Kartner had his big break as Vader Abraham in 1971 with the hit 'Vader Abraham had zeven zonen'. He scored one Dutch hit after the other throughout the 1970s. His best known tune by far is 'Het Smurfenlied' (1977), a happy sing-song with world famous cartoon figures The Smurfs. The song was recorded in numerous languages and was a smash hit in many countries, the several translations selling some 25 million copies worldwide.
His perhaps most famous song was released in late 1975: 'In 't kleine café aan de haven', about a small old pub by the harbor. The song was covered by international greats such as Mireille Matthieu, Demis Roussos and Engelbert Humperdinck and is known worldwide under the title 'The Red Rose Café'.
In total, Vader Abraham had 41 hits in the Dutch Top 40 and no less than 69 in his home country's second favorite chart, the Nationale Hitparade. The man who was Vader Abraham, Pierre Kartner, also penned two Dutch Eurovision Song Contest entries: 'De oude muzikant' (performed by Ben Cramer in 1973) and 'Ik ben verliefd (Sha-la-lie)' (performed by Sieneke in 2010).
A less known, but somewhat controversial part of his catalogue were his political songs. Kartner was a conservative, prone to expressing populist opinions in song. Most controversial was 'Wat doen we met die Arabieren hier?' ('What do we do with the Arabs here?'), which was released in 1975, but the singles were quickly removed from the shops, leaving Kartner's record label embarrassed.
Pierre Kartner remained active as a songwriter and performer until the age of 85. He died peacefully at home on 8 November 2022, aged 87.
De oude muzikant
Vader Abraham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Van die oude muzikant, je hoort hem al aan de overkant
Eens was hij toch heel beroemd, altijd werd zijn naam genoemd
Nu is hij heel oud en grijs, nog ouder dan de stad Parijs
Refrain:
Door de straten, over pleinen klinkt dat ene lied
Die melodie zal nooit verdwijnen, ook al ken je ′m niet
Hij speelt op zijn accordeon en denkt aan hoe het eens begon
Het leven is nu grauw en grijs in de straten van Parijs
Z'n vrienden kennen hem niet meer maar kijken nu nog op hem neer
Hij speelt voor geld nog op de straat van ′s morgens vroeg tot 's avonds laat
Niemand die nog op hem wacht, toch is het soms of hij weer lacht
Hij was beroemd in heel het land, die oude grijze muzikant
Refrain
Refrain
The song "De oude muzikant" by Vader Abraham tells the story of an old musician who wanders the streets of Paris playing his accordion. Despite his once-famous reputation, he is now forgotten and lonely. The first verse describes how his music can still be heard from afar as he plays the same tune he became famous for years ago. The chorus describes how the melody will never disappear from the streets of Paris, even if people do not recognize it. The second verse portrays the old musician as penniless and unnoticed by his former friends. However, he still manages to keep playing on the street from early morning until nightfall. He reminisces about his past, and sometimes even manages to crack a smile despite his dreary existence.
The song is about more than just an old musician's hardships; it is also about the universality of music and how it connects people across time and space. The tune the old musician plays can still be heard on the streets of Paris, representing how music transcends time and cannot be erased. Despite his lack of fame and recognition, people still stop to listen to his music and connect with it. The song conveys a sense of nostalgia and melancholy but also celebrates the beauty of music and how it can unite people from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Door de straten van Parijs klinkt nog steeds diezelfde wijs
Even to this day, the same tune can still be heard echoing through the streets of Paris
Van die oude muzikant, je hoort hem al aan de overkant
It's the music of that old musician, the sound of which can be heard from afar
Eens was hij toch heel beroemd, altijd werd zijn naam genoemd
Once, he was very famous, his name always on the lips of all
Nu is hij heel oud en grijs, nog ouder dan de stad Parijs
Now, he is old and grey, older than the city of Paris itself
Door de straten, over pleinen klinkt dat ene lied
That same song can be heard across the streets and squares
Die melodie zal nooit verdwijnen, ook al ken je ′m niet
The melody will never disappear, even if you don't recognize it
Eenzaam zijn nu al zijn dagen, niemand die hem nog kent
His days are now lonely, nobody knows him anymore
Hij speelt op zijn accordeon en denkt aan hoe het eens begon
He plays his accordion and thinks about how it all began
Het leven is nu grauw en grijs in de straten van Parijs
Life is now bleak in the streets of Paris
Z'n vrienden kennen hem niet meer maar kijken nu nog op hem neer
His friends no longer know him and look down on him
Hij speelt voor geld nog op de straat van ′s morgens vroeg tot 's avonds laat
He still plays for money on the street from morning till night
Niemand die nog op hem wacht, toch is het soms of hij weer lacht
Nobody waits for him anymore, yet sometimes it seems like he's smiling
Hij was beroemd in heel het land, die oude grijze muzikant
That old gray musician was famous throughout the land
Refrain
The chorus repeats
Refrain
The chorus repeats
Writer(s): Pierre Kartner
Contributed by Caleb M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.