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.
Perhaps love
Jan Smit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A shelter from the storm
It exists to give you comfort
It is there to keep you warm
And in those times of trouble
When you are most alone
The memory of love will bring you home
Perhaps an open door
It invites you to come closer
It wants to show you more
And even if you lose yourself
And don't know what to do
The memory of love will see you thrue
Oh love to some is like a cloud
To some as strong as steel
For some a way of living
For some a way to feel
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go
And some say love is everything
Some say they don't know
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict full of change
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go
And some say love is everything
Some say they don't know
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict full of change
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you
The lyrics of Jan Smit feat. Paul de Leeuw’s song "Perhaps Love" are filled with multiple interpretations of what love might be or feel like. In the first verse, love is compared to a "resting place," to a place of comfort and warmth where one can find shelter from the storm. When times get hard and lonely, the memory of love can help a person to return home. The second verse describes love as an open door, inviting the listener to come closer and experience more. Even when someone loses their way, the memory of love can guide them back onto the right path. The third verse includes several different descriptions of love, from being as strong as steel to a way of feeling. There are different ways to approach it; some might say love is about holding on, while others say it is about letting go. Finally, in the last verse, love is compared to the ocean, which is full of conflict and change. When it's cold outside, love can be like a fire, and when it rains, love can sound like thunder. If the singer were to live forever and all their dreams came true, their memories of love would be associated with one particular person.
The song's lyrics reflect different perspectives about what love is, sounding almost like a philosophical treatise on the subject. The song represents that love is diverse and multifaceted, and this diversity is what makes it so powerful. The song is composed to capture a range of meanings that can be applied to love, which makes it easily relatable to a broad audience. The chorus of the song is particularly catchy, with the phrase "Some say love is holding on, some say letting go" serving almost as a mantra. The song's melody and phrasing are also crucial in highlighting the different facets of love that the lyrics are attempting to express.
Line by Line Meaning
Perhaps love is like a resting place
Love can be a safe haven where you find peace and comfort
A shelter from the storm
Love can protect you from the difficulties in life
It exists to give you comfort
Love's purpose is to make you feel at ease
It is there to keep you warm
Love can provide you with warmth and security
And in those times of trouble
When you're going through tough times
When you are most alone
When you feel the most isolated and lonely
The memory of love will bring you home
Thinking of love can bring you back to a place of comfort and belonging
Perhaps love is like a window
Love can be an opening to new perspectives and experiences
Perhaps an open door
Love can invite you to explore new opportunities and possibilities
It invites you to come closer
Love can encourage you to get closer and deeper in a relationship
It wants to show you more
Love desires to reveal more of itself to you
And even if you lose yourself
Even if you feel lost and uncertain
And don't know what to do
When you're unsure of how to proceed
The memory of love will see you thrue
Love's memory can guide and support you even in difficult times
Oh love to some is like a cloud
People have different perceptions and experiences of love
To some as strong as steel
To some, love is unyielding and steadfast
For some a way of living
Love is an integral part of how some people live their lives
For some a way to feel
Love is a way for some people to experience and express their emotions
And some say love is holding on
Some believe love is about holding onto relationships and commitments
And some say letting go
Others think love is about letting go of things that no longer serve you
And some say love is everything
To some people, love is the entire meaning and purpose of life
Some say they don't know
Others may be unsure or undecided about what love truly means
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Love may be vast and powerful, sometimes unpredictable
Full of conflict full of change
Love can bring conflicts and changes in life
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Love can warm you up and bring comfort when life is tough
Thunder when it rains
Love can be intense and passionate, like the sound of thunder during a storm
If I should live forever
If I were to live for eternity
And all my dreams come true
And if all of my aspirations were to be fulfilled
My memories of love will be of you
My thoughts of love will be about you specifically
Contributed by Brody C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Florian Santos
oh how i love to listen to Jantje Smit's voice, it's
inspiring, magical, beautiful, God Bless you Jantje.
Gilda Cayetano here listening right now 🥰
Anne Smeets
Een golden song, mijn lievelings versie van dit liedje 😊
Florian Santos
i love listening to Jantje Simt sing, beautiful,lovely
voice, i love lyrics of PERHAPS LOVE.
Gilda Cayetano listening now,6 April 2022.
Monica S
😘❤THE best
Non-active
Start with feel comfortable with your own wife 😏 Because holding on to what is not right is love. Right?
Justin Gamesnl
wacht Jan Smit heeft John Denver gecoverd netjes hoor
Isabel Medina
I love you Jan
risumotus
Perhaps love en dan zingt die de Leeuw mee. Het manneke kan alleen maar mensen voor gek zetten. Zijn grofheid en gebrek aan enige vorm van talent vind ik erg misplaatst bij dit lied of uberhaupt. Jammer hoor.