Dutch pop-act Mai Tai (named after a tropical cocktail) were formed in 1983… Read Full Bio ↴Dutch pop-act Mai Tai (named after a tropical cocktail) were formed in 1983 by the successful Dutch record producers Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma. With the three former backing-singers Jetty Wheels, Mildred Douglas and Caroline De Windt they created the most successful Dutch soul and disco pop-act in history so far, topping the charts in the States and the rest of the world.

Their debut-single Keep On Dancin (1983) was a local hit in the clubs and by the summer of 1984 they reached the Dutch Top 40 with their second single What Goes On. Follow-up tracks like Body And Soul and Am I Losing You Forever also hit the charts, but never managed to reach the Top 20 in the Netherlands.

Early 1985 they released their eponymously titled debut album Mai Tai, which won a Dutch Edison Award and a Silver Harp. Their international breakthrough finally came with History, which was taken from the album and became a top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart, top 20 in Germany and charting in New Zealand and Australia and the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs..

In 1986 their song Female Intuition became a top 40 hit across Europe, and made the top 10 in Denmark.

Body and Soul was re-released in the UK and became their second UK top 10 hit. After their international breakthrough, Mai Tai also became much more popular in The Netherlands. Following singles like Female Intuition (a UK Top 20-hit) and Turn Your Love Around from the second album 1 Touch 2 Much went straight into the top 10 of the Dutch Top 40 and were international hits.

Their third album Cool Is The Rule was released in 1987, but it and the singles "Bet That's What You Say" and "Fight Fire With Fire" were much less successful, and after releasing one last single, "Dance In The Light", and a Best Of compilation in 1988, the group broke up. Jetty Weels did release a few solo singles in 1989 and 1990 under the name Oscare, however, and Mildred Douglas released a solo album, Face One, in 1990 as well.

In 1991 a Best Of album was released, with one new track called Dance In The Light. But the new single wasn't successful and the three girls decided to split up.

In 1993, Jetty and Caroline reteamed with new member Lisa Noya, and they released several moderately successful eurohouse singles over the next few years, but again broke up in 1996.

Starting in 2001, they would occasionally reform for various performances, sometimes with Mildred. In 2004, with new member Marjorie Lammerts (later known as B-Yentl), they participated in the Eurovision song contest. As a result they recorded and released several singles, both in English and Dutch, over the next couple of years, as well as the album Onder Voorbehoud in 2007. Again, the singles were only moderately successful and they split. BYentl went on to have considerable success as a solo artist, however.

"Body and Soul" was remixed by the production duo 7th Heaven for a 2010 release. In 2011, a comeback was made with the premiere at the Disco Legends festival. Mai Tai is really back with the return of singer Carolien De Windt. As a result there are again two of the three original singers in the group united with a third singer Eve L'Kay. Mai Tai released the single "One Nite Man" on the May 15, 2015.

www.maitai.nl
www.https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mai-Tai

History
Mai Tai Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Our love is history

I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me.
Our love is history

I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me.

Now listen

people
to what I have to say:
I really love him but he took my love away - you don't say.
Our love is history

I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me. . .

When you're gonna fall in love

there's nothing you can do about it.
When you're gonna fall in love

don't you beat around the bush.
When you're gonna fall in love

now don't you fry to deny it

When you're gonna fall in love

better let it get to you.

Our love is history - oh yeah !
So now it's over

he's got a heart made out of stone - a cold stone.
Iire learned my lesson

the day I found myself alone - why did you do
Our love is history

I'm gonna buni the letters you were sending me. . .
Buni 'em off
burn 'em off
burn
burn
burn 'em off.
When you're gonna fall in love

there's nothing you can do about it. . . .

When it got to lovin' you were never there

All that I could do was dream.
When I need some huggin' you never ever cared.
Why did you have to be that mean?

Gonna burn your letters
gonna burn your letters

I'm gonna burn your letters you were sending me.
Our love is history

I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me -
Gonna burn 'em off
gonna buni 'em off

Gonna burn
burn
burn
burn
burn 'em off.
Our love is history

I'm gonna bum the letters you were sending me. . .

Overall Meaning

Mai Tai's song "History" is a soulful and powerful ballad about a failed love that has become a thing of the past. The lyrics delve into the emotions of heartbreak, loss, and letting go. The repetition of the line "Our love is history, I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me" signifies the finality of the situation and the singer's resolve to move on from a love that no longer exists.

The first verse speaks to the singer's feelings about the letters they received from the person they loved. Despite the fact that they have fond memories of that love, they must accept that it is over. The line "I really love him but he took my love away" highlights the power dynamic in the relationship and how it may have caused hurt feelings. The chorus repeats the central theme of the song, emphasizing the importance of moving on and burning the memories of the past.

The rest of the song is a reflection on the singer's journey of coping with heartbreak. They acknowledge that falling in love is inevitable and that there is nothing one can do to avoid it. However, they urge not to deny the feelings and to let love take over. The line "When you're gonna fall in love, better let it get to you" shows the singer's changed perspective on love. The bridge talks about the lack of reciprocity in the relationship, showcasing how hurtful it can be when one person is not as invested as the other.

Line by Line Meaning

Our love is history
Our romantic relationship is a thing of the past.

I'm gonna burn the letters you were sending me.
I plan to destroy the letters you sent me as a symbol of our relationship. I want to leave it all behind.

Now listen people to what I have to say: I really love him but he took my love away - you don't say.
I have something to share with everyone, and that is despite loving this person deeply, they didn't reciprocate and took my love for granted.

When you're gonna fall in love there's nothing you can do about it.
Love is an unpredictable emotion that can happen to anyone without control or warning.

don't you beat around the bush.
Don't hesitate or delay if you fall in love with someone, act upon it.

now don't you fry to deny it
Don't try to reject or ignore your feelings when you are falling in love with someone.

better let it get to you.
It's better to embrace this feeling of love instead of running away from it.

So now it's over he's got a heart made out of stone - a cold stone.
Our relationship has reached its end, and the other person seems indifferent and expressionless.

I've learned my lesson the day I found myself alone - why did you do
I have learned from my mistake now that I am alone, and I am confused why it ended the way it did.

When you're gonna fall in love there's nothing you can do about it. . . .
Love cannot be controlled or planned, it happens unexpectedly.

When it got to lovin' you were never there All that I could do was dream.
I wanted to love but my partner wasn't physically or emotionally present enough to make it a reality. I could only fantasize about it.

When I need some huggin' you never ever cared. Why did you have to be that mean?
When I craved intimacy, my partner didn't show any concern. Their attitude has left me hurt and confused.

Gonna burn your letters gonna burn your letters I'm gonna burn your letters you were sending me.
I will destroy the memories of our past relationship by burning the letters you sent me.

Gonna burn 'em off gonna buni 'em off Gonna burn burn burn burn burn 'em off.
I am determined to erase all reminders of our love by burning every last letter you sent me.

Our love is history I'm gonna bum the letters you were sending me. . .
Our relationship has come to an end, and I will destroy the letters that were once a symbol of our love from the past.

Contributed by Alexandra W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS