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.

Ze is van goud
Jan Smit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Morrison Van
Common One
When Heart Is Open
And when heart is open
And when heart is open
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
And when heart is open
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'

When there's no comin'
And there's no goin'
And when heart is open
You will meet your lover
You will tarry
You will tarry
With your lover?
And when heart is open
You will meet your lover
When there's no comin'
And there's no goin'
Oh, hand me down my old great coat
Oh, hand me down my old great coat
I believe I'll go walkin' in the woods
Oh. my darlin'.
Oh, hand me down my big boots.
Oh, hand me down my big boots
I believe I'll go walkin' in the woods
Oh, my darlin'
And she moves by the waterfall
When she moves
She moves just like a deer
Across the meadow
And when heart is open
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
When there's no comin'
And there's no goin '
You will tarry
With your lover
When heart is open
You will meet your lover
Oh, hand me down my great coat
Oh, hand me down my great coat
I believe I'll go walkin' in the woods
Oh, my darlin'.
Oh, hand me down my big boots
Oh, hand me down my big boots.
I believe I'll go walkin' in the woods
Oh, my darlin'.
Oh, when she moves,
She moves like a deer across the meadow.
When heart is open
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
When there's no comin'
When there's no comin'
And there's no goin'
You will meet
You will meet your lover
When there's no comin'
And there's no goin'

You will meet
You will meet your lover

Overall Meaning

It is difficult to explain the lyrics to Jan Smit's song "Ze is van goud" through the given Morrison Van lyrics. However, "Ze is van goud" means "She is made of gold," and the lyrics speak of the singer's admiration and love for a woman. The lyrics speak of the beauty and grace of the woman, saying that she moves like a deer across the meadow - elegant and untouchable. The repeated phrase "when heart is open" could refer to the fact that the singer's heart needs to be open to truly see and appreciate this woman's beauty. The lyrics also suggest that when the heart is open, one can meet their lover and tarry with them, implying that the singer desires to spend time with this woman and love her.

Overall, the lyrics of "Ze is van goud" seem to express a deep appreciation and admiration for a woman's beauty and grace, with a desire to love and cherish her. The metaphorical language speaks of opening one's heart, meeting one's lover, and moving like a flower, suggesting that love and beauty are intertwined, and that true love requires an open heart and a willingness to see and appreciate the beauty around us.

Line by Line Meaning

And when heart is open
When you open your heart to someone or something

You will change just like a flower slowly openin'
You will transform and grow, like a flower blooming over time

When there's no comin'
When there is no way of going back

And there's no goin'
And there is no way of moving forward

You will meet your lover
You will find the one you love

You will tarry
You will spend time leisurely with your lover

With your lover?
With the person you love the most

Oh, hand me down my old great coat
Give me my familiar coat back, I want to go out

Oh, hand me down my big boots.
Give me my big boots so I can go on a walk

I believe I'll go walkin' in the woods
I feel like taking a walk in the forest

Oh, my darlin'.
Oh, my dear beloved