has a broken heart
It's a broken heart
Her heart is shattered
That never mends again
And it will never heal
Wheels on fire, keep on rollin'
The wheels of time keep moving forward
Take her home into your paradise
Let her find peace and happiness
Wheels on fire, no more crying
The passage of time will help her stop crying
Fly away on wings of time
She can escape her problems with time's help
In purple lace with diamonds in her hair
She's wearing elegant and luxurious clothing
Oh, she's so beautiful, it's all beyond compare
Despite all the hardships, she's still incredibly beautiful
She feels hungry and bizarre
She's experiencing intense hunger and odd feelings due to the war
Hates the burning face of war
She despises the devastating effects of war
She won't have it any more
She refuses to continue enduring the horrors of war
Contributed by James T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Viktor Volkov
Прекрасная группа. Ее можно слушать часами и не надоест.
Therina James
What an awesome band. Still listening to their music - it never age. Love this band and their music
Judy Peyper
Carola has the beautiful voice! Jan & Carola as a duo, just perfect! BZN is the best ever! Love their beautiful songs, lyrics & music!! ❤️❤️
Lanting Farming
this is such a beautiful song. cant get enough of it. always get visions while listening to this. Definitly one of the best BZN-Songs ever!!!
Fritz Dege
Will love this group and music till I die. ❤️
Graça Querido
Que voz maravilhosa Santo Deus.
hubert baelen
Comme c'est dommage que BZN n'existe plus, c’était un merveilleux groupe avec des superbes mélodies.
Zoltán Tatai
My best beloved pop group from Holland. Carole's voice is really incredible! Thanks for the video!
Brianna08051919
Fascinating. This is completely different from what I expected by this title.
A song fit to leave goosebumps - and have I said today that I just love these voices?
Michael Friedman
Lovely song and wonderful musical performance !