Their musical style has varied considerably over the years, as has their line-up with the core of Henk Hofstede (vocals, guitar, also the band's lyricist), Rob Kloet (drums, percussion) and Robert Jan Stips (keyboards; also had stints in Supersister, Gruppo Sportivo and Golden Earring).
Although most of the band's songs are sung in English, Nits have been praised as a group that is 'European' more than anything else, staying relatively far away from American and British influences. They are an 'album band', not a 'singles band', although they had a number of considerable hits in The Netherlands and beyond. The biggest hit in their native Netherlands was "Nescio" (1983), a tribute to the Dutch author Jan Hendrik Frederik Grönloh a.k.a. Nescio. The hit that brought the band to the attention of an international audience was "In the Dutch Mountains" (1987), which has become their signature song.
The band released dozens of studio albums, from The Nits (1978) to the triptych Angst, Knot and Neon in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Three of their studio albums reached the top 10 of the Dutch album charts, but their highest charting album was the 1989 double live album, Urk, which hit #2 in The Netherlands and still stands as a near-perfect introduction to the group's work.
On 16 May 2022 the band's own studio and 'headquarters', De Werf in Amsterdam, burned down. The group's archives, as well as many instruments and master tapes, went up in flames. Hofstede sings about the tragedy on 2024's mini album, Tree House Fire. Its release marked the start of Nits' anniversary year: the band celebrated its 50th anniversary with an international tour and two special performances in Amsterdam's Carré Theatre in April.
No Man's Land
Nits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is sleepless tonight
She's walking on marble floors
In the pale moonlight
The oilman from Texas
Still pulling the strings
In this palace of puppets
No one will sleep
In the fields of Verdun
No one will finish, end
What they just had begun
I'm in a manhole
Looking for light
And I wonder why the German philosophers
And the English poets just always fight
In this no man's land
No man's land
Did you see Elvis in his kitchen tonight
He's got a Memphis blues
And a real strong appetite
He's walking through Graceland
In a black leather suit
He's smelling home cooking
It's only... it's only the river
Only the river, only
Elena Ceauşescu is still wide awake
She's counting her shoes
And she knows that she made
She made a mistake
So let's start again
The night is still young
Voices outside are singing
Singing a folk song
A folk song
No man's land
No man's land
No man's land
No man's land
Louis XIV, he cannot sleep
He's walking through the corridors of his
Of his funky antique
He got 300 pillows and 400 chairs
He's counting his clocks
Can you hear them ticking
Tic toc tic toc tic
The song No Man's Land by Nits is a poignant commentary on the futility of war and the pain and suffering caused by it. The first verse opens with a vivid description of the Queen of the Lowlands, who is unable to sleep and is walking on marble floors in the pale moonlight. The second verse introduces the oilman from Texas who is still pulling the strings in this palace of puppets of the paper King. These lines hint at the idea that those in power, whether it be royalty or businessmen, are often disconnected from the reality of the world and are unable to understand the suffering of others.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of war and its devastating effects on human lives. The line "no one will sleep in the fields of Verdun" refers to the horrific battle of Verdun during World War I, where thousands of soldiers lost their lives. The phrase "no one will finish, end, what they just had begun" highlights the senseless nature of war, where young soldiers are sent to fight and die for reasons that they might not fully comprehend.
The song then takes a surreal turn, with references to Elvis in his kitchen, Elena Ceaușescu counting her shoes, and Louis XIV counting his clocks. These references add a sense of absurdity to the song and suggest that in the grand scheme of things, all of these powerful and famous people are equally powerless when faced with the ravages of war. The closing lines of the song, "no man's land, no man's land", drive home the sense of hopelessness and despair that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The Queen of the Lowlands
A queen or female leader of a region or area that is geographically low is currently experiencing insomnia or the inability to sleep properly.
Is sleepless tonight
The queen is unable to sleep through the night.
She's walking on marble floors
The queen is pacing back and forth within her castle or palace, where the floors are made of marble.
In the pale moonlight
The queen is walking on the marble floors under the soft, dim light of the moon.
The oilman from Texas
A wealthy businessman who specializes in the extraction and production of oil is from the state of Texas.
Still pulling the strings
The billionaire from Texas is still exerting his influence over the rulers or authorities in charge of the region or area.
In this palace of puppets
The people in power, such as the king or queen, are being controlled like puppets by the wealthy oilman.
Of my paper King
The king, who theoretically holds all the power, is actually quite weak and is simply a puppet in the hands of the oilman.
No one will sleep
Nobody participating in the war will be able to get adequate rest.
In the fields of Verdun
This is a reference to the brutal battle that took place in the French town of Verdun during World War I.
No one will finish, end
The conflict or war will not end anytime soon.
What they just had begun
Whatever the participants started or initiated at the beginning of the conflict will not be able to be completed in a timely manner.
I'm in a manhole
The singer is currently hiding inside a narrow hole in the ground designed for pushing process waste.
Looking for light
The singer is struggling to see anything in the darkness of the manhole.
And I wonder why the German philosophers
The singer is questioning why the philosophers from Germany always seem to be involved in disagreements or arguments.
And the English poets just always fight
The artist is also wondering why the poets from England always seem to be bickering or quarreling with others.
In this no man's land
The artist is situated in a dangerous or uninhabited area where no governing authority has any control.
No man's land
The song title is repeated as a reminder of the dangerous and desolate area where there is no formal government or protection.
Did you see Elvis in his kitchen tonight
This line refers to the famous musician Elvis Presley, who is imagined to be in his kitchen at night.
He's got a Memphis blues
Elvis is experiencing a deep sense of sadness or despair, as referred to by the songs often attributed to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.
And a real strong appetite
Elvis is very hungry and has a healthy appetite.
He's walking through Graceland
Elvis is strolling through his famous mansion in Memphis called Graceland.
In a black leather suit
Elvis is wearing his iconic and stylish black leather clothing.
He's smelling home cooking
Elvis is enjoying the smell of savory food being cooked at home.
It's only... it's only the river
The smells that Elvis is enjoying are revealed to be coming from the nearby river.
Elena Ceauşescu is still wide awake
Elena Ceaușescu was the wife of former Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu and is imagined to be having trouble sleeping.
She's counting her shoes
Elena is preoccupied with the number of shoes she has.
And she knows that she made
Elena is fully aware of the poor decisions she has made in the past.
She made a mistake
Elena recognizes that there were errors in judgment that led her and her husband to where they are now.
So let's start again
Elena sees the error of her ways and wishes to start anew.
The night is still young
It is still early in the evening, and there is ample time for Elena to make a fresh beginning.
Voices outside are singing
Elena can hear people outside singing or chanting.
Singing a folk song
The people outside are singing an old, traditional song passed down through generations.
No man's land
The song title is repeated once again as a reminder of the desolate and lawless area that exists with nobody in charge.
No man's land
The song title is repeated one last time, emphasizing the dangers of the uninhabitable area with no central authority.
Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.