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.
Geen plaats voor jou
Jan Smit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je keek mij aan, onbewogen
Ik zei zacht, het is nu tijd om naar huis te gaan
Hand in hand, zonder woorden
Ik voelde mij zo verloren
Kon ik maar, voor heel even jouw hart verstaan
Waarom is de wereld, zo eenzaam en koud
Is op deze aarde, geen plaats meer voor jou
Na de strijd kwam de vrede
Soms heel kort, voor heel even
Want er was vaak een reden om door te gaan
Toch ben jij hier gekomen
Heel alleen, zonder dromen
En ik dacht, het is nu goed om naar huis te gaan
Waarom is de wereld, zo eenzaam en koud
Is op deze aadre geen plaats meer voor jou
The lyrics to Jan Smit's song "Geen plaats voor jou" (No Place for You) describe a melancholic scene of two people walking away from each other. The singer describes their companion with "donker haar" (dark hair) and "zwarte ogen" (black eyes), who looks at them without emotion. The singer says softly that it's time to go home, and they leave without any words but holding hands. The singer feels lost and wishes they could understand the other person's heart for a moment.
The lyrics then turn to a broader reflection on the loneliness and coldness of the world. The singer asks whether there's no more room for the other person in this world. They describe how some brief moments of peace and respite can occur after struggling through difficult times. The singer sees the other person as having come to this place alone and without dreams, and they feel it's time to go home.
The song's lyrics show a sense of wistfulness and longing for connection, whether on an individual or universal level. The imagery of the two people walking away from each other without saying anything speaks to a sense of unrequited love or missed opportunity. The broader themes of loneliness and feeling out of place in the world suggest a deeper exploration of existential questions.
Line by Line Meaning
Donker haar, zwarte ogen
Describing the physical appearance of the person being addressed
Je keek mij aan, onbewogen
Their expression was blank, showing no emotion or reaction
Ik zei zacht, het is nu tijd om naar huis te gaan
Softly expressing the desire or need to leave
Hand in hand, zonder woorden
Leaving without speaking, but still connected physically
Ik voelde mij zo verloren
Feeling lost or alone
Kon ik maar, voor heel even jouw hart verstaan
Wishing to understand the person's thoughts and feelings
Waarom is de wereld, zo eenzaam en koud
Questioning why the world can feel so lonely and harsh
Is op deze aarde, geen plaats meer voor jou
Wondering if there is no longer a place for the person being addressed on Earth
Na de strijd kwam de vrede
Noting that conflict was followed by peace
Soms heel kort, voor heel even
Recognizing that peace may only last a brief period of time
Want er was vaak een reden om door te gaan
Acknowledging that there is always a reason to keep moving forward
Toch ben jij hier gekomen
Observing that the person being addressed arrived despite the challenges
Heel alleen, zonder dromen
Commenting that the person may have come without aspirations or a clear vision
En ik dacht, het is nu goed om naar huis te gaan
Deciding that it was time to leave
Waarom is de wereld, zo eenzaam en koud
Echoing the initial question, pondering the state of the world
Is op deze aarde geen plaats meer voor jou
Repeating the earlier inquiry, suggesting a possible answer to the question
Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Christa Christiaens
Mooie liedjes prachtig jan smid ❤️
Christa Christiaens
Mooie liedjes prachtig jaNs
Christa Christiaens
🌹❤️
Monica S
😘❤
Deborah Meer
Debirah en aardig dat het jaar is er weer
Vesna Covo
Fantastische Schtimme hat der hübsche Jan uas Holand.❤️❤️❤️.
Deborah Meer
Der jaren geleden is er een beetje bij de eerste Je
Deborah Meer
D ik het jaar is er een beetje bij de eerste Je een beetje bij de eerste Je een beetje wordt het
smacilda Oliveira
Você e maravilhoso um bom meninoe agora homem marido e pai vozvaravilhosa