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
Koning Hay
Rowwen Hèze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
verhaale over vrouwe met champagne in 'n bad
zwoare keatels vol met geld, juweele en de rest
zien klok is in dit leave al drie kier rond gewest
Heej scheld op iederien, heej vloekt de ganse daag
goeit kilo's spek met eier en jenever in zien maag
heej wakt oaver zien eigendom, is koning van zien land
heej giet vur d'n duuvel of vur god ni an de kant
koning hay left in zien eige werlt
heej het zien verhaal al mier dan honderd kier verteld
Heej biet in elk woard, heej spijd in elke zin
zien oege die zien scherp en snijje overaal doorhin
heej hof genne dokter, gen pille of bezeuk
't wuurd allien mar erger van dat medische geneuk
Mar iemand zei dat heej soms daage lang allien mar zoop
iemand zei dat heej soms van de pien nar boete kroop
dan wuurd 'ie kwoad en zet'ie met 't schoem op ziene mond
als ge iederien geluuft laag ik allang onder de grond
Refr.
Heej zwaait nog elke daag zien groete hand hoeg in de lucht
en schrieuwt zien eige meining terwijl niemand d'r um vrugt
dan leupt 'ie wir wat krommer enne grijns um ziene mond
zien harde lief grujt elke daag wat dichter nar de grond
The lyrics of Rowwen Hèze's song "Koning Hay" depict a man who has experienced and had it all. He is known for his stories about women in champagne-filled bathtubs, heavy chests full of money, jewels, and other valuables, and how his clock has already gone around three times in this life. Despite his wealth, he constantly curses and swears at everyone, consumes a lot of food, eggs, and jenever, and guards his property as if he is the king of his own land. He does not care about anyone, not even the Devil or God himself.
However, there is a layer of sadness in the lyrics as well. The song implies that Koning Hay is struggling with physical pain and possibly addiction, as someone suggested that he sometimes spends days just drinking. When he is in pain or feeling angry, he puts foam on his mouth and gets even more aggressive. Nevertheless, he continues to live his life, shouting his opinions to the world even if no one asked for them. As he ages, his heart grows harder and his life grows closer to the ground.
Overall, "Koning Hay" portrays a wealthy and powerful man who has lost touch with the world and is slowly losing his humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Heej het alles meigemakt, het 't allemoal gehad
He has experienced everything and had it all
verhaale over vrouwe met champagne in 'n bad
Stories about women with champagne in a bathtub
zwoare keatels vol met geld, juweele en de rest
Heavy chests full of money, jewels, and other valuable items
zien klok is in dit leave al drie kier rond gewest
His clock (age) has already gone around three times in this life
Heej scheld op iederien, heej vloekt de ganse daag
He insults everyone and curses all day long
goeit kilo's spek met eier en jenever in zien maag
Eats kilograms of bacon with eggs and gin in his stomach
heej wakt oaver zien eigendom, is koning van zien land
He watches over his property and considers himself the king of his land
heej giet vur d'n duuvel of vur god ni an de kant
He does not give in to the devil or God
Refr.: koning hay left in zien eige werlt
Chorus: King Hay lives in his own world
heej het zien verhaal al mier dan honderd kier verteld
He has told his story more than a hundred times
Heej biet in elk woard, heej spijd in elke zin
He bites in every word, he spits in every sentence
zien oege die zien scherp en snijje overaal doorhin
His sharp eyes cut through everything
heej hof genne dokter, gen pille of bezeuk
He doesn't need a doctor, medicine, or a visit
't wuurd allien mar erger van dat medische geneuk
It only gets worse with medical fuss
Mar iemand zei dat heej soms daage lang allien mar zoop
But someone said he sometimes drinks alone for days
iemand zei dat heej soms van de pien nar boete kroop
Someone said he sometimes crawls from pain to bed
dan wuurd 'ie kwoad en zet'ie met 't schoem op ziene mond
Then he gets angry and foams at the mouth
als ge iederien geluuft laag ik allang onder de grond
If you believe everyone, I would have been buried a long time ago
Refr.: koning hay left in zien eige werlt
Chorus: King Hay lives in his own world
Heej zwaait nog elke daag zien groete hand hoeg in de lucht
He still raises his big hand high in the air every day
en schrieuwt zien eige meining terwijl niemand d'r um vrugt
And screams his own opinion when no one asks for it
dan leupt 'ie wir wat krommer enne grijns um ziene mond
Then he walks a little more bent with a grin on his face
zien harde lief grujt elke daag wat dichter nar de grond
His hard life grows a little closer to the ground every day
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Niek Sluiters
gweldige opening van slotconcert 2009!!!!
Steef Buren
proud 2 know Koning Hay
bibo brug
geweldig nummer, groetjes oet hors aan de maas, en megje daat nit kaan waachte um te goan, hup de tent in daaluk !
Janneke90
beste nummer ooit gemaakt!!!!! xxx friesche overijsselsche meid
Rik Notermans
4 life!
Alexander
Over 3 weken vakantie.... en dan 2 weken Maestricht!!
M0NICA
GE-WEL-DIG!
LowaddictsSoundsystem
Deze is leuk^^.
ThaPietjah
hoop dat ze deze 4 juni draaien!
diana maxime
is het mogelijk om ook hun nieuwste nummer lekker waas ut wal te uploaden?