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.
Vleugels Van Mijn Vlucht
Paul de Leeuw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
en nooit eens wat zon op je gezicht
jij doet altijd een stapje terug
want zo ben je
jij in het donker, ik in het licht
dus ik krijg altijd de volle aandacht
en jij heb de zorg en alle pijn
jou mooi gezicht bleef anoniem
mijn waarheid in al die schone schijn
maar weet je dan niet
dat jij mij kracht geeft
mijn zon, in m'n hemelsblauw lucht
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
Waarschijnlijk heeft niemand in de gaten
hoe jij met me meereist in mijn hart
hoeveel ik werk'lijk van je hou
want dat doe ik
'k zou niet meer kunnen zonder jou
want weet je dan niet
dat jij me kracht geeft
mijn zon in m'n heldere blauwe lucht
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
maar weet je dan niet dat jij me kracht geeft
mijn zon
in m'n hemelsblauwe lucht
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
The song "Vleugels Van Mijn Vlucht" by Paul de Leeuw talks about a person who recognizes the importance of their partner and the support they provide. The lyrics convey the idea of someone who is always in the limelight and receives all the attention, while their partner stays in the background, never getting the recognition they deserve. The singer acknowledges that they would not be where they are without their partner's support and love. They recognize that their partner is the one who has all the power because they are the ones that allow the singer to soar.
The song's chorus emphasizes the gratitude the singer has for their partner, referring to them as the "vleugels van mijn vlucht" or the wings of their flight. The song acknowledges that while the singer may be the one achieving great things, it is their partner who makes it possible. The lyrics are touching and convey a deep sense of love and appreciation for one's partner.
Line by Line Meaning
't is vast heel eenzaam in mijn schaduw
I feel very lonely in my own darkness
en nooit eens wat zon op je gezicht
You never get any sunlight on your face
jij doet altijd een stapje terug
You always take a step back
want zo ben je
Because that's who you are
jij in het donker, ik in het licht
You are in the dark, and I am in the light
dus ik krijg altijd de volle aandacht
So I always get all the attention
en jij heb de zorg en alle pijn
And you have all the care and pain
jou mooi gezicht bleef anoniem
Your beautiful face remained anonymous
al die tijd
All this time
mijn waarheid in al die schone schijn
My truth hidden behind all the glamour
maar weet je dan niet
But don't you know
dat jij mij kracht geeft
That you give me strength
mijn zon, in m'n hemelsblauw lucht
My sun in my clear blue sky
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
And you are the one who holds all the power
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
Because you are the wings of my flight
Waarschijnlijk heeft niemand in de gaten
Probably no one realizes
hoe jij met me meereist in mijn hart
How you travel with me in my heart
hoeveel ik werk'lijk van je hou
How much I truly love you
want dat doe ik
Because I do
'k zou niet meer kunnen zonder jou
I wouldn't be able to live without you
maar weet je dan niet
But don't you know
dat jij me kracht geeft
That you give me strength
mijn zon in m'n heldere blauwe lucht
My sun in my bright blue sky
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
And you are the one who holds all the power
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
Because you are the wings of my flight
maar weet je dan niet dat jij me kracht geeft
But don't you know that you give me strength
mijn zon
My sun
in m'n hemelsblauwe lucht
In my heavenly blue sky
en jij bent degeen die alle macht heeft
And you are the one who holds all the power
want jij bent de vleugels van mijn vlucht
Because you are the wings of my flight
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marjoleingroenendijk7628
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