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
Geluksknikker
Rowwen Hèze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ik keek nar boete en ik ging
Op mien zelfde alde schoon
En ik deej gewoen mien ding
Oet ut niks begos dun daag
Un tas koffie beej de krant
Di vur meej op dun taffel laag
Ik ging blind op mien verstand
Alles leep zoe as ut leep
En brave jong zoe as ut huurd
Ik zaag aalt en denkbieldige streep
En doar bleef ik oet de buurt
Maar ineans kreeg ik ut benauwd
Ik waas danig vaan de leg
Op enne merge ging ut fout
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Oh waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Waat enne tied
Miene geluksknikker waas kwiet
Jonge jonge waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
De betoevering verbrook
Ik ging vaan de hugste plank
Ik keek nar onder en ik dook
Maar ut zwembad daat stong blank
Gennen engel din meej ving
Val gebroke door ut heg
Toen ik steil nar onder ging
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Oh waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Waat enne tied
Miene geluksknikker waas kwiet
Jonge jonge waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Ik woard wakker en ik keek
Ut vulde as un neej begeen
Toen ik door mien oëge streek
En dur licht nar binne scheen
Roeie gloed op ut plafond
Ut waas nag duuster maar ik zaag
Um stralen aan dun horizon
Op ennen splinternejje daag
Oh waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
Waat enne tied
Miene geluksknikker waas kwiet
Jonge jonge waat en pech
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
The lyrics to Rowwen Hèze's "Geluksknikker" describe a man who is going about his day-to-day life without much purpose. He mentions looking outside and going about his old routine. However, one day something changes. He gets a cup of coffee and starts feeling uneasy. Suddenly, he feels like his "luck charm" is gone. He starts to panic and eventually falls into a swimming pool. He wakes up the following day to a feeling of renewal and a new day ahead.
The song is a metaphor for the randomness and mystery of life. The "geluksknikker" (luck charm) signifies the temporary nature of happiness and good fortune. The man takes it for granted until it is lost, demonstrating the fragility of human luck and wellbeing. The lyrics suggest that even though we can't control what happens to us, it's important to keep going and face the unknown with curiosity and optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
Ik hofde dur echt niks vur te doon
I had nothing to do, so I went outside and did my usual routine.
Op mien zelfde alde schoon
I did things in my own comfortable and familiar way.
Oet ut niks begos dun daag
Suddenly, the day began.
Ik ging blind op mien verstand
I relied only on my intellect.
Maar ineans kreeg ik ut benauwd
All of a sudden, I felt anxious.
Miene geluksknikker waas weg
My lucky charm was gone.
De betoevering verbrook
The enchantment broke.
Gennen engel din meej ving
No angel caught me.
Toen ik steil nar onder ging
As I fell straight down.
Ik woard wakker en ik keek
I woke up and looked around.
Ut vulde as un neej begeen
It felt like a new beginning.
Toen ik door mien oëge streek
When I rubbed my eyes.
Op ennen splinternejje daag
On a brand new day.
Contributed by Cooper E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniëlle van den Heuvel
Oh waat eene pech, miene geluksknikker waas weg! Waat eene tied, miene geluksknikker was kwiet! Jonge, jonge waat eene pech, miene geluksknikker waas weg!
Tim Verhoeven
machtigmooi
Jazz161088
loat november mer komme!
Henkvandetillaar
Lol waarom de catergorie 'gaming'
Tomas van Ham
@Henkvandetillaar lekker lied om op te gamen ;p