1. Johan is a Dutch … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three artists called Johan.
1. Johan is a Dutch indie rock band, established in 1990 in the town of Hoorn, The Netherlands, by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jacob de Greeuw, who initially named the group Visions Of Johanna (after the Bob Dylan song of the same name).
The name was changed into Johan in 1996. That same year the band put out their début album, Johan, to overwhelming acclaim from the Dutch music press. The band underwent several personnel changes. De Greeuw soon was the only permanent member. Johan recorded and released three more studio albums of melodic, crafty, Beatle-esque guitar pop with English lyrics that often touched on De Greeuw's personal life. The frontman suffered several bouts of serious clinical depression, the subject of many songs on the Dutch indie classic Pergola (2001) as well as THX JHN (2006). By 2006 De Greeuw had re-located to Amsterdam and formed an Amsterdam-based line-up of the band.
The album 4 (2009) would be thought to be Johan's swan song: the band - to the surprise of many fans - decided to call it a day after a sold-out 'farewell show' at Amsterdam's Paradiso in December 2009. In 2018 they released their 5th studio album Pull Up(2018) All five of Johan's albums (particularly the first three) are regarded as Dutch indie gems, but Johan never made a mark outside of The Netherlands, which is why they are regarded by many (in spite of their domestic success and 'gold' certification for Pergola) as criminally underrated.
Frontman Jacco (or Jacob) de Greeuw is the only permanent Johan member. The first Johan line-up (the 'Hoorn line-up' of 1996) was completed by Remco Krull, Niels de Wit and Wim Kwakman.
The 'Amsterdam line-up' line-up that called it a day in late 2009 consisted of De Greeuw, Maarten Kooijman (guitar, vocals), Diets Dijkstra (guitar, bass guitar, vocals) and Jeroen Kleijn (drums).
De Greeuw's decision to call it quits was perhaps more of a surprise than his decision to re-form the band in 2018 after nine years of absence. The comeback album, Pull Up was regarded by most critics as 'just as good as the first three'. A long string of Dutch festival shows and sold out club gigs followed. The current line-up of Johan is the 'Amsterdam line-up' of 2009, with the exception of guitarist Maarten Kooijman, who penned several songs on 2009's 4. Robin Berlijn (previously in Fatal Flowers, Moke and Kane, amongst others) replaced him.
2. Johan is an American singer and music producer who, until 2010, had never seriously listened to any kind of popular music--he was fully immersed in the world of classical, as an award-winning composer and self-taught pianist. But then Johan was introduced to Kanye West's symphonic 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, while on acid at a house party in the suburban Massachusetts town where he grew up. Captivated, he immediately began teaching himself how to sing and produce contemporary songs.
In 2016, Johan became the composer for Yeethoven--a concert featuring the music of Kanye West and Beethoven juxtaposed and combined by a 50-piece orchestra. Johan's work soon caught the attention of Mike Dean and No I.D., both of whom he's worked with extensively since then on albums for Travis Scott (Astroworld), Teyana Taylor, Nas, Kanye West, Vic Mensa and others. His contributions on these records range from writing & production, to composing & singing grandiose choral atmospheres to orchestrating symphonic interludes.
Now, Johan is releasing new music of his own, featuring the same vocal and orchestral textures he contributed to these artists. They appear not as background components in his work, but as a central compositional feature--something Kanye West personally encouraged him to consider when working on Teyana Taylor's album.
Johan's songs, which he produces largely himself, explore a feeling of suburban ennui and anxiety about growing up, often viewed through a darkly humorous, self-deprecating lens.
3. Johan is also a Dutch folk/pub singer. His full name is Johan Hengeveld, 'Jij hebt de hemel verdiend' (2009) his best known song.
December
Johan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The flowers you gave me, as artificial as your smile
I thought the world of you and more, without you I would fall apart
And I would give it all to you, I lost it from the very start
You came in December, in the wintry cold you brought me spring
I'll always remember how you changed my life and everything would never be the same again
The answers you owe me, could never take away the hurt
The world collapsed and you'll survive, I was the last thing on your mind
You kept me dangling like a fool, you had your fun and I was blind
You left in December, you were just another passerby
The dream has been shattered
You were gone and I still wonder why, I never call your name again
You won't see me, no more
You don't need me, no more
No more
I always thought that people like us, we could spend our lives together
I always thought that we were special, this affair could last forever
But it's all-right yeah it's ok, you only took my pride away
I'm sure I'm fine, oh never mind, I only wanted you to stay
Whenever December comes, she's in my heart and in my soul
I'll never forget her, I can't shake it off, I lost control
And always in December, she is there but I get no reply
The answers, the cancer, you left behind inside my head
The lyrics of Johan's song December depict the aftermath of a failed relationship, where the promise made by the significant other is nothing but another lie. The person singing the song is hurt by the fake flowers and the artificial smile that their partner had bestowed upon them. Despite this, the singer had thought the world of their partner, and without them, they would fall apart. They gave their all, but it was all in vain as the relationship was doomed from the start.
The song has a melancholic tone that hints at regret and longing. The singer reminisces about how their partner had come into their life in December, bringing spring to their cold winter. It's a metaphorical representation of how the person had brought warmth and happiness to the singer's life. The person had changed their life, and everything would never be the same again. The song's chorus emphasizes how the singer can't forget the person and how they warmed their world, but the person has left without a trace.
The song details the pain of being jilted and the struggle to move on. The letter sent by the person went unread, and the answers owed by them couldn't take away the hurt. The singer was the last thing on their mind, and they kept them dangling like a fool. The person left in December, like another passerby, and the singer's dream lay shattered. They wonder why they were left behind and why they still can't call their name.
The song December's lyrics are emotionally charged and relatable to anyone who has faced heartbreak. Johan's voice brings out the desolate feeling, and the somber tune perfectly complements the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
The promise you made me, was nothing but another lie
Johan was disappointed when he realized that the promise made to him was just a lie.
The flowers you gave me, as artificial as your smile
Johan compares the artificiality of the flowers given to him to the artificiality of the person's smile.
I thought the world of you and more, without you I would fall apart
Johan believed that this person was very important to him and losing him/her would cause him to fall apart.
And I would give it all to you, I lost it from the very start
Johan admits that he gave everything he had to this person and regrets doing that because he ended up losing it all from the beginning.
You came in December, in the wintry cold you brought me spring
Johan met this person in December and even though it was cold outside, this person brought him warmth and change, which Johan compares to the arrival of spring.
I'll always remember how you changed my life and everything would never be the same again
Johan couldn't forget how this person changed his life in a way that made everything different and that this experience still had a strong impact on him.
The letter you send me, I never read a single word
Johan admits that when he received a letter from this person, he didn't read it and ignored its content.
The answers you owe me, could never take away the hurt
Johan believes that even if this person gave him answers to his questions, it wouldn't make him feel better, as the pain was already inflicted.
The world collapsed and you'll survive, I was the last thing on your mind
Johan feels like his world fell apart but even though this person survived it, he was the last thing on their mind.
You kept me dangling like a fool, you had your fun and I was blind
Johan admits that he was blinded by his trust in this person and was kept in a situation of uncertainty, being played like a fool.
You left in December, you were just another passerby
Johan compares this person to a passerby, implying that they were only temporary in his life and disappeared as quickly as they arrived.
The dream has been shattered
Johan's perception of this person as his dream was shattered, as he realized that they were not who he thought they were.
You were gone and I still wonder why, I never call your name again
Johan wonders why this person left him and knows that he won't call their name again.
You won't see me, no more
Johan has decided that he won't see this person anymore.
You don't need me, no more
Johan believes that this person doesn't need him anymore.
No more
Johan ends this part of the song abruptly and reiterates that he won't have anything to do with this person anymore.
I always thought that people like us, we could spend our lives together
Johan believed that he and this person were meant to be and could have spent the rest of their lives together.
I always thought that we were special, this affair could last forever
Johan thought that what he had with this person was special and could last forever, which turned out not to be the case.
But it's all-right yeah it's ok, you only took my pride away
Johan realizes that even though this person hurt him, it's alright and he's okay, but that his pride was taken away by the experience.
I'm sure I'm fine, oh never mind, I only wanted you to stay
Johan initially believes that he's fine and over the situation but admits that he only wanted this person to stay with him, indicating that he is not over the relationship.
Whenever December comes, she's in my heart and in my soul
Johan reveals that this person is still in his heart and soul, and that the memories of December and the relationship live on within him.
I'll never forget her, I can't shake it off, I lost control
Johan admits that he can't forget this person and that he's lost control over his emotions related to her, suggesting that he is still affected by the experience.
And always in December, she is there but I get no reply
Johan still thinks about this person in December but knows that he won't get a reply from her, indicating that this is a one-sided situation.
The answers, the cancer, you left behind inside my head
Johan refers to the questions he has and the negative influence this person has left inside his mind, comparing it to a cancer that keeps growing.
Contributed by Jack N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
massimopipolo
Godverdomme wat blijft dit toch goed
sailfish18
heerlijke no nonsence music, thx