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.
Laura
Jan Smit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
nagestreefd.
Dij.. de geur van grootse moed, stroomt nog door haar bloed, maar
waarom..??
Haar naam is Laura, een hele lieve meid
Als ik in haar ogen kijk ben ik de weg heel even kwijt.
O Laura, een leven vol verdriet, al haar vrienden lopen buiten
Maar voor Laura geldt dat niet
Proef de smaak van haar gevecht, het is zo onterecht, maar daar legt zij
zich bij neer
Hoor de stemmen in haar hoofd, waardoor ze weer geloofd, maar waarom..??
Haar naam is Laura, een hele lieve meid
Als ik in haar ogen kijk ben ik de weg heel even kwijt.
O Laura, een leven vol verdriet, al haar vrienden lopen buiten
Maar voor Laura geldt dat niet
Maar waarom is alles nu voorbij.
Laat het leven je nooit meer vrij
Haar naam is Laura, een hele lieve meid
Als ik in haar ogen kijk ben ik de weg heel even kwijt.
O Laura, een leven vol verdriet, al haar vrienden lopen buiten
Maar voor Laura geldt dat niet
The song "Laura" by Jan Smit reflects the life of a girl named Laura who seems to be unhappy despite having many friends. The song talks about Laura's struggle with something that is not clearly defined but seems to be the source of her sadness. She shows a lack of emotion and seems like an impossible goal. However, people still strive for her attention. Laura is portrayed as a fighter, but the struggle seems unfair to her, which makes her question why she even bothers anymore. The song highlights her feeling of being left behind while all her friends go out and enjoy life. It seems that Laura is trapped in her own thoughts; she hears different voices in her head but finds a way to believe in herself.
The song portrays a sad and lonely girl, but it also praises her for being strong and fighting for herself in a difficult situation. Despite everything, Laura remains a sweet girl, and her eyes have the power to captivate the singer. The song suggests that Laura's problems may be internal, and she may need help to overcome them finally. Although the end of the song seems to suggest that Laura may have given up or lost hope, it encourages the listener never to let life take away their freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Kijk.. ze lacht zonder gevoel, Een onbereikbaar doel, Wordt er toch nog nagestreefd.
Laura puts on a smile without feeling it; she seems like an unattainable goal, but people still pursue her anyway.
Dij.. de geur van grootse moed, stroomt nog door haar bloed, maar waarom..??
Despite the hardships Laura has faced, she still has a sense of courage within her, but it's unclear why.
Haar naam is Laura, een hele lieve meid Als ik in haar ogen kijk ben ik de weg heel even kwijt. O Laura, een leven vol verdriet, al haar vrienden lopen buiten Maar voor Laura geldt dat niet
Laura is a sweet girl, and when the singer looks into her eyes, they feel momentarily lost. Laura's life is full of sadness, and while her friends seem to be moving on, she is not able to do the same.
Proef de smaak van haar gevecht, het is zo onterecht, maar daar legt zij zich bij neer
Laura has been through a lot of struggles, which feel unjust to her, but she has learned to accept them.
Hoor de stemmen in haar hoofd, waardoor ze weer geloofd, maar waarom..??
Laura hears voices in her head, but it's unclear what they are saying or why they make her believe in something.
Maar waarom is alles nu voorbij. Laat het leven je nooit meer vrij
Something has ended in Laura's life, and the singer is wondering why. They urge her to never let life hold her back again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Raksin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grietje Van Nijlen
Steeds mooie, intense nummers ..
Prachtige zanger ;-)
Marianne Van der Veen
Mooi liedje💋❤🥂🍾
Nicole
Gewoon PRACHTIG!!x
Angela Volkheim
Schönes Lied 🤗
Magda-Lena Aerts
Prachtig!
retraité paisible
zeer goede zanger, mijn favoriet !!!!!
Laura Haze
zo betoverend mooi
Nancy Snoeij Kiewit
Mooi lied prachtig jan
Louise Ouellet
👍❤😘
Laura Bruins
Ik heet laura en dit nummer vind ik zo mooi en me juf zong het ook al