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.
San Francisco
Jan Rot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Al die mensen uit San Francisco zie je nu nooit meer lief zijn voor elkaar
Waar bleef die droom van San Francisco?
"Ban de bom" en "Rozen in je haar"
Zoveel jaar na San Francisco slaan de handen heel anders in elkaar
Vredesgeneratie, nu in obligaties
Mm, jongens in bonus
Mm, jongens in bonus, jongens in bonus
Waar bleef die droom van San Francisco?
Meer dan ййn zomer lief zijn voor elkaar
Mooie droom van San Francisco
"Ban de bom" en "Johnson moordenaar"
Droom jij ook van San Francisco?
Schud die roos maar liever uit je haar
Jan Rot's song "San Francisco" laments the fading hope of love and peace that was once embodied by the city in the late 1960s. The first verse mourns that the people who once wore flowers in their hair and were affectionate towards one another are no longer visible in San Francisco. The second verse questions where the dream of San Francisco, the one that encouraged people to protest against nuclear weapons and beautify their hair with flowers, disappeared.
The chorus follows with the argument that the peace generation that once rooted in San Francisco has now turned towards financial greed and has forgotten their original dream of a united and peaceful society. The people who once believed in "ban the bomb" and "flowers in your hair" are now investing in bonds and striving for bonuses. The lyrics suggest that the unity that once existed is now lost, and individuals focus on benefiting themselves rather than the greater good.
The final verse poses the question of whether the listener also dreams of San Francisco, but instead of trying to replicate the past, they suggest that it is better to remove the memory of the flower from your hair, implying that it is best to move on from the past and focus on the present.
Overall, Jan Rot's song "San Francisco" is a reflective piece that mourns the loss of a thriving and loving society and highlights how, over time, it has now transitioned into a society dominated by financial gains devoid of the original dream of unity and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Al die mensen uit San Francisco dragen nu nooit meer bloemen in hun haar
The people of San Francisco no longer wear flowers in their hair
Al die mensen uit San Francisco zie je nu nooit meer lief zijn voor elkaar
The people of San Francisco are no longer kind to each other
Waar bleef die droom van San Francisco?
Where did the dream of San Francisco go?
"Ban de bom" en "Rozen in je haar"
"Ban the bomb" and "Flowers in your hair"
Zoveel jaar na San Francisco slaan de handen heel anders in elkaar
Many years after San Francisco, hands come together differently
Vredesgeneratie, nu in obligaties
Peace generation, now in bonds
Mm, jongens in bonus
Mm, boys with bonuses
Eйn verenigde natie leed aan devaluatie
One united nation suffered from devaluation
Mm, jongens in bonus, jongens in bonus
Mm, boys with bonuses, boys with bonuses
Waar bleef die droom van San Francisco?
Where did the dream of San Francisco go?
Meer dan ййn zomer lief zijn voor elkaar
Being kind to each other for more than one summer
Mooie droom van San Francisco
Beautiful dream of San Francisco
"Ban de bom" en "Johnson moordenaar"
"Ban the bomb" and "Johnson murderer"
Droom jij ook van San Francisco?
Do you also dream of San Francisco?
Schud die roos maar liever uit je haar
Shake that rose out of your hair instead
Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.