He became popular during the 1960s. His most famous songs include Sammy, Zing-Vecht-Huil-Bid-Lach-Werk En Bewonder (Sing, fight, cry, pray, laugh, work and admire), We zullen doorgaan (We shall go on), Pastorale and Laat me (Leave me be). He frequently collaborated with Dutch singer Liesbeth List.
Shaffy was born in Paris, in the suburb Neuilly-sur-Seine. His father was an Egyptian diplomat, his mother was a Polish duchess from Russian descent. He grew up with her in Cannes. When she was infected with tuberculosis, Shaffy was sent to an aunt in Utrecht. Eventually, he ended up in a foster family in Leiden.
He did not finish high school, but he was accepted at the Amsterdam school of theatre arts in 1952. In 1955, he made his debut with the Nederlandse Comedie (Dutch Comedy). Together with his life partner Joop Admiraal he went to Rome in 1960, hoping to find a job as a film actor. They eventually returned without success. In 1964, Shaffy founded the theatre group Shaffy Chantant, which led to his first collaborations with Liesbeth List. He also worked with together with Dutch pianist Louis van Dijk. Others, including Thijs van Leer, were members of the group for short periods of time. Together with Liesbeth List, he recorded the classic song Pastorale.
His hit Wij zullen doorgaan was parodied by comedian André van Duin in 1975.
In the 1980s, Shaffy returned to the stage and the set as an actor. He successfully played Don Quixote in the musical De man van La Mancha (The man from La Mancha) in 1993. Pieter Fleury made a documentary about Shaffy in 2002, titled Ramses. It won a Gouden Kalf (Golden Calve), the most prestigious Dutch film award. In the film, Shaffy's life as a somewhat confused, shaky old man in a rest home in Amsterdam is shown. He ended up there after being beaten up at night by thugs. Many years of extensive alcohol use are the main cause of his current condition. Some say he suffers from Korsakoff's syndrome, but his doctors have never diagnosed him with it.
In the years following the film, Shaffy's condition improved slightly. His memory had become better and he sometimes made public appearances again. In the fall of 2005 he even re-recorded his 1978 hit song Laat me, together with Liesbeth List and the band Alderliefste. It became a small hit.
Shaffy died of esophageal cancer on Tuesday the 1st of december 2009.
Zonder Bagage
Ramses Shaffy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ik heb me nog nooit zo goed en licht gevoeld als nu
Ik heb me nog nooit zo schoon en bevrijd gevoeld als nu
Weg met de kroegen, weg gezuip
Weg zijn de katers, dronken flaters
Glazige morgens en zorgens, niet te betalen
De wereld heeft mij failliet verklaard
Een verbazingwekkend slot van wat eens bij mij behoorde
Geen parasieten, geen gevlei
Geen gestroop meer, geen gevrij
Geen gelik meer, 't is voorbij
Niets meer te halen
De wereld heeft mij failliet verklaard
Het is een geschenk van God en niet van de maatschappij
Het is een geschenk van God en dit is wat ie zei:
Je moet weer werken, je moet weer zingen
Je moet weer lachen, je moet weer spelen
Je moet weer geven en beleven
Je moet weer stralen
De weg is vrij
De weg is open
De weg is mateloos van mij
Zonder bagage
Kan ik weer lopen
Want ik ben nu vogelvrij
De wereld heeft mij failliet verklaard
Ik ben ontstegen aan het groot krakeel
Ik ben ontstegen aan het maffe oordeel
Ik heb niets meer te verliezen
Ik heb alleen te winnen
Te beminnen
Te beginnen
Ik ben niet meer te achterhalen
The first stanza of Ramses Shaffy's song Zonder Bagage translates to "The world has declared me bankrupt, but I have never felt as good and light as I do now. I have never felt so clean and free as I do now. Away with the bars, away with drinking, away with hangovers, drunken mistakes, hazy mornings, and financial woes." It seems that the singer is expressing a sense of freedom and relief in giving up drinking and the party lifestyle, which may have been responsible for his financial struggles. Now that he is no longer tied down by these negative habits, he feels lighter and more liberated.
In the second stanza, the singer declares that the world declaring him bankrupt is a surprising turn of events that has liberated him from the parasites and sycophants he once associated with. There is no longer any flattery, no more fawning, and no more groveling. The era of scams, theft, and deception has come to an end. He further says that he no longer has anything to gain, which could indicate an acceptance of his current situation.
The final stanza has the singer saying that being declared bankrupt was a message from God and not from society, indicating a spiritual or philosophical interpretation of his situation. He believes he has been gifted with the opportunity to start anew and rediscover his love for working, singing, and playing, feeling and experiencing life to the fullest. The singer sees his financial ruin as a chance to reclaim his life and his identity, and with nothing holding him back, he is free to embrace life with all its possibilities.
Line by Line Meaning
De wereld heeft mij failliet verklaard
My life has hit rock bottom and society has given up on me
Ik heb me nog nooit zo goed en licht gevoeld als nu
Despite hitting rock bottom, I have never felt so unburdened and free
Ik heb me nog nooit zo schoon en bevrijd gevoeld als nu
Despite hitting rock bottom, I have never felt so pure and liberated
Weg met de kroegen, weg gezuip
I am done with the bars and the drinking
Weg zijn de katers, dronken flaters
Gone are the hangovers and the drunken mistakes
Glazige morgens en zorgens, niet te betalen
The blurry mornings and worries were not worth it anymore
Het is een verbazingwekkend lot waar men mij mee stoorde
My fate is surprisingly different from what society expected
Een verbazingwekkend slot van wat eens bij mij behoorde
This is an unexpected end to what used to be my life
Geen parasieten, geen gevlei
No more leeches or flattery
Geen gestroop meer, geen gevrij
No more taking advantage or sleeping around
Geen gelik meer, 't is voorbij
No more playing politics, it's over
Niets meer te halen
Nothing left to gain
Het is een geschenk van God en niet van de maatschappij
This is a gift from God, not from society
Het is een geschenk van God en dit is wat ie zei:
This is a gift from God and this is what He said:
Je moet weer werken, je moet weer zingen
You must work again, you must sing again
Je moet weer lachen, je moet weer spelen
You must laugh again, you must play again
Je moet weer geven en beleven
You must give again and experience life
Je moet weer stralen
You must shine again
De weg is vrij
The path is clear
De weg is open
The road is open
De weg is mateloos van mij
The path is limitless for me
Zonder bagage
Without baggage
Kan ik weer lopen
I can walk again
Want ik ben nu vogelvrij
Because I am now free as a bird
Ik ben ontstegen aan het groot krakeel
I have risen above the great conflict
Ik ben ontstegen aan het maffe oordeel
I have risen above the crazy judgement
Ik heb niets meer te verliezen
I have nothing left to lose
Ik heb alleen te winnen
I only have things to gain
Te beminnen
To love
Te beginnen
To start
Ik ben niet meer te achterhalen
I am no longer traceable
Writer(s): Ramses Shaffy
Contributed by Jackson C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aart de Graaf
Man, zoveel waarheid in dit lied. Je bent pas echt vrij als je helemaal niets hebt.
Max de Vries
"You will own nothing and you'll be happy"? 😉
Hilde De Gendt
Mooie stem en prachtige dictie! Altijd fan geweest.
bamm metje
geweldig nummer van een prachtig mens :)
Lyric Rogers
I'm american, and i love this guy
Rapunzzl
Wow, I like that! How did you get to know his music?
Lyric Rogers
***** My grandma always played his music when I was growing up.
Rapunzzl
How nice! Dutch roots?
Lyric Rogers
***** my grandma
Lyric Rogers
***** My grandma's dutch