Rather than singing in English, as is common practice among Dutch bands, BLØF produces songs in their native Dutch, vastly contributing to the popularization of Nederpop, as the genre has been known in the Netherlands..
Besides having deeply sensitive lyrics, BLØF incorporates sounds from around the world. Their hit song Aanzoek zonder ringen (Proposal without rings) uses Japanese kodo drums in the background, while their album, Umoja, was the result of a journey around the world to capture multi-national sounds.
Critics claim that their formula for success is the way they crafted songs; they try to find the ideal balance between alternative and popular rock, poetic lyrics, and the voice of Paskal Jakobsen. This has brought BLØF the hits, awards, airplay, and (inter-)national recognition that has propelled these four musicians into the most successful Dutch-language group in recent years.
Besides success, BLØF has also had its fair share of tragedy. Drummer Chris Götte, who replaced Henk Tjoonk in 1997, died in a motor crash on March 17th, 2001. When the news got out, the Bløf website was filled with condolences from fans and friends. In June, the band released a memorial album called Oog In Oog (Eye to eye). The revenue for the album was donated to War Child. Norman Bonink (who came from Frank Boeijen Groep) joined the band that same year and continues to be their drummer today.
Barcelona
Bløf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ik keek uit over de stad, over het water
Ik zocht naar iets van jou, maar vond alleen iets van mezelf
Het zei me niets, dat was voor later
Ik zat in Parc Guell
Tussen Gaudi's mozaïeken
Zo gebroken en zo bont en blauw
De Ramblas op en neer, ik hoorde wel muziek
Maar ik wist dat die voorgoed veranderd was
En er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Meer dan eens dacht ik dat ik je zag in deze stad
Dat je ergens heel even op me wachtte
Aan een tafel in het midden, maar toen ik goed keek was er niets
Een visioen breekt zo in twee bij een gedachte
Ik at op straat
En dronk door diepe dalen
Liet me rijden door de stad
Langs de hoeren en de kroegen en de havens
Van noord naar zuid, maar nergens iets te halen
En ik wist dat ik voorgoed veranderd was
En er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Ooit kom ik terug
Ga ik Picasso achterna
De harde rake streken
Van een zinderend penseel
Een herinnering vooraf
De herinnering aan jou
Aan hoe je er niet was
En hoe je er nooit komen zou
Geschilderd in je favoriete geel
Dan is er iets in Barcelona, iets in Barcelona
Er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
The lyrics to Bløf's song Barcelona describe the singer's experience visiting the city of Barcelona. Initially, the singer finds himself on the 30th floor of a building, searching for something of his lover in the city but only finding a reflection of himself. The lyrics then describe the singer's experience visiting the famous Parc Guell, designed by the artist Gaudi, and feeling as broken and colorful as the mozaïeken around him. The singer hears music on the Ramblas but feels that the city has changed and there is nothing left for him there.
The second verse of the song speaks to the singer's continued search for something in Barcelona, perhaps for his lover. He imagines seeing her on the streets, but the vision breaks as soon as he has it. The singer eats on the streets and drinks through the city, but still, nothing seems to satisfy him. He recognizes that he has been forever changed by his experiences in the city and that there is nothing left there for him. However, he ends the song with a glimmer of hope, suggesting that he will return to Barcelona to follow in the footsteps of the artist Picasso and create a memory of his own, a memory of his love, perhaps something that will make the city special to him again.
Line by Line Meaning
De 30ste verdieping was voor mij niet hoog genoeg
I felt unfulfilled, looking for something more despite being in a high place
Ik keek uit over de stad, over het water
Observing the surroundings, perhaps in search of something
Ik zocht naar iets van jou, maar vond alleen iets van mezelf
Attempting to find something that connects me to you, but finding only aspects of myself
Het zei me niets, dat was voor later
This realization meant nothing to me at the time, but would become important in the future
Ik zat in Parc Guell
I was in Parc Guell
Tussen Gaudi's mozaïeken
Surrounded by Gaudi's mosaic designs
Zo gebroken en zo bont en blauw
Feeling shattered and bruised
Als alles in mijn hoofd en in mijn hart
Similar to my thoughts and emotions
De Ramblas op en neer, ik hoorde wel muziek
Walking up and down Ramblas, hearing music
Maar ik wist dat die voorgoed veranderd was
Aware that things would never be the same again
En er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Despite being in Barcelona, I couldn't find anything worthwhile
Meer dan eens dacht ik dat ik je zag in deze stad
I kept thinking that I saw you in the city
Dat je ergens heel even op me wachtte
That you were waiting for me somewhere
Aan een tafel in het midden, maar toen ik goed keek was er niets
Perhaps imagining you at a table, but realizing it wasn't true
Een visioen breekt zo in twee bij een gedachte
A vision can easily be shattered by a single thought
Ik at op straat
Eating street food
En dronk door diepe dalen
Drinking through difficult times
Liet me rijden door de stad
Letting the city take me on a ride
Langs de hoeren en de kroegen en de havens
Passing by the prostitutes, bars, and ports
Van noord naar zuid, maar nergens iets te halen
Travelling from north to south, but not finding anything of value
En ik wist dat ik voorgoed veranderd was
Aware that I had undergone a permanent change
Ooit kom ik terug
One day, I will return
Ga ik Picasso achterna
Following in the footsteps of Picasso
De harde rake streken
The bold and harsh strokes
Van een zinderend penseel
From an electrically-charged brush
Een herinnering vooraf
A premonition of a memory
De herinnering aan jou
The memory of you
Aan hoe je er niet was
How you were not there
En hoe je er nooit komen zou
And how you never would come there
Geschilderd in je favoriete geel
Painted in your favorite shade of yellow
Dan is er iets in Barcelona, iets in Barcelona
Only then will there be something worthwhile in Barcelona
Er was niets in Barcelona, niets in Barcelona
Despite being in Barcelona, I couldn't find anything worthwhile
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER SLAGER, PASKAL JAKOBSEN, BAS KENNIS, NORMAN BONINK, BAS JAN BAS KENNIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind