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
Proate
Rowwen Hèze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
is 't woar wat ik zij
ooh die oege kieke nar meej
ooh 't is ni woar ik mot goan proate
ik gaj dor de grond
de werlt dreid onder mien kont
ooh alsteblif lat meej ni proate
't kalde zwiet stiet in mien hand
ik wil alles doon mar echt ik kan ni proate
nou en op schoel
razelvot roeje koel
ooh voer meej mar af ik wil ni proate
'n spot veul licht
boem en miene mond zit dicht
ooh leg meej mar weg ik kan ni proate
ik drei door de aarde scheurt
daalijk koom ik an de beurt
kiekt iederien meej aan en kan ik neet mier proate
is 't woar wat ik zij
ooh die hand wiest die nar meej
ooh 't is ni woar ik mot goan proate
't zwiet brukt oet
mien hart wuurd drie kier zo groet
ooh alsteblif lat meej ni proate
ik drei door de aarde scheurt
daalijk koom ik an de beurt
stoj veur de klas en kan ik neet mier proate
ik val um gaj dor de grond
de aarde dreid onder mien kont
ik wil alles doon mar echt ik kan ni proate
The lyrics to Rowwen Hèze's song "Proate" capture the feeling of intense anxiety and fear of speaking in front of others. The opening lines express the singer's doubt that he can convey what he wants to say, and his fear of judgment from the people listening. He feels as though the world is shaking under him, and he begs to not be made to speak. The second verse describes the physical sensations of this fear - cold sweat and a dry mouth - and the singer's frustration at not being able to communicate despite his willingness to do so.
As the song progresses, the fear intensifies. The singer feels like he is falling through the earth and will soon be exposed to everyone's judgment. He repeats his initial plea to not be made to speak, and expresses his desperation and heartbreak at not being able to do so. The final lines of the song show the escalation of this fear to a physical reaction - the singer falls down, dizzy with fear.
Overall, "Proate" is a powerful depiction of social anxiety and the crippling fear that can come with it. The repetition of the plea to not have to speak underscores this fear, and the physical symptoms of anxiety - cold sweat, dry mouth, dizziness - are accurately portrayed in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
is 't woar wat ik zij
Is it true what I said?
ooh die oege kieke nar meej
Oh, those eyes looking at me
ooh 't is ni woar ik mot goan proate
Oh, it's not where I should speak
ik gaj dor de grond
I'm going through the ground
de werlt dreid onder mien kont
The world is spinning under my feet
ooh alsteblif lat meej ni proate
Oh, please don't make me talk
't kalde zwiet stiet in mien hand
Cold sweat is in my hand
druuge tong druuge tand
Dry tongue, dry teeth
ik wil alles doon mar echt ik kan ni proate
I want to do everything, but really I can't speak
nou en op schoel
Now, and at school
razelvot roeje koel
Confused, red-faced cool
ooh voer meej mar af ik wil ni proate
Oh, take me away, I don't want to speak
'n spot veul licht
A spotlight
boem en miene mond zit dicht
Boom and my mouth is closed
ooh leg meej mar weg ik kan ni proate
Oh, just lay me down, I can't speak
ik drei door de aarde scheurt
I'm turning through the earth's cracks
daalijk koom ik an de beurt
Soon it will be my turn
kiekt iederien meej aan en kan ik neet mier proate
Everyone is looking at me and I can't speak anymore
ooh die hand wiest die nar meej
Oh, that hand pointing at me
't is ni woar ik mot goan proate
It's not where I should speak
't zwiet brukt oet
The sweat breaks out
mien hart wuurd drie kier zo groet
My heart becomes three times as big
ooh alsteblif lat meej ni proate
Oh, please don't make me talk
ik val um gaj dor de grond
I fall, going through the ground
de aarde dreid onder mien kont
The earth is spinning under my feet
ik wil alles doon mar echt ik kan ni proate
I want to do everything, but really I can't speak
Contributed by Liam C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.