1. Fr… Read Full Bio ↴Two musicians from The Netherlands are known as Frank Boeijen:
1. Frank Boeijen is a Dutch singer/songwriter, who was the front man of popular (and eponymous) pop group De Frank Boeijen Groep from 1980 until 1991, the year he went solo. As leader of De Frank Boeijen Groep, Boeijen was one of the pioneers of Nederpop; along with the likes of Doe Maar en Het Goede Doel. After the peak of Nederpop passed, Boeijen broke new ground by touring theatres with his band and bringing pop music to new auditoriums and audiences. As a solo artist, he has kept to this theatre based approach of his music and maintained a productive pace.
Frank Boeijen was born in Nijmegen, The Netherlands on November 27, 1957, as the last in a family of ten children. His father was a typesetter in a factory. His older brothers were into American pop music; in the Boeijen household, Bob Dylan and Neil Young were often to be found on the record player (years later, Boeijen would write a song about this, appropriately titled Robbert Zimmerman). Young Frank learned to play the guitar. After finishing high school, Boeijen started a musical collaboration with guitarist Wout Pennings. Boeijen en Pennings released an album together in 1977. The songs of the album were re-recorded and the album was re-released a year later, with Rob de Nijs acting as producer. It was appropriately titled Boeijen en Pennings. To fulfil live engagements, drummer Henk Wanders en bass player Nels Busch joined the duo.
Pennings left the band in 1979 and was replaced with guitar player Wil Theunissen. The name was changed into the Frank Boeijen Groep. The b-side of their fist single, a song entitled Verjaardagsfeest was picked on up by radio disc jockey Frits Spits, who played the record a lot during his evening show. The group released their debut album, simply entitled Frank Boeijen Groep, album later that year. On the base of the airplay of Verjaardagsfeest, the album reached the Tipparade.
Nederpop, pop music with Dutch vocals, was becoming a mainstream success in the early eighties, and the Frank Boeijen Groep hitched a wagon to that train, when their single Linda, reached the Top Forty. Zwart Wit, another single, written after a racial murder had taken place in Amsterdam, became a number one hit. 1982's Twee and 1983's 1001 Hotel became big sellers.
In 1984, the Frank Boeijen Groep was awarded the Zilveren Harp by Conamus. In that same year, album Kontakt was released. Lead guitarist Wil Theunissen quit the group later that year and replaced with Maarten Peters, who himself was replaced two years later by Ger Hoeijmakers. In 1985, the group released Foto Van Een Mooie Dag. Single Kronenburg Park -- named after Kronenburger Park a park in Nijmegen, Boeijen's place of birth and residence -- became a huge success. Follow up, In Nature, released in 1986, didn't do as well, but still sold respectively.
Towards the end of the eighties, Boeijen's music fell somewhere in between het levenslied of André Hazes, the chansons of Ramses Shaffy and the pop of Doe Maar. According to Frank Boeijen and his manager Paul Schouwenaars the group had outgrown clubs and tents. With the release of album Welkom In Utopia in 1987, the group decided to tour Dutch theatres. The Welkom In Utopia tour started in the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam in September of the same year. Two more albums were released: studio album Een Zomer Aan Het Eind Van De Twintigste Eeuw (1989) and live album Hier Komt De Storm. During these years, Frank Boeijen dated Sky Channel presenter Amanda Redington. The two would marry in 1990. The album Dans In Slow Motion, released in 1988, was written for her. In juni 1994 scheidden ze weer van elkaar.
In the spring of 1991, Boeijen announced the ending of his group. In November of that year, he released his first solo album Wilde Bloemen. The musicians on the album were drummer Norman Bonink, guitar player Peter van Benthem and bass player Michel van Schie. Van Schie was replaced by touring bass player René te Voortwis, and pianist Ton Snijders was also recorded. Wilde Bloemen featured several duets with other well known Dutch musicians, among them were: Twee Gezichten, a song written and recorded with Henk Hofstede of The Nits); and Het IJs, written and recorded with Henny Vrienten of Doe Maar).
In the summer of 1993, Boeijen recorded Jazz in Barcelona; an album concerned with the break up between him and Amanda Redington. The subsequent theatre tour was a big success, with sold out shows every evening. Traces of Boeijen's break up were also to be found on next album De Ontmoeting (1994 - an even more spare and intimate affair than Jazz In Barcelona. De Ontmoeting also featured a single, Twee Mannen Zo Stil, with music and lyrics by Boeijen and Stef Bos. Although the single failed to mount the charts, over the years it became a Nederpop classic, often played at funerals. In the same year, Boeijen produced an album for Liesbeth List, the female voice of Ramses Shaffy's recordings. In 1995, another live album, Stormvogels, hit the shelves.
Boeijen returned with two new albums in 1997: a greatest hits compilation, Het Beste En Het Mooiste and an album of new material, Vaderland. The year before, Boeijen had travelled extensively through Asia, and a lot of the songs, although concerning Boeijen and The Netherlands, were written from a distant perspective. In 1999, De Ballade van de Dromedaris, recorded in Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio's appeared, followed by live album Door De Jaren Heen, containing several duets with Ramses Shaffy, Liesbeth List and Stef Bos. Both albums were big sellers. In 2001, Heden, was released. Drummer Norman Bonink left the group to join BLØF. He seat was filled by Oscar Kraal. Helder contained a collaboration between Boeijen and BLØF front man Paskal Jakobsen, single Geen Gevaar. The song was released in the summer of 2002. In the same year, Boeijen won an Edison award as best singer.
2. Frank Boeijen is also the name of the keyboardist for the Dutch group The Gathering.
Het Antwoord
Frank Boeijen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Hoor het antwoord)
De geschiedenis herhaalt zich (hoor het antwoord)
Dag of nacht je weet dat het te laat is
Iedere keer weer proberen
Maar wanneer zal ik het leren
Dit bed is koud alleen (hoor het antwoord)
Vrijheid is soms van steen
Ik nam afscheid van de liefde
Begroet de muziek diep in me
En ik hoor het ruisen in het glas tegen mijn oor
Ik hoor, ik hoor, ik hoor iemand, iemand fluisteren in het glas tegen mijn oor
(Ga door, ga door)
(Hoor het antwoord)
(Hoor het antwoord)
In dit hotel ben je nooit alleen (hoor het antwoord)
De bedden kraken door de muren heen
En de dames in dit foto-blad vragen of ik nog wensen had
Maar dit is wat ik wil (hoor het antwoord)
Geluk is niet aan mij besteed
Geluk, geluk is een hangmat waarin je
Lui ligt in een wezenloze stilte
Geluk, geluk is een hangmat waarin je
Lui ligt in een wezenloze stilte
Maar ik hoor het ruisen in het glas tegen mijn oor
Ik hoor, ik hoor, ik hoor iemand, iemand fluisteren in het glas tegen mijn oor
Ik hoor het antwoord in het glas tegen mijn oor
(Ga door, ga door)
(Hoor het antwoord)
(Hoor het antwoord)
Alle menschen werder bruder
Maar ik blijf liever alleen
Liever alleen
Alle menschen werder bruder
Maar ik blijf liever alleen
Liever alleen
Alle menschen werder bruder
Maar ik blijf liever alleen
Liever alleen
Alle menschen werder bruder
Maar ik blijf liever alleen
Liever alleen
(Papaa papapapaw, papaa papapapaw)
(Papaa papapapaw, papaa papapapaw)
(Papaa papapapaw, papaa papapapaw)
(Papaa papapapaw, papaa papapapaw)
The song "Het Antwoord" by Frank Boeijen tells the story of a man who is going through a difficult time in his life. He recognizes that history repeats itself and that he has been in this position before. He is lying in his cold bed, realizing that freedom can sometimes feel like a burden. He has given up on love and has found solace in music. The man hears someone whispering in his glass, urging him to continue, to find the answer. He's staying in a hotel where he is never truly alone, but he prefers it that way. The beds creak through the walls, and the women in the photo magazine ask if he has any desires, but he knows that happiness is not meant for him. He sees it as a hammock where one can lie lazily in a senseless silence. The song ends with a repeated phrase- "Alle menschen werder bruder" which translates to "All people become brothers" in German, but he prefers to be alone.
Line by Line Meaning
De geschiedenis herhaalt zich (hoor het antwoord)
The past repeats itself and we need to listen to its message
Dag of nacht je weet dat het te laat is
Whether it's day or night, the realization that it's already too late hits us
Iedere keer weer proberen
Yet, we keep trying again and again
Maar wanneer zal ik het leren
Questioning when we will finally learn from our mistakes
Dit bed is koud alleen (hoor het antwoord)
Feeling lonely, lying in a cold bed, listening for an answer
Vrijheid is soms van steen
Freedom can sometimes feel like a burden
Ik nam afscheid van de liefde
Saying goodbye to love
Begroet de muziek diep in me
Greeting the music within myself
En ik hoor het ruisen in het glas tegen mijn oor
Hearing the sound of the glass against my ear
Ik hoor, ik hoor, ik hoor iemand, iemand fluisteren in het glas tegen mijn oor
Hearing someone whispering in my ear through the glass
(Ga door, ga door)
Keep going, don't give up
In dit hotel ben je nooit alleen (hoor het antwoord)
Even in a hotel room, we're never truly alone and we're still searching for answers
De bedden kraken door de muren heen
The creaking of the beds can be heard through the walls
En de dames in dit foto-blad vragen of ik nog wensen had
The women in the magazine are asking about my desires
Maar dit is wat ik wil (hoor het antwoord)
Despite temptation, I still seek answers
Geluk is niet aan mij besteed
Happiness is not meant for me
Geluk, geluk is een hangmat waarin je
Happiness is like a hammock where we can just relax
Lui ligt in een wezenloze stilte
Lazily lying in silence without a purpose
Alle menschen werder bruder
All people become brothers
Maar ik blijf liever alleen
But I prefer to be alone
(Papaa papapapaw, papaa papapapaw)
Instrumental section
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jay van Asten
Heerlijk die Dutch New Wave...heel dit album van Frank en z'n groep trouwens.
Industrect
Terug in de Alpen met dit nummer, op de achterbank in de auto met m’n ouders. Blij dat ik hiermee opgegroeid ben 👌🏻
Carla Timmer
Frank Boeyen ga door🎶🎸🎹🎼🎵🎤🎧📼📀geef niet op❗️♥️
Charlie-girl
Geweldig!!boeijend!