Formed in 1981 by brothers Hans en Huub van der Lubbe and friend Daniel Derks, De Dijk caught the wave of Dutch rock music, which they've ridden for many decades now. Having worked with a number of Amsterdam based groups with very little success for close to a decade prior to forming the band, the brothers shifted their attention to their new project featuring Dutch lyrics in 1981.
At the time most rock bands in the area performed either in English or German, making De Dijk something of an anomaly in the market at the time. The band's 1982 eponymous debut record was an enormous success. Joined by keyboard player Pim Kops and drummer Antonie Broek, De Dijk's sophomore release Nooit Meer Tarzan (1983) was underwhelming in both sales and popularity, causing the band to lose their contract with Dureco. Though it took the group a few years to recover, many successful records were soon to follow, beginning with 1985's Elke Dag Een Nieuwe Hoed and the Zilveren Harp Award winning Wakker in Een Vreemde Wereld (1987). De Dijk toured and recorded regularly throughout the late '80s and '90s, becoming one of the Netherland's most prominent rock innovators.
Their poetic lyrics, penned by Huub van der Lubbe, would influence an entire generation of European musicians. In 2006 the band played a show honoring their 25th anniversary at the Rotterdam Ahoy Theatre, kicking off an extensive tour. That same year they made their first appearance on Billboard charts with their record Zullen We Dansen 1981-2006, which ranked in the European Top 100 category.
Before the name "De Dijk" came into view, the band was known as "Stampei".
De Dijk is made up of:
* Huub van der Lubbe (vocals)
* Antoine Broek (drums)
* Nico Arzbach (guitar)
* Hans van der Lubbe (bass)
* Pim Kops (keyboard)
with additional guitar/organ playing by J.B. Meyers
and they are backed by the Hot Haarlemmerdijk Horns:
* Roland Brunt (tenor saxophone)
* Peter van Soest (trumpet)
Shortly after forming, they became famous with their first hit "Bloedend hart" and found their way to a broad audience with their albums "Wakker in een vreemde wereld" and "Niemand in de stad". De Dijk is widely acclaimed for their live performances. Still going strong after all these years, although less successful in scoring hit singles. Their biggest hit in the Netherlands has been "Als ze er niet is" (1994).
Deze Stad
De Dijk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
altijd wat
niks van plan
toch weer plat
wil of niet
je gaat mee
deze stad
kent geen nee
en je weet wel dat het afloopt
met een koffer vol berouw
deze stad is een hele mooie vrouw
neonlicht
oogopslag
vlees is zwak
overstag
geen verweer
geen excuus
leven eens
leven nu
en wat draait ze met haar heupen
en wat sluit haar truitje nauw
deze stad is een veel te mooie vrouw
een veel te mooie vrouw
je geeft alles wat je hebt
maar zij geeft geen moer om jou
deze stad
meer dan zat
niks van plan
toch weer plat
graag of graag
ja of ja
deze stad kent
geen gena
en je weet wel hoe het afloopt
maar wat zijn haar ogen blauw
deze stad is een veel te mooie vrouw
een veel te mooie vrouw
je geeft alles wat je hebt
maar zij geeft geen moer om jou
De Dijk's song, "Deze Stad," is a rock ballad that captures the love-hate relationship between a man and the city. The lyrics describe how the city is always buzzing with excitement, and even though a person may not plan to get caught up in its frenzy, it inevitably happens. The city is open, ready for anything, and you must follow or get left behind. It never says no, and everyone knows how it will end - with a suitcase full of regret. The city is portrayed as a beautiful woman, someone you can't help but admire and fall for, but ultimately, she will break your heart.
The song's narrator is mesmerized by the city, its neon lights, and the people - especially the beautiful women. The desire to be a part of the action is too strong, and before he knows it, he is under the city's spell. The city's allure is captivating, and resistance is futile. The singer recognizes the city as a beautiful woman, someone who can turn heads with just a single glance. She is charming, and nobody can deny her. She is the unattainable love, the one who never truly loves back.
The final verse repeats the initial mantra of the city's power - to keep you hooked, to keep you coming back for more. The singer concedes, he is more than sick of her, but there is no escaping the city's hold on him. It is a love-hate relationship that keeps drawing them back despite the pain they feel.
Line by Line Meaning
deze stad
This city
altijd wat
Always something going on
niks van plan
Nothing planned
toch weer plat
Yet it's always back on its feet
wil of niet
Whether you like it or not
je gaat mee
You go along with it
deze stad
This city
kent geen nee
Knows no 'no'
en je weet wel dat het afloopt
And you know how it ends
met een koffer vol berouw
With a suitcase full of regret
deze stad is een hele mooie vrouw
This city is a very beautiful woman
neonlicht
Neon light
oogopslag
Eye contact
vlees is zwak
Flesh is weak
overstag
Overpowered
geen verweer
No defense
geen excuus
No excuse
leven eens
Life once
leven nu
Life now
en wat draait ze met haar heupen
And how she moves her hips
en wat sluit haar truitje nauw
And how her top fits tightly
deze stad is een veel te mooie vrouw
This city is a far too beautiful woman
een veel te mooie vrouw
A far too beautiful woman
je geeft alles wat je hebt
You give everything you have
maar zij geeft geen moer om jou
But she doesn't give a damn about you
deze stad
This city
meer dan zat
More than fed up
niks van plan
Nothing planned
toch weer plat
Yet it's always back on its feet
graag of graag
Willingly or not
ja of ja
Yes or yes
deze stad kent
This city knows
geen gena
No mercy
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.