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
Rowwen hèze
Rowwen Hèze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niemand um de schuld te geave.
Niemand um meej hin di leupt te zeure.
Ich heb genog niks te klaage.
Wat ich heb dat kan ich draage.
Wat zuj ich met mier goan loepe leure.
Ich zeuk miene eige weg, vol is vol, leg is leg.
De joare dat ik onder bin.
How ik meejzelf wal dor 't leave hin.
Loat meej mar drinke wat ich drink.
Loat ze mar proate oaver meej.
Loat ze mar zegge dat ich stink.
Dat giet vanzelf wal wir vurbeej.
Want ich ich bin vur niemand schow.
Vur onwear neet en neet vur ow.
Ich duj mien ding en verder lat mar weije.
Als ich zin heb dan duj ik mien werk.
Is 't nuudig gaj ich nar de kerk.
Als 't echt neet anders kan dan gaj ich beije.
Ich regel miene eige tied
ich merk vanzelf hoe 't giet.
Ich maak zelf wal oet woar ik an doedgaj.
De joare dat ich onder bin.
How ich meejzelf wal dor 't leave hin.
Genne roeie cent um te betaale.
Niks um op de hals te haale.
Niks um te onthalde of vergeate.
Gen gezeik, gen probleem.
Of ich wat mier of minder neem.
Of wat zuj ich vandaag nog motte eate.
Ich heb alles bij de hand.
Mien eige zon, mien eige land.
Miene boem, mien wolke, en mien sterre.
De joare dat ik onder bin.
How ich meejzelf wal dor 't leave hin.
The song "Rowwen Hèze" by the band of the same name speaks to the idea of living life on one's own terms, without any interference or judgment from others. The singer describes himself as someone who has found his own way in life, without owing anything to anyone else. He has no complaints and can handle whatever comes his way. The lyrics convey a sense of independence and self-sufficiency, as the singer seeks his own path and does what he wants when he wants.
The singer asserts that he is not obligated to anyone, living for himself and attending to his own needs without any outside influence. He does what he needs to do, whether that means going to work or going to church. He determines his own schedule, doing what he wants on his own time. The lyrics emphasize the importance of individual freedom and the value of self-determination.
Overall, the song "Rowwen Hèze" celebrates the freedom of living one's own life, free of the constraints and expectations of others. It advocates for the idea that it is possible to be content and fulfilled without having to conform to any specific social norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Ich ich hob mien eige leave.
I have my own life, my own way of living.
Niemand um de schuld te geave.
I don't blame anyone for my circumstances.
Niemand um meej hin di leupt te zeure.
I don't let anyone bring me down with their complaints.
Ich heb genog niks te klaage.
I'm content, I have nothing to complain about.
Wat ich heb dat kan ich draage.
I can handle whatever I have.
Wat zuj ich met mier goan loepe leure.
I have no need to go around begging.
Ich zeuk miene eige weg, vol is vol, leg is leg.
I find my own path, taking what comes and dealing with it.
Ich heb alles wat ik kan gebroeke.
I have everything I need.
De joare dat ik onder bin.
Throughout my years.
How ich meejzelf wal dor 't leave hin.
I discover who I am as I live my life.
Loat meej mar drinke wat ich drink.
Let me be, let me drink as I please.
Loat ze mar proate oaver meej.
Let them talk about me.
Loat ze mar zegge dat ich stink.
Let them say I stink.
Dat giet vanzelf wal wir vurbeej.
It'll all pass on its own.
Want ich ich bin vur niemand schow.
I don't care about anyone's opinion.
Vur onwear neet en neet vur ow.
Not for strangers or even loved ones.
Ich duj mien ding en verder lat mar weije.
I do my own thing and let others do the same.
Als ich zin heb dan duj ik mien werk.
I work when I feel like it.
Is 't nuudig gaj ich nar de kerk.
If it's necessary, I'll go to church.
Als 't echt neet anders kan dan gaj ich beije.
If I must, I'll fight.
Ich regel miene eige tied
I manage my own time.
ich merk vanzelf hoe 't giet.
I figure things out as I go.
Ich maak zelf wal oet woar ik an doedgaj.
I decide what I do with my life.
Genne roeie cent um te betaale.
I don't owe anyone anything.
Niks um op de hals te haale.
I don't have any burdens.
Niks um te onthalde of vergeate.
I don't have anything that needs remembering or forgetting.
Gen gezeik, gen probleem.
I have no troubles or problems.
Of ich wat mier of minder neem.
Whether I have more or less doesn't matter.
Of wat zuj ich vandaag nog motte eate.
What I'll eat today is of no importance.
Ich heb alles bij de hand.
I have everything I need.
Mien eige zon, mien eige land.
My own sun, my own land.
Miene boem, mien wolke, en mien sterre.
My own tree, my own clouds, and my own stars.
Contributed by Ella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rinus jansen
Ik moak zelf wel oet woar ik aan dooi gaaii..goud!
KD
Mijn levenslied
John Roox
JOA...... IK HEB MIEN EIGE LEAVE .....NIEMAND UM DE SCHULD TE GEAVE....NIEMAND UM MIG UM DEE LOAPT TE ZEURE....GEWELDIG TOG???
EricCartmanstotch
Vol is vol leeg is leeg loat ze moar proaten over mij loat ze maar zagen dat ik stink
John Roox
GEN GEZEIK GEN PROBLEEM............
Randy
laat mij maar zuipen wat ik zuip