A long string of albums and singles followed. Rot became a cult phenomenon and was praised by many, but he was never overly successful commercially and became particularly well-known for cultivating his own lack of success.
2000 saw another major switch in Rot's career, as he discovered his talent as a translator of well-known songs into Dutch, including classical pieces. This became his new art form. Rot released another string of albums. He also wrote music for theatre and musical.
On 31 July 2021 Rot announced that he suffered from colon cancer: "I won't get better anymore." Doctors told him he had less than a year to live. He continued to perform, write and record for another eight months and, ten days prior to his passing, released his final studio album, I.p.v. Kaarten (2022).
Jan Rot passed away on 22 April 2022, at his home in Rotterdam.
Counting Sheep
Jan Rot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My head is full of melodies and I am counting sheep
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, I'm so down
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, I'm so tired
I'm counting sheep
Sheep, sheep, sheep
I'll stop this counting sheep, they're messin' up the floor and actually I cannot even stand no sheep no more
Let's count something else
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q are S T you V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q are S T you V W X Y Z
I'm counting sheep
The sound of clarinets is going 'round my head
I wonder if these clarinets will never go to bed?
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q are S T you V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q are S T you V W X Y Z
I can't stop counting sheep
I just can't feel asleep
I'm lying in my bed and I can't get asleep
I never use them pills 'cause the sandman's sand is cheap
I'm lying in my bed and I can't get asleep
My head is full of melodies and I am counting sheep
I'm tired of clarinets go peep-peep 'round my head
I wonder if these clarinets will never go to bed?
The song "Counting Sheep" by Jan Rot is a comical piece exploring the frustration of insomnia. The song begins with the singer lying in bed, unable to fall asleep despite being tired. He admits to having a head full of melodies that prevent him from relaxing, but he hopes that by counting sheep, he'll finally drift off to sleep. However, the sheep quickly become too much for him to handle, and he decides to count something else instead. The lyrics then shift to a series of alphabet recitations before reverting back to counting sheep.
Throughout the song, the singer's frustration grows as he tries various methods to fall asleep. His references to "Debbie" and clarinets add a touch of absurdity to the lyrics, highlighting the idea that sleeplessness can make even the simplest things seem strange.
Overall, "Counting Sheep" is a lighthearted take on a topic that many people struggle with. It captures the frustration of being unable to sleep while adding a whimsical twist with its references to Debbie and clarinets.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm lying in my bed and I can't get asleep
The singer is experiencing insomnia and is unable to sleep in bed.
My head is full of melodies and I am counting sheep
The person is trying to fall asleep but their mind is actively thinking of music and they are attempting to count sheep to get some reprieve.
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, I'm so down
The person is possibly in love with someone named Debbie and is upset or feeling down about some situation surrounding her.
Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, I'm so tired
The person may have been thinking about Debbie for a long time, causing exhaustion or emotional fatigue.
I'll stop this counting sheep, they're messin' up the floor and actually I cannot even stand no sheep no more
The person decides to stop counting sheep as it is not working and the imaginary sheep are causing a mess or annoyance.
Let's count something else
The person decides to count something else in order to try and fall asleep.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q are S T you V W X Y Z
The person starts reciting the alphabet in an attempt to fall asleep.
The sound of clarinets is going 'round my head
The person starts to hear the sound of clarinets, which is preventing them from sleeping.
I wonder if these clarinets will never go to bed?
The person questions if the persistent sound of the clarinet will ever stop, allowing him to sleep.
I can't stop counting sheep
Despite trying to count other things to fall asleep, the person is still fixated on counting sheep.
I just can't feel asleep
Despite their efforts, the person is still unable to fall asleep.
I never use them pills 'cause the sandman's sand is cheap
The person decides against taking sleeping pills, preferring to wait for their natural sleep to take over.
I'm tired of clarinets go peep-peep 'round my head
The person is exhausted and frustrated with the sound of the clarinet still going on in their head.
I wonder if these clarinets will never go to bed?
The person still hopes the sound of the clarinet will eventually stop so they can fall asleep.
Contributed by Keira M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bianca Morsink
Bedankt voor al jou mooie dingen die jij hebt gemaakt en gezongen enz. Rust zacht Jan 🙏. En zijn familie en vrienden heel veel sterkte gewenst en vooral in deze december maand. Ik hoop dat er in de top 2000 meerdere nummers van jou komen te staan. 🙏⚓❤️
Karin H
R.I.P Jan.. 😢. Sterkte voor de familie.. 💗
Richard Winters
Jan Rot. Topper. Sterkte man. Bedankt voor mooie momenten
Frederik Vandille
Bewijs dat een sterke tekst geen noodzaak is voor ijzersterk nummer, we missen je Jan...
Woodrow d'Arnault
Altijd al mijn favo liedje geweest!
R.I.P Jan.
Erwin Leenheer
In de tijd dat nummer uit kwam, ging ik naar de opnames van Veronica’s Count Down (Vereniging Nijmegen) Jan zong toen, samen met Fay Lovsky in het eerste deel van het programma. Het was het eerste ‘pop-concert’ waar ik heen ging. Het is mij altijd bijgebleven. Heel bijzonder dat ik binnenkort hem weer in een klein theater ga zien/horen. (De Molen, Beuningen) misschien dat ik nog (stiekem) een stukje kan/mag opnemen 😇
Eefio
Echte Neder- ska dit. Fantastisch 👍👍
Elly van Weerden
Super!! Is me altijd bij gebleven!
Richard Winters
Mij ook. Gek hè.
Stefaan Dewagenaere
Rust in vrede . Vond dit een mooie single.