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.
The Swimmer
Nits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here comes the replay of an old dream
I was dreaming when I was a small boy
Turn around
Turn around
I'm in a drier in the kitchen
In a tornado of shirts and towels
Turn around
The other day I had my tonsils out
The smell of ether in dark rooms
Turn around
Turn around
Tonight's different, the dream's not ending
The drier opens, the water's streaming out
It fills the house
And fills the house
I am the swimmer in the old house
The water slowly fills the rooms
Turn around
Turn around
Here comes the replay of an old dream
I was dreaming when I was a small boy
Turn around
Turn around
The lyrics of Nits’s The Swimmer describe the replay of an old dream, one that the singer has had since he was a small boy. The dream starts in a familiar place, the kitchen, but takes a surreal turn as the singer finds himself in a drier amidst a tornado of shirts and towels. He pleads to turn around, almost as if he’s looking for a way out or trying to escape. He then references a recent experience where he had his tonsils removed and recalls the smell of ether in dark rooms, a disturbing memory that seems to be connected to his dream.
As the dream continues, the singer notes that tonight’s different and the dream’s not ending. This time, when the drier opens, water begins to stream out, filling the house. It’s at this point that the singer identifies himself as the swimmer in the old house, navigating through the water as it slowly fills each room. Despite the chaos and confusion, the singer remains in control and undeterred by the ever-rising water. The dream ends as it began with the replay of the old dream prompting the singer to turn around once more.
Overall, the song seems to be exploring the idea of revisiting old memories or experiences and how they can manifest in our dreams. There’s a sense of unease throughout the lyrics as the singer grapples with nostalgic yet unsettling memories, but there’s also a hint of resilience as he navigates the surreal and changing landscape of his dream.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the replay of an old dream
A recurring dream from the past is about to start again
I was dreaming when I was a small boy
The dream first occurred when the singer was a child
Turn around
The dream is taking a different direction
Turn around
The dream is taking another unpredictable turn
I'm in a drier in the kitchen
The dreamer is inside a dryer located in the kitchen
In a tornado of shirts and towels
There are many clothes swirling around in the dryer like a tornado
Turn around
The dream is again moving in another direction
Turn around
The dream changes suddenly yet again
The other day I had my tonsils out
The dream switches to a completely different memory of the singer having his tonsils removed
The smell of ether in dark rooms
The dreamer recalls the smell of anesthesia in a dark operating room
Turn around
The dream changes once again
Turn around
The dream takes a new, unpredictable turn
Tonight's different, the dream's not ending
The dream has a different feeling tonight and the dreamer senses it will not end soon
The drier opens, the water's streaming out
The dryer suddenly opens and water starts pouring out
It fills the house
Water is quickly filling up the entire house
And fills the house
Water continues to fill up the house
I am the swimmer in the old house
The dreamer takes the role of a swimmer in the now flooded house
The water slowly fills the rooms
More and more water is filling up each room of the house
Turn around
The dream's direction shifts again
Turn around
The dream takes another unexpected turn
Here comes the replay of an old dream
The dream circles back to the beginning and starts once more
I was dreaming when I was a small boy
The dream starts over from the beginning
Turn around
The dream takes a new, unpredictable direction
Turn around
The dream changes direction again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HENDRIK HOFSTEDE, R. KLOET, ROBERT STIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind