De Leeuw gained national fame in the late eighties and early nineties with television shows for the public broadcasting company VARA. Though satire was only a part of these shows and much of its humour was essentially harmless he came into publicity with satire about Dutch show business personalities who were often ridiculed.
Besides, many obscure musical acts were featured in his shows, many of which managed to gain national fame after they had been in De Leeuw's programme (e.g. Twarres and AIDS suffering singer Rene Klijn). VARA has since continued his shows apart from a few interruptions, often with considerable success.
In the early nineties, Paul de Leeuw also had some shows celebrating the new year. In the 1993-1994 show he ridiculed the new commercial television channel RTL 5 by announcing another new channel, "RTL 6" (RTL six, beter dan niks (at least better than nothing)). This led to a trial by the RTL company, who demanded that De Leeuw withdraw his joke.
He and his partner, Stephan Nuger, have adopted two children: son Kas (adopted in October 2001) and son Tobey (adopted in December 2002).
Paul de Leeuw has had many hit singles in The Netherlands. He is most famous for: Vlieg met me mee (#2), Ik wil niet dat je liegt / Waarheen, waarvoor (#1), and 'k Heb je lief (#3). Since the beginning of his television and singing career he released albums and singles, always becoming a big success.
In 2006, he recorded the song "Mijn Houten Hart" (My Wooden Heart) with Raffaela, which was later released as a single and peaked at #18 in the Dutch Singles Top 100, becoming one of his smallest hits.
Eurovision Song Contest 2006 incident
De Leeuw is, despite being famous for a long time in the Netherlands, best-known internationally for presenting the results of the Dutch televote in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. De Leeuw was supposed to present the televote by simply thanking the presenters, performers and fans, before giving the result but instead the openly gay De Leeuw gave his mobile number to the male presenter Sakis Rouvas live on-air, and made other comments which somewhat lengthened the Dutch results.
De Leeuw also made a reference to gay culture when he remarked that Rouvas and his female co-presenter Maria Menounos reminded him of Will & Grace. As the results were live and required for the contest to continue, De Leeuw could not be cut off until he finished giving the voting results.
De Leeuw's actions resulted in negative comments from the commentators, with the BBC's Terry Wogan calling the act "pathetic" and asking "Who selected this eejit?" during the United Kingdom coverage of the contest. Other commentators, like the Portuguese Eladio Climaco, didn't translate properly the gay remarks and said he was saying that they really look like Greeks. Parts of the dialogue were also shown on the German comedy show TV total.
The dialogue between De Leeuw and Rouvas
Rouvas: Hello Netherlands! Paul...
De Leeuw: Hello Greece, kalisperma everybody! [note that sperma means sperm in many languages, at least both in Dutch and Greek]
Rouvas: Kalispera Paul. [kalispera means 'Good evening', which was supposed to be said]
De Leeuw: You look like Will... [stops, likely due to the cheering of the crowd behind him] You look like Will & Grace, you two. So here are the votes, the Dutch votes. Let's come. [In an extremely high tempo] One, Ukreene (sic), two, Russia, Germany, three, Ireland, four, Greece, five, Lithuania, six, Finland, seven points! [resumes normal tempo]] Now the eight points. Are you ready Chaci, tzatziki, cichaci?
Rouvas: Yes, haha.
De Leeuw: Are you ready? Eight points... I like your blouse... The eight points are for Bosnia-Hoshegovina (sic). Yeah.
Rouvas: Bosnie-Herzegovine, huit points.
De Leeuw: Yes, I say. And the ten points, Zhacki, Zhicka, Chucka, are from (sic) Armenia!
Rouvas: Armenie, dix points.
De Leeuw: Ok, and Chacki, do you have my mobile number now or after twelve points?
Rouvas: Give it to me now. I bet it's 69 69 69. [In Greece, mobile numbers always begin with 69, but the rest of the 69's are a sexual innuendo, since Rouvas did not seem to like Paul's lines.]
De Leeuw: Ok, 00... [interrupted by Rouvas' remark] no no no no no... I'm not the French guy! [Probably refers that Rouvas was once interviewed for a French magazine, in which the interviewer assumed that Rouvas was gay and directed his questions accordingly.] Its 00 31 6 24 74 44 32 10 dial 1. Twelve points goes to, I'm very proud to say, Turkey! Twelve points.
Rouvas: Turquie, douze points.
Ik Ga Niet Met Je Mee
Paul de Leeuw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
je blijft maar naar me kijken
ik kan het niet ontwijken
dat verlangen in je blik
ik krijg het zo benauwd
dat ik er nu al haast in stik
ik klets maar wat, ik zwets maar wat
maar telkens weer jouw ogen
om nu heel gewoon te doen
maar ik heb toch ergens diep in mij
nog iets te veel fatsoen
de spanning is te snijden
maar ik laat me niet verleiden
ik ga niet met jouw in zee
ik heb een liefste vriend
die geen oneerlijkheid verdiend
dus mag ik hartelijk bedanken
nee, ik ga niet met je mee
nee, ik ga niet met je mee
ik twijfel wat, ik wijfel wat
bedwelm me je al van je geuren
wat kan er nou gebeuren
heel misschien alleen een zoen
ik zou zo met je mee gaan
om iets heel erg vies te doen
maar ik doe het niet
ik kan het niet
dus het zal er niet van komen
maar ik kan wel blijven dromen
want het blijft een leuk idee
maar ik heb al een geliefde
dus ik ga niet met je mee
de spanning is te snijden
maar ik laat me niet verleiden
ik ga niet met jouw in zee
ik heb een liefste vriend
die geen oneerlijkheid verdiend
dus mag ik hartelijk bedanken
nee, ik ga niet met je mee
nee, ik ga niet met je mee
oh..... nee, ik ga niet met je mee
nee, nee, ik ga niet met je mee
okee, okee, maar ik ga niet met je mee
oh nee, nee, nee, ik ga niet met je mee
The lyrics of Paul de Leeuw's song "Ik Ga Niet Met Je Mee" (translated to "I'm Not Going With You") depict a situation where the singer encounters someone who is showing interest in them, but the singer feels torn between a desire to give in to the attraction and their loyalty, love, and commitment to their significant other. The singer describes feeling suffocated by the person's gaze and the tension between them. The attraction is strong, and the singer feels tempted, even to the point of considering doing something dirty with the person, but ultimately decides to resist the temptation in favor of staying true to their partner.
This song speaks to the universal experience of being tempted by someone or something that challenges our loyalty or values. The singer expresses their struggle in a way that is relatable and understandable. The lyrics also demonstrate the importance of trust and honesty in a relationship and the recognition that giving in to temptation can have consequences that go beyond one's personal satisfaction.
Overall, "Ik Ga Niet Met Je Mee" is a thought-provoking and honest look at the complexity of human relationships and the decisions we make that can impact them.
Line by Line Meaning
ik zie je daar, je staat daar maar
I see you standing there, staring at me.
je blijft maar naar me kijken
You keep looking at me.
ik kan het niet ontwijken
I can't avoid it.
dat verlangen in je blik
That desire in your gaze.
ik krijg het zo benauwd
I feel suffocated.
dat ik er nu al haast in stik
As if I am almost suffocating.
ik klets maar wat, ik zwets maar wat
I am just chattering, saying nonsense.
maar telkens weer jouw ogen
But your eyes keep coming back.
ik voel m'n onvermogen
I feel my inability.
om nu heel gewoon te doen
To act normal right now.
maar ik heb toch ergens diep in mij
But deep down I still have some decency.
nog iets te veel fatsoen
Still too much morality left in me.
de spanning is te snijden
The tension is high.
maar ik laat me niet verleiden
But I won't be tempted.
ik ga niet met jouw in zee
I won't indulge with you.
ik heb een liefste vriend
I have a loving partner.
die geen oneerlijkheid verdiend
Who doesn't deserve dishonesty.
dus mag ik hartelijk bedanken
So, I decline politely.
nee, ik ga niet met je mee
No, I won't come with you.
ik twijfel wat, ik wijfel wat
I am hesitant.
bedwelm me je al van je geuren
You intoxicate me with your scent.
wat kan er nou gebeuren
What could possibly happen?
heel misschien alleen een zoen
Maybe just a kiss.
ik zou zo met je mee gaan
I could easily go with you.
om iets heel erg vies te doen
To do something very wrong.
maar ik doe het niet
But I won't do it.
ik kan het niet
I am not able to.
dus het zal er niet van komen
So, it won't happen.
maar ik kan wel blijven dromen
But I can keep dreaming.
want het blijft een leuk idee
Because it still sounds tempting.
oh..... nee, ik ga niet met je mee
Oh, no. I won't come with you.
nee, nee, ik ga niet met je mee
No, no, I won't come with you.
okee, okee, maar ik ga niet met je mee
Okay, okay, but I won't come with you.
oh nee, nee, nee, ik ga niet met je mee
Oh no, no, no, I won't come with you.
Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.