In 1963 under the moniker Bob Revvel he formed the band "The Yelping Jackals". In 1967 he switched to front another band Gloria, later renamed Unit Gloria. He left the group to work on a solo career.
He released his first solo album, Vroeger Of Later, on which he criticised Dutch politics and sung about homosexuality and the Church, which was very unusual for that time. Vroeger Of Later sold over 500.000 copies and spent 118 week in the charts. A unique feat for an album made in the Dutch language.
Between 1974 and 1986 Robert Long worked on several theatre shows, mostly based on his songs and records. When he got tired of touring he started a career as a TV host. For seven years, he hosted the popular VARA game show Tien Voor Taal.
He returned to the stage in 1996 with the show Nu, a collection of new and old songs.
In 2002 Long released his critically acclaimed album Brand!, on which he returned to the sound of his first album. Due to health problems Long had to cancel the second leg of his Brand! tour.
In 2005 Long married his long-time boyfriend and manager Kristof Rutsaert. The wedding took place on the border of The Netherlands and Belgium, as Rutsaert is from Belgium and Long was Dutch.
After recovery he started to work on new material for a new tour, 'n Duivels Genoegen. Just before the tour started Robert Long suffered a heart-attack. Again he was forced to cancel his shows to concentrate on his recovery. Autumn '06 the CD was released which was supposed to accompany the cancelled tour.
In December 2006, the news was announced Long had cancer. Robert Long died in Antwerp (Belgium) on 13 December 2006, at the age of 63.
Het Leger
Robert Long Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je wilt aan het werk en je zoekt nou al weken,
Je hebt al een jaar in de kranten gekeken, nog steeds kom je niet aan de
bak.
Het leger verschaft jou een baan,
het leger betaalt en daar kun je van leven,
ze willen je ook nog een opleiding geven
Je bent niet de eerste hoor vent,
ze komen zich echt weer met tientallen melden,
er zal in de toekomst weer plaats zijn voor helden, dus zorg dat jij één
daarvan bent.
Het leger dat zorgt wel voor werk,
je ramt erop los en misschien mag je vuren, desnoods op je vrienden, je
ouders, je buren
wat dat is de reden waarom ze je huren, een dooie soldaat is weer een
vacature
en hun kost het hooguit een zerk.
The song "Het Leger" by Robert Long is a commentary on the state of unemployment and the desperation it causes. The song begins with the singer's acknowledgement of the difficulties faced by those searching for employment. Despite having a diploma, the singer laments that they have been searching for weeks but have not been able to find a job. This is a common scenario that is relatable to many individuals seeking employment, and the lyrics capture the frustration of this experience.
The singer then suggests that the military can provide a solution to the problem of unemployment by offering jobs and giving hope to people who are struggling to make ends meet. They state that joining the military provides an opportunity to earn a decent living and also receive training, underlining that the military is willing to invest in individuals who decide to join.
The last part of the song takes a darker turn as the singer highlights the harsh reality of military life. They comment that soldiers are trained to become "heroes" and are not afraid to take violent action even against friends, family, and neighbors if they're told to do so. This is especially poignant when the singer notes that for the military, dead soldiers are just another job opening to be filled with new recruits, and the cost is just a burial plot.
Overall, "Het Leger" underscores the desperation that unemployment can cause and the difficult choices that individuals have to make when seeking employment opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
Je hebt je diploma op zak
You have your diploma with you
Je wilt aan het werk en je zoekt nou al weken
You want to work and have been searching for weeks
Je hebt al een jaar in de kranten gekeken, nog steeds kom je niet aan de bak
You have been looking for a year and still haven't found a job
Het leger verschaft jou een baan
The army provides you with a job
het leger betaalt en daar kun je van leven
The army pays and you can live off of it
ze willen je ook nog een opleiding geven
They also want to give you an education
je leert er je mannetje staan
You learn how to stand up for yourself
Je bent niet de eerste hoor vent
You're not the first one, buddy
ze komen zich echt weer met tientallen melden
They really come in with dozens again
er zal in de toekomst weer plaats zijn voor helden, dus zorg dat jij één daarvan bent
There will be room for heroes in the future, so make sure you are one of them
Het leger dat zorgt wel voor werk
The army does provide work
je ramt erop los en misschien mag je vuren, desnoods op je vrienden, je ouders, je buren
You may shoot at anyone, even your friends, parents, or neighbours
wat dat is de reden waarom ze je huren, een dooie soldaat is weer een vacature
That's why they hire you, a dead soldier is a job opening again
en hun kost het hooguit een zerk
And it will only cost them a grave
Contributed by Aubrey A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.