Smit was discovered by Dutch middle of the road band BZN, who used his vocals in a duet called Mama. He has released several albums in Dutch and German since.
Jan dedicated the song Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen (means: I Sing this song just for you) to his grandmother. In 1997, Smit toured South Africa with popular Afrikaans singer Nádine. In 2000, Smit won the Grand Prix der Volksmusik singing Ich zeig dir die Berge with Oswald Sattler for South Tyrol. In 2001 Smit won the Exportprijs for his success in Germany, France and Italy. In Germany he became one of the best selling Dutch artists ever, with German-language albums specifically aimed at the German market.
After three big hits in the late 90's, Jan's popularity began to wane gradually. His albums Jan Smit 2000 #32 (2000), Zing en Lach (Sing and Laugh) #33 (2001), Zonder Jou (Without You) #40 and Op Eigen Benen (On My Own Feet) #45 sold fewer copies than his first two albums from his child star era.
However, Jan was still very popular in Germany, where he spent most of his time touring. 2005 marked his comeback in his home country, when regional television host Willie Oosterhuis picked up a Jan Smit song recorded in 2003, 'Als de nacht verdwijnt' ('When the night is over'). Willie heavily plugged the song on his show, resulting in a medium sized hit.
During the same period Dutch broadcaster TROS wanted to produce a real life soap about Jan, with the focus on his life as a teenage star in Germany and The Netherlands, and on his private life in the picturesque seaside village of Volendam. The reality soap became a TV hit and an accompanying album, 'Vrienden voor het leven' ('Homies for life') brought Jan back at the top of the charts for the first time in a few years. It was written for his cousin Niek Smit(s), who lives in Maastricht.
In 2006 Smit had several big selling hit singles, such as 'Laura' (about a friend who died of cancer), 'Als de morgen is gekomen' ('When the morning has come') and 'Cupido' (Cupid). Jan usually includes special tracks on his CD singles, such as live recordings, previously unreleased tracks and CD-ROM-content, which makes his singles more interesting for his hardcore fanbase. In 2007 he topped the single charts again with "Op Weg Naar Geluk" (On The Road To Happiness) and with "Dan Volg Je Haar Benen" ('And then you check out her legs'), and the album charts also with the album "Op Weg Naar Geluk" (the album sold 160.000 copies in its first four days after being released, more than double platinum).
In 2006 he also recorded "Kerst voor Iedereen" (Christmas for Everyone) which was a Christmas-duet with Dutch tv-host Bridget Maasland as a part of Dutch tv-show Katja vs Bridget. He later on recorded this song with his younger sister Monique Smit, who recently also started a singing career
In 2007 he planned to tour the Netherlands again with the "Jan Smit Komt Naar Je Toe"-tour (Jan Smit Comes To You) but due to problems with his vocal cords this tour had to be postponed. For at least 6 months Jan Smit has to rest his voice.
'Dan volg je haar benen' was Jan's fifth Number One single in The Netherlands, making him one of the most successful soloists in Dutch chart history. Only George Michael and Dutch singer Marco Borsato had more Number Ones.
Calypso
Jan Smit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To ride on the crest of a wild raging storm
To work in the service of life and the living
In search of the answers to questions unknown
To be part of the movement and part of the growing
Part of beginning to understand
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to
The stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
Like the dolphin who guides you
You bring us beside you
To light up the darkness and show us the way
For though we are strangers in your silent world
To live on the land we must learn from the sea
To be true as the tide
And free as the wind-swell
Joyful and loving in letting it be
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to
The things that you've shown us
The stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to
The things that you've shown us
The stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
In the song "Calypso," Jan Smit and John Denver pay tribute to the oceans and the people who work to protect it. Opening with the beautiful metaphor of sailing on a dream on a crystal clear ocean, the song goes on to describe the wild and unpredictable nature of the sea, likening it to a wild raging storm. The singers are portrayed as individuals who work in the service of life, in search of answers to questions unknown. They are part of a growing movement of people who strive to understand and preserve the ocean and its creatures.
The chorus is addressed to Calypso, a mythological sea nymph who is associated with the depths of the ocean and the mysteries it holds. The singers sing to her spirit, praising her for the places she has been and the things she has shown them. They praise the men who have served her, implying that they themselves have also dedicated their lives to the protection of the ocean.
The verse that follows uses the metaphor of a dolphin that guides Calypso to lead us to new insights and "light up the darkness" of our ignorance. While we may be strangers to the world beneath the waves, we must learn from it if we want to live on the land. The singers call for us to be true and free like the tide and wind-swell, joyful and loving in our acceptance of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
To sail on a dream on a crystal clear ocean
To pursue an elusive dream on a serene expanse of water.
To ride on the crest of a wild raging storm
To experience the exhilaration of an intense and unpredictable tempest.
To work in the service of life and the living
To be dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of existence.
In search of the answers to questions unknown
Striving to unravel the mysteries of discoveries yet uncharted.
To be part of the movement and part of the growing
To contribute to a cause and participate in a continuous evolution.
Part of beginning to understand
At the initial stages of comprehending their purpose and meaning.
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to
Ah, Calypso, the destinations you traveled to.
The things that you've shown us
The sights and experiences that you've unveiled to us.
The stories you tell
The narratives that you share with us.
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
Ah, Calypso, I honor your essence.
The men who have served you
The individuals who have aided and supported you.
So long and so well
For such a prolonged duration and with such great proficiency.
Like the dolphin who guides you
Similar to the mammal that navigates your path.
You bring us beside you
You invite us to join you.
To light up the darkness and show us the way
To provide enlightenment and direction during moments of obscurity.
For though we are strangers in your silent world
Although we are unfamiliar with your quiet realm.
To live on the land we must learn from the sea
To exist on the earth, we must gain knowledge from the ocean.
To be true as the tide
To remain faithful like the ebb and flow of the tide.
And free as the wind-swell
And liberated like the gusts of wind.
Joyful and loving in letting it be
Ecstatic and affectionate in embracing the present moment.
Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Suzanne Berger
Helemaal mooi. Wat een mooie Liedje en duett. 🙏👍👍🎶🎵🎼🎤
AnyaSilka
I love You singing with the wonderful John Denver! What a great experience for you! You sing so very beautifully with him and harmonise so very well! I just love this song!! You are an amazing LEGEND dear Jan Smit!! God Bless and Thank You!!🙏👌🎶🇩🇪
Monica S
😘❤Too good.!