Johannes Hendricus Maria "Jan" Smit (born December 31, 1985) is a Dutch pop… Read Full Bio ↴Johannes Hendricus Maria "Jan" Smit (born December 31, 1985) is a Dutch pop music and schlager singer. He scored his first number one position in the Dutch charts with Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen (I sing this song only for you) in 1997. Being 12 years of age back then, he was known as Jantje Smit.

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.

Lisa
Jan Smit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey, noch gestern waren wir Zehn,
mit aufgeschlagenen Knien
einfach kinder Sie und ich.
Ach, ich fand sie immer cool
Wir hatten so viel Spaß, sie und ich.
(Refrain)
Ich denk an Lisa
Der allererste Kuss und auch sie hat nicht gewusst

wie sowas geht wie man das macht.
Ohhh Lisa
Auch wenn wir Kinder waren wird sie immer jemand sein den ich
nie vergessen kann
Hey, wir haben uns geschworen
uns niemals zu verlieren
doch genau das ist passiert.
Wo, sie ist und wie sie lebt
Ob sie vielleicht studiert
Weiß ich nicht.
(Refrain)
Ich denk an Lisa
Der allererste Kuss und auch sie hat nicht gewusst
Wie sowas geht wie man das macht
Ohhh Lisa
Auch wenn wir Kinder waren wird sie immer jemand sein den ich
nie vergessen kann
Irgendwann, werd' ich sie wiedersehen (werde ich sie wiedersehen)
Wenn die Sterne, uns günstig stehen.
(Refrain)
Ich denk an Lisa
Der allererste Kuss und auch sie hat nicht gewusst
Wie sowas geht wie man das macht
Ohhh Lisa

Auch wenn wir Kinder waren wird sie immer jemand sein den ich
nie vergessen kann.

Overall Meaning

The song "Lisa" by Jan Smit tells a nostalgic tale about a childhood friendship that has been lost over time. The lyrics suggest that the singer and Lisa were close friends as children, who spent their days playing and having fun together. He reminisces about the good old days when they were so carefree and their biggest worry was the bruises and scratches they got from their childhood adventures. The chorus emphasizes the strong emotional connection he feels towards Lisa, including their shared experience of having their first kiss together. Throughout the song, there is a sense of regret that the two friends have grown apart and that despite their promises to stay in contact, they have lost touch with each other over the years.

Additionally, the lyrics suggest that the singer has tried to search for Lisa, but he doesn't know where she is or what she's doing now. The fact that he's still thinking about her, despite the many years that have passed, indicates that their friendship had a profound impact on his life. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing his faith that he will see Lisa again someday. Overall, the lyrics are a poignant reminder of the power of childhood memories and the friendships that can endure even after many years have passed.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey, noch gestern waren wir Zehn,
Yesterday we were ten years old.

mit aufgeschlagenen Knien
Our knees were scraped.

einfach kinder Sie und ich.
Just two children, her and I.

Ach, ich fand sie immer cool
I always thought she was cool.

Wir hatten so viel Spaß, sie und ich.
We had so much fun together.

(Refrain)
Chorus

Ich denk an Lisa
I think about Lisa.

Der allererste Kuss und auch sie hat nicht gewusst
Our first kiss, and she didn't know how to do it either.

wie sowas geht wie man das macht.
How to do it right.

Ohhh Lisa
Oh, Lisa.

Auch wenn wir Kinder waren wird sie immer jemand sein den ich
Even though we were just kids, she will always be someone I