From 1972 on Raymond mixes candid observations on human behavior with his own, unique sense of humor. His songs are alternatively full of emotion and boisterous, dark and joyful, but are always powered by a sound base of rock'n roll and references to all four musical corners of the globe". They rightfully awarded him the title "His excellence of Belgian Pop".
Early Years
Born in a musical family (his father is Nico Gomez), Raymond starts performing with Johan Verminnen. In 1975 he says : "Like Lennon shouted "Twist and Shout", no one had ever made music before. We felt that as being extremely non-comformistic. So we also had long hair and jeans. It was Johan Verminnen who showed me the life in bars. He led me into the nightlife. That was necessary, 'cause my parents where Dutch people who lived an isolated life in Antwerp."
After somewhile as a musician backing up other people (e.g. with Della Bosiers), he forms his own band with Erik Van Neygen called Louisette. Already he gives Flanders some of its musical evergreens like 'Maria, Maria ik hou van jou" and "Zij houdt van Vrijen".
In an era of "Osmonds and Mud" Louisette fails to make it big. He reforms the group, this time as RvhG and Bien Servi, for which the lineup includes Jean-Marie Aerts (see TC Matic etc ..) and Jean Blaute (see Kate's Kennel, K's Choice ...).
Humo, more than 25 years later acknowledged the fact that "Je moest eens weten hoe gelukkig ik was" (you should know how happy I was) by Bien Servi was a masterpiece : "When Raymond was hungry and 22 and stayed in bed to keep himself warm he wrote a song called "you should know how happy I was". Classy! Only Randy Newman could have done better. When there was electricity in his apartment he would constantly put Newman's first record on the turntable. Maybe it wasn't that clear at the time, but nowadays it's crystal clear that this record is the best Dutch-speaking debut album of all times."
First Succes
"Nooit meer drinken" of 1977 is the first album on which he operates with his backing group, then called "The Millionaires", but later on renamed to e.a. "The Centimeters" and "de Vlaamse Mustafa's". He records "Meisjes" (girls) which becomes a huge hit and gains fame through his steamy live-reputation.
After the ironic hit "Vlaanderen boven" (Flanders on top) he also travels abroad to Holland with "Je veux de l'amour" (I want love) and makes appearances at the major Pinkpop & Torhout-Werchter festivals. He quits playing live after the successful single "cha cha cha".
"It was becoming too easy, and most of all : too much. Never time to take a break, never time to do something fresh. I had toured Belgium twice before my appearance at Pinkpop. After that I toured the country twice again, and then I had enough of it".
Van het Groenewoud takes a step back and starts writing music for films (e.g. "Brussels by night" from Marc Didden or "Sailor's don't cry" with Elsje Helewaut). He also produces some music for others (Employees, Kamagurka).
New Breaktrough
After a few "sabbatical years" he refocuses on his musical career again, but it's a different Raymond who has come back : deeper, more emotional and intimate, sometimes more painful and more romantic is his music. His comeback doesn't bring his popularity to the heights of the late seventies. For another minute of fame in the general public eye, he has to wait 'till 1990 with a compilation of his early work and a surprise hit "Liefde voor muziek" (the love for music), a gospel-ish song which makes it as a carnival-hit. Raymond is back just in time to make it as the godfather for a whole new generation of Dutch-singing artist who emerged in the 90's (Noordkaap, de Mens, Gorki)
More recently, he did a very successful -almost acoustic - concert tour through the theater halls of Belgium and Holland. A wonderful and intimistic report of this tour has been released as "De minister van Ruimtelijke Ordening".
Now that he has seen Abraham (has become 50), Raymond van het Groenewoud has been honoured with a book. This luxurious hardback (with a cover in pluch) entitled "Je veux de l'amour" contains an intro written by Boudewijn de Groot, a story of his career, a complete discography and more than 139 lyrics to the songs that have made him such a unique figure. Moreover, the book comes with a cd, that contains 10 songs recorded acoustically at home. (Btw : it sure are busy times for Raymond-collectors, as there was also a cd with live-songs on only 2,000 copies that was handed out to those present at the Valentine's Day-gig in February 2000 at the Ancienne Belgique).
In 2000, Raymond was also the author of the soundtrack for the very succesful film "Iedereen Beroemd" by Dominique Deruddere and the theme song "Lucky Manuelo" (which received an Oscar nomination for Foreign Language movie, but was beaten by "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)
In 2001, Raymond released a CD with the title "Een jongen uit Schaarbeek" (a boy from Schaerbeek). The CD was recorded with César Janssens on drums again, and the young Thomas Vanelslander (Overflow) on guitar. Strangely enough, the production was done by Christine Verschorren, who also happens to be the current Ms. Van Het Groenewoud. The CD-release itself is for October 4th 2001, but there is already a track that gets lots of airplay, the single "Keineig (verliefd op haar)" (I'm so like totally in love with her).
One track on the album, the titlesong "Een jongen uit Schaarbeek" is being sung by Sarah Bettens, about which track he tells Humo "it's a lullaby for adults. It had to be sung by a woman. I had it so bad (lovesickness) that I wished I had someone who would sing for me softly, make me feel as if I was in the warm bath of a womb again".
Raymond fans also were pleased to find a Cd with newspaper De Morgen, with seven track - some old songs and two tracks from the new album, called "Water en Brood" (water & bread).
Respected Belgian Artist
In 2005, Raymond releases two more CD's: "Ballades" (Ballads) and "Mr. Raymond", which includes the protest song "Weg met Amerika", in which he denounces the USA imperailism and the commercialisation/americanisation of society. Touring around the country performing a mix of intimate songs and his well known hits, he reaches a big audience. He gets admired not only because of his great music, but also for he has his very own style and humour in the way he performes. Many Belgian young artists are inspired by his person, resulting among other tribute's in the project "Raymond en zijn jonge helden" ("Raymond and his young hero's") organisated by Poppunt.
Brussels By Night
Raymond van het Groenewoud Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Naast het eethuis Le Steak
Achter zware gordijnen
Staat de Sjah-discotheek
Aan de jassen die hangen
't Etiket van Louise
Clouseau kocht er ook 1
Brussels by Night
Allerlei lichtjes
Veel strangers in de strijd
In Brussels by Night
In de straat van Bojeme
Neemt een dame je mee
Er wordt soms geschoten
De wet zwijgt gedwee
Dansen, drinken, betalen
Taxi geel, taxi zwart
Op de kee van de mossels
Begint reeds de markt
Brussels by Night
Allerlei lichtjes
Veel strangers in de strijd
En katers bij het ontbijt
In Brussels by Night
Ha, wij treffen het ketje
Oh, zo grappig en leep
Deze stad wil men helpen
Maar dan liefst om zeep
Brussels by Night
How bright the city lights
Wie geld heeft is allright
't Is een duur, dat is een feit
Hier zoekt een vent een meid
Hier zoekt een bok een geit
Hier zoekt een bok een bok
Hier zoekt een geit een geit
Snel vliegt de tijd
De kamers met ontbijt
Brussels by Night
The song "Brussels by Night" by Raymond van het Groenewoud is a vivid portrait of the city of Brussels after dark. The lyrics tell the story of a night out in the city, with references to specific locations and activities. The first verse mentions a disco called Sjah, located behind heavy curtains next to a restaurant called Le Steak on Rue Riveline. The lyrics describe the jackets hanging in the club, with the label of a shop called Louise, and the fact that even famous Belgian band Clouseau has bought one but it doesn't fit perfectly. The chorus celebrates the colorful lights and the many strangers in the city, with the repeated phrase "Brussels by Night."
The second verse takes place on Bojeme Street, where a woman will take you with her, and gunshots can sometimes be heard. The lyrics mention dancing, drinking, and paying for taxis, with a reference to "the kee of the mossels," which is a local expression meaning the start of something. The chorus repeats again, this time adding a reference to hangovers at breakfast time.
Line by Line Meaning
In de Rue Riveline
In Rue Riveline
Naast het eethuis Le Steak
Next to Le Steak restaurant
Achter zware gordijnen
Behind heavy curtains
Staat de Sjah-discotheek
Stands the Sjah nightclub
Aan de jassen die hangen
On the hanging coats
't Etiket van Louise
Louise's label
Clouseau kocht er ook 1
Clouseau also bought one
Maar die past niet precies
But it doesn't fit quite right
Brussels by Night
Brussels at night
Allerlei lichtjes
All kinds of lights
Veel strangers in de strijd
Many strangers in the struggle
In Brussels by Night
In Brussels at night
In de straat van Bojeme
In Bojeme street
Neemt een dame je mee
A lady takes you along
Er wordt soms geschoten
Sometimes there is gunfire
De wet zwijgt gedwee
The law stays silent obediently
Dansen, drinken, betalen
Dancing, drinking, paying
Taxi geel, taxi zwart
Yellow taxi, black taxi
Op de kee van de mossels
On the mussel shells
Begint reeds de markt
The market already starts
Brussels by Night
Brussels at night
Allerlei lichtjes
All kinds of lights
Veel strangers in de strijd
Many strangers in the struggle
En katers bij het ontbijt
And hangovers at breakfast
In Brussels by Night
In Brussels at night
Ha, wij treffen het ketje
Hey, we've got a lucky break
Oh, zo grappig en leep
Oh, so funny and cunning
Deze stad wil men helpen
One wants to help this city
Maar dan liefst om zeep
But preferably to ruin
Brussels by Night
Brussels at night
How bright the city lights
The city lights shine bright
Wie geld heeft is allright
Whoever has money is alright
't Is een duur, dat is een feit
It's expensive, that's a fact
Hier zoekt een vent een meid
Here a guy looks for a girl
Hier zoekt een bok een geit
Here a goat looks for a nanny goat
Hier zoekt een bok een bok
Here a goat looks for a male goat
Hier zoekt een geit een geit
Here a nanny goat looks for a nanny goat
Snel vliegt de tijd
Time flies quickly
De kamers met ontbijt
The rooms with breakfast
Brussels by Night
Brussels at night
Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kees Lensvelt
een van de beste Nederlandstalige nummers ooit!!
Truus van Vugt
Dit blijft dus gewoon verschrikkelijk goed,ook jaren en jaren later, Wat ben en was je toch gewoon goed Raymond
Gijsje Heemskerk
Love it
Diana Naomi
Unico comentario en español. Amo esta canción <3 .
Toontje Wildervank
dit nummer ontdekt door "met het oog op morgen". prachtig.
bruh
Dit nummer is onlosmakelijk verbonden met de gelijknamige film. Deze film is bijna 40 jaar oud maar blijft een Meesterwerk.
rob van der meij
Moest er in 1 keer aan denken, gezocht en gevonden, en verdomd.....nog steeds leuk!
Oempa Loompa
Raymond is super! Lieve.
MrPrimus1976
Het donkerste nummer van Raymond. Klasse!
Gino Degrande
uit film