Cramer made his television debut in 1966 with his backing group the Spaklings, and was spotted by singer Annie de Reuver, who helped him obtain a record deal. In 1967, his first single, "Zai zai zai", became a hit, reaching #7 on the Dutch chart. The follow-up "Dans met mij" also peaked at #7, and he would have a string of successful records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His most fondly-remembered record is "De Clown" from 1971.
In 1970, Cramer took part in the Dutch Eurovision selection with the song "Julia", which came fourth. He returned in 1973, this time singing all four songs, from which "De oude muzikant" ("The Old Musician") was chosen as the Dutch entry for the 18th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 7 April in Luxembourg City. "De oude muzikant" was seen as a rather old-fashioned song, and finished the evening in 14th place of 17 entries.
Cramer returned to Eurovision in 1981 with two songs, "Marianne" and "Retour", in the Dutch selection, but both finished well down the field.
Cramer continued to enjoy periodic chart success through the 1970s; his last charting single was "Alles is anders" in 1980. The 1980s were relatively quiet , then in 1989 he starred as Juan Perón in the musical Evita, and went on to appear in many stage productions such as Chicago and The Phantom of the Opera. He has since appeared in TV programmes such as the drama series Westenwind and the Dutch Celebrity Big Brother, and continues his stage career.
In 2009, along with a number of other Dutch Eurovision veterans, Cramer was a special guest at that year's televised Eurovision selection.
Winter
Ben Cramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kaal worden bomen (Hai, hai, hai)
Donkere wolken (Hai, hai, hai)
Nog even en de sneeuw valt uit de lucht
Bladeren vallen (Hai, hai, hai)
Snel zal 't winter zijn
Stormen en regen kunnen we tegen
De winter is weer in 't land
We liggen niet meer op 't strand
We trekken warme jassen aan
En schaatsen op de baan
De sneeuw, die valt weer om ons heen
De kerstman is weer op de been
En kind’ren spelen in de straten
Met hun slee
'k Zit me te warmen (Hai, hai, hai)
Bij jou in je armen (Hai, hai, hai)
Dicht bij 't haardvuur (Hai, hai, hai)
O, wat kan 't toch gezellig zijn
Kaarsen die branden (Hai, hai, hai)
En glazen, gevuld met wijn
Reikende handen, hechtere banden
Laat dit toch altijd zo zijn
De winter is weer in 't land
We liggen niet meer op 't strand
We trekken warme jassen aan
En schaatsen op de baan
De sneeuw, die valt weer om ons heen
De kerstman is weer op de been
En kind’ren spelen in de straten
Met hun slee
De winter is weer in 't land
We liggen niet meer op 't strand
We trekken warme jassen aan
En schaatsen op de baan
De sneeuw, die valt weer om ons heen
De kerstman is weer op de been
En kind’ren spelen in de straten
Met hun slee
De sneeuw, die valt weer om ons heen
De kerstman is weer op de been
En kind’ren spelen in de straten
Ben Cramer's song "Winter" is an ode to the season of winter and all that comes with it. The lyrics describe the arrival of the cold weather, the falling leaves, and the coming of snow. As winter sets in, people trade in their beach gear for warm jackets and ice skates. The onset of winter is seen as a time for fun, with children playing in the streets with their sleds and the return of the jolly, old man in red - the Christmas spirit.
The lyrics paint a picture of the warmth and coziness that winter brings, with the imagery of sitting by the fireplace, candles burning, and glasses filled with wine. This song reminds listeners that winter is a time for bonding with loved ones, forming tighter relationships, and making memories that will last a lifetime.
Overall, "Winter" is a song that celebrates the arrival of the cold season and encourages listeners to embrace all the good that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
De kou is gekomen (Hai, hai, hai)
The cold weather has arrived, indicating the start of winter
Kaal worden bomen (Hai, hai, hai)
The leaves from the trees have fallen, indicating the winter season
Donkere wolken (Hai, hai, hai)
The sky is overcast, grey and dull
Nog even en de sneeuw valt uit de lucht
Soon it will be snowing
Bladeren vallen (Hai, hai, hai)
The leaves of the trees are falling to the ground
Snel zal 't winter zijn
Winter is coming quickly
Stormen en regen kunnen we tegen
We can withstand storms and rain
O, wat een heerlijke tijd
Winter is a wonderful time of year
De winter is weer in 't land
Winter has come again
We liggen niet meer op 't strand
Going to the beach is no longer an option
We trekken warme jassen aan
We are putting on warm jackets to keep ourselves warm
En schaatsen op de baan
We are ice skating on the frozen ponds
De sneeuw, die valt weer om ons heen
The snow is falling around us again
De kerstman is weer op de been
Santa Claus is active again
En kind’ren spelen in de straten
Children are playing in the streets
Met hun slee
Riding on sleds
'k Zit me te warmen (Hai, hai, hai)
I am snuggling to stay warm
Bij jou in je armen (Hai, hai, hai)
I am finding warmth in your embrace
Dicht bij 't haardvuur (Hai, hai, hai)
We are sitting close to the fireplace
O, wat kan 't toch gezellig zijn
Winter is cozy
Kaarsen die branden (Hai, hai, hai)
Candles are lit
En glazen, gevuld met wijn
Glasses filled with wine
Reikende handen, hechtere banden
Hands reaching, relationships strengthened
Laat dit toch altijd zo zijn
May it always be this way
Contributed by Colin P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
martine sack
Blijft een mooi nummer.
Patrick Sprenkels
Heel mooi