He accompanies himself on piano, used to play with Kim Soepnel on bass, nowadays Egon Kracht plays the bass, and Marcel de Groot plays guitar.
His last theater show 'Barmhart' was applauded by crytics, his new theater show 'het wilde westen' just had its premier.
In february it became known that he was suffering a non-curable disease. He did not want people to pay attention to his illness and till the end he tried to be positive. He died on the first of July 2013 in the companion of his family.
Mannen en vissen
Maarten van Roozendaal Lyrics
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Er is een man op het strand
Er liggen ook heel veel vissen op het strand
De man bukt
Hij pakt een vis
Hij geeft de vis een kus
Hij gooit de vis in zee
De vis is blij
Daar komt nog een man
Hij zegt
"Er zijn te veel vissen
Jij pakt steeds een vis
Dat helpt toch niet
Kijk dan hoeveel vissen
Er nog zijn
Jij bent stom"
De man bukt weer
Hij pakt een vis
Hij geeft de vis een kus
Hij zegt
"Leg jij dat dan maar uit
Aan deze vis"
Einde
The lyrics of Maarten van Roozendaal's song "Mannen en vissen" tell a simple story about a man on the beach who is repeatedly picking up fish, giving them a kiss and throwing them back into the sea. Another man arrives and criticizes him for doing so, arguing that it won't make any difference since there are so many fish left on the beach. The first man responds by picking up another fish, giving it a kiss and telling the second man to try and explain to the fish why it shouldn't be saved. The song ends ambiguously, leaving open the question of whether the first man's actions are futile or somehow meaningful.
The song can be interpreted in many ways, but one possible reading is that it is a commentary on the futility of individual action in the face of larger systemic problems. The first man's gesture of saving the fish, while seemingly meaningful in itself, is ultimately overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem - the beach is covered in fish and it is not clear what impact his action will have in the long run. The second man's criticism, on the other hand, can be read as a cynical dismissal of any kind of action that doesn't immediately solve the problem at hand. The first man's response challenges this kind of thinking by highlighting the importance of individual responsibility and empathy, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems.
Overall, Maarten van Roozendaal's "Mannen en vissen" is a simple but thought-provoking song that raises important questions about individual agency, empathy, and the role of art in addressing larger social and environmental issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Contributed by Carson L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.