Before he started his solo career, he was in indie rock band The Junes, and he was in the band of the popular Dutch singer Ilse deLange.
Signed to the 8Ball record label, Bertolf released his first album For Life in early 2009, followed the next year by Snakes And Ladders. 2012 saw the release of the epnymous Bertolf album. 2015's First & Then was his final album for 8Ball.
Between 2014 and 2018 a large chunk of Bertolf's time was devoted to touring as a member of the tribute band, Her Majesty. Named after the closing track of The Beatles' Abbey Road album, they especially gained prominence when they started performing the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (and other artists from their scene), to rave reviews in the Dutch press.
In the mean time, Bertolf signed with Excelsior Recordings, where his fifth and sixth solo albums were issued: the somewhat gloomy Big Shadows of Small Things (2019) and the very sunny, colorful, upbeat and particularly well-received Happy in Hindsight (2021).
Irisscan
Bertolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You take a look at my picture and then you look at me
You look suspicious now,
As if you can't see that the guy in the hotograph is really me
What will it take for you to open up and let me in
Do I have to show you all the places that I've been
Stop delaying me, I'm waiting for you to begin
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
I cannot do a thing without you even knowing
Wanna lose track, want to forget where we were going
We've past security, now take the road
To the gate, to take off with me don't be afraid
Not afraid
What will it take for you to open up and let me in
Do I have to show you all the places that I've been
Stop delaying me, I'm waiting for you to begin
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
Don't try to control, cause you'll never know until we're trying
No, we're not gonna fall cause I won't let go until we're flying
What will it take for you to open up and let me in
Do I have to show you all the places that I've been
Stop delaying me, I'm waiting for you to begin
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
Irisscan, irisscan
The lyrics of Bertolf's song Irisscan can be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of a relationship that is being scrutinized and doubted. The persona of the song feels like he is being judged and evaluated, just like at customs, by the other person and is expressing his frustration and impatience to be accepted and trusted. He acknowledges that the other person is trying to detect whether he is genuine or not, just like in an irisscan, but he wants to be seen for who he really is, rather than being judged based on appearances or previous experiences. He is willing to prove himself by showing all the places he has been but he wants the other person to take the initiative and start trusting him because he wants to move forward and take off with them.
The song creates a sense of tension and urgency in the lyrics, with the repetition of the question, "What will it take for you to open up and let me in?" It portrays the feeling of being stuck in a limbo where progress is not possible until the other person starts reciprocating trust. The persona exudes confidence in his ability to make the relationship work, but he also wants to be accepted and not judged.
Overall, the song is about trust, communication and the willingness to let go of doubts and uncertainties in a relationship in order to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel like I am at customs and you are checking me
The singer feels like they are being interrogated and closely inspected
You take a look at my picture and then you look at me
The inspector compares the singer’s appearance with their identification photo
You look suspicious now,
The inspector is now suspicious about the singer’s identity
As if you can't see that the guy in the hotograph is really me
The artist is emphasizing that the person in the photo is indeed them
What will it take for you to open up and let me in
The artist pleads for the inspector to allow them to pass through
Do I have to show you all the places that I've been
The singer suggests providing evidence of their travels to prove their intention
Stop delaying me, I'm waiting for you to begin
The singer is impatient and wants the inspector to start the process of clearance
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
The inspector is interested in the artist’s travel itinerary
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
The artist feels frustrated that the inspector is not comprehending their language
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
The inspector wants to gather more biometric data of the artist to verify their identity
I cannot do a thing without you even knowing
The singer feels restricted since the inspector has a close watch on them
Wanna lose track, want to forget where we were going
The artist wants to escape the present situation and forget about their travel plans
We've past security, now take the road
The singer has cleared security and is ready to move forward in their journey
To the gate, to take off with me don't be afraid
The singer invites someone to join them and not be fearful of the journey ahead
What will it take for you to open up and let me in
The singer repeats their plea for clearance from the inspector
Do I have to show you all the places that I've been
The artist repeats their suggestion of providing evidence of travel
Stop delaying me, I'm waiting for you to begin
The artist repeats their frustration at the delay in clearance process
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
The inspector’s interest in the singer’s itinerary is repeated
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
The singer repeats their frustration at the inspector’s inability to understand their language
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
The artist repeats the inspector’s wish to gather more biometric data
Don't try to control, cause you'll never know until we're trying
The artist discourages the inspector from trying to control or predict the outcome of their journey
No, we're not gonna fall cause I won't let go until we're flying
The artist assures someone that they won't fail as long as they're determined to succeed
You wanna know where I will go and where I'm gonna land
The inspector’s interest in the singer’s itinerary is repeated
React as if I talk a language you don't understand
The artist repeats their frustration at the inspector’s inability to understand their language
You wanna take my fingerprints and make a irisscan
The singer repeats the inspector’s wish to gather more biometric data
Irisscan, irisscan
The chorus repeats the idea of biometric scanning as a means of identity verification
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BERTOLF LENTINK, GORDON GROOTHEDDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind