Many of the lyrics are sketches of provincial everyday life: a young bird falling from its nest, a famous person in the village, a local funeral, scenes from the local pub or just waking up with a hangover.
Established in 1985, the band called themselves The Legendary Texas Four until Jack Poels joined as the new frontman. He joined on the condition that he wanted to add at least one song in the Limburg dialect to the band's repertoire. The other members agreed. Rowwen Hèze was born.
Rowwen Hèze translates loosely as 'Rough Hesen' and was the nickname of a notorious character from the village, Christiaan Hesen (1853-1947). Under this new name, the band started covering songs from Thin Lizzy. The band also wrote Dutch party songs for the annual carnival in the southern Netherlands.
The band saw two members leave in the early years. Mart Deckers (drums) and Geert Hermkes (accordeon) left the band. The line-up that was formed in 1991 is still intact today and has been unchanged for 29 years and counting.
- Jack Poels (lead singer, guitar)
- Tren van Enckevort (accordeon, piano, trombone)
- Jan Philipsen (bass)
- Theo Joosten (guitar, mandoline, tin whistle, percussion)
- Jack Haegens (trumpet, trombone, percussion)
The band's 1992 performance at Limburg's Pinkpop Festival was a breakthru moment. The band's set was shown live on Dutch television. At the time, the band had four studio albums under its belt: Rowwen Hèze (1987), Blieve loepe (1990), Boem (1991) and the live album, In de weiIn De Wei (1992). Their party anthem, Bestel mar (1992) hit #13 in the Dutch Top 40, still their highest charting single.
This pattern of three studio LPs and a live album repeated itself in the 1990s: Station America (1993), Zondag in het Zuiden (1995) and Water, lucht en liefde were followed by a 1999 live album entitled 't Beste van 2 werelden (1999), this time a recording of Rowwen Hèze semi-acoustic theatre incarnation.
The steady stream of albums continued in the 21st century.
Studio albums
Vandaag (2000)
Dageraad (2003)
Rodus & Lucius (2006)
Zilver (2010)
Manne van staal (2011)
Geal (2012)
Hemel op aarde: De liedjes (2013)
Vur altied: Ballades & Beer (2016)
De liefde, de muziek, de herinnering (2017)
Voorwaartsch (2019)
Onderaan beginne(2021)
Live albums:
D.A.D.P.G.S. (2003)
Andere wind (2004)
Saus (2008)
Wear of gen wear: Slotconcert 2019 (2019)
Compilation album:
Kilomeaters: 't beste van 20 joar Rowwen Hèze (2005)
Official site: www.rowwenheze.nl
Bestel Mar
Rowwen Hèze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
't keumt mei veur ge zit allien ge zit te baale
Ge zit al oore lang te kieke nar ow schoon
Niks te proate niks te zeen niks te beleave
Oet vervealing gadde mar wat zinnigs doon
En met de hand deep in de tes loepte de stroat op
Alles donker lampe oet gordiene dicht
En net als ge bedenkt ik gaj nar hoes nar bed toe
Refrein: ach bestel mar bestel mar bestel mar
Ge wet dat ik 't neet kan loate
Nog efkes en dan begin ik
D'are wir duchtig langs te proate
In 't cafe an d'n tap wuurd 't mar latter
De klok die kunde doar neet zeen die hengt te hoeg
Van al dat beer werde stiekemaan mar zatter
't wuurd nou echt d'n hoegste tied um weg te goan
Ge pakt ow pilske en ow knip um te betaale
Keumt d'are net nog zonne blieje bij ow stoan
Stel ow ni aan man zoep d'are toch nog enne mei man
Wie denkt d'are nou zo vroeg al an naar hoes te goan
Refrein
't wuurd drukker de biljartclub keumt nar binne
Verloare mar dat makt vur die niks oet
Dikke piet zet dat 'ie vet haj kunne winne
Mar d'n teagestand waas schienbaar toch wat groet
En zoe velt d'are doar wal aalt wat te beleave
Minse koome doar nar binnen minse goan
Al stort de ganse werlt inien 't kan niks geave
Zolang 't beer en de cafe mar blieve stoan
Refrein
The song "Bestel Mar" by Rowwen Hèze is sung in the Limburgs dialect and tells the story of a lonely person who goes out to a bar to escape their boredom. The person is sitting alone and feeling down, looking at someone they find attractive without having anything to say or do. They eventually leave the house with a deep sigh and walk in the quiet, dark streets to the local pub. As they enjoy their beer and talk to others, time passes, and they become more and more drunk. The song revolves around the idea of drinking and socializing in a pub, feeling alive and connected to others, and escaping the mundanity of everyday life.
The chorus of "Bestel Mar" is repeated several times, urging the listener to continue ordering beer and not to stop until they are ready to leave. The song paints a picture of a lively and friendly atmosphere in a pub where people gather to drink, chat, and forget their problems. It also touches on themes of loneliness, boredom, and the need for human connection.
Overall, "Bestel Mar" is a catchy song that captures the spirit of socializing in a bar in a relatable and lighthearted way.
Line by Line Meaning
't keumt mei veur ge zit allien ge zit te baale
You're sitting there all alone, feeling miserable.
Ge zit al oore lang te kieke nar ow schoon
You've been staring at your beloved for hours.
Niks te proate niks te zeen niks te beleave
There's nothing to talk about, nothing to see, nothing to believe.
Oet vervealing gadde mar wat zinnigs doon
Out of boredom, you try to do something meaningful.
En met de hand deep in de tes loepte de stroat op
With your hands deep in your pockets, you walk out into the street.
Alles donker lampe oet gordiene dicht
Everything is dark, lights off, curtains closed.
En net als ge bedenkt ik gaj nar hoes nar bed toe
Just when you decide to go home, to bed.
Schient zachtjes in de verte 't verlossend licht
There's a faint, comforting light shining in the distance.
Refrein: ach bestel mar bestel mar bestel mar
Chorus: Just order another, order another, order another.
Ge wet dat ik 't neet kan loate
You know I can't resist.
Nog efkes en dan begin ik
Just a little longer and I'll start.
D'are wir duchtig langs te proate
I'll start chatting with the people around me again.
In 't cafe an d'n tap wuurd 't mar latter
In the pub at the bar, it keeps getting more and more fun.
De klok die kunde doar neet zeen die hengt te hoeg
The clock is hanging too high to be seen.
Van al dat beer werde stiekemaan mar zatter
From all that beer, we're slowly getting drunker.
''t wuurd nou echt d'n hoegste tied um weg te goan
It's really time to leave now.
Ge pakt ow pilske en ow knip um te betaale
You grab your beer and your wallet to pay.
Keumt d'are net nog zonne blieje bij ow stoan
Someone else comes up to you, happy to see you.
Stel ow ni aan man zoep d'are toch nog enne mei man
Don't be ridiculous, have another drink.
Wie denkt d'are nou zo vroeg al an naar hoes te goan
Who thinks about going home so early?
Refrein
Chorus
't wuurd drukker de biljartclub keumt nar binne
It's getting busier, members of the billiards club come in.
Verloare mar dat makt vur die niks oet
Losing doesn't matter to you.
Dikke piet zet dat 'ie vet haj kunne winne
Dikke Piet claims he could have won if things were different.
Mar d'n teagestand waas schienbaar toch wat groet
But the opposition was apparently stronger.
En zoe velt d'are doar wal aalt wat te beleave
And so there's always something to experience there.
Minse koome doar nar binnen minse goan
People come in, people leave.
Al stort de ganse werlt inien 't kan niks geave
Even if the whole world crashes, it can't compare to this feeling.
Zolang 't beer en de cafe mar blieve stoan
As long as there's beer and the pub keeps standing.
Refrein
Chorus
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CESAR SUEDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind