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.
Sneeuwballen Gooien
Vader Abraham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Toch wordt 't al wat kouder, 't is de winter die begint
De warme wollen dekens komen gauw de kast weer uit
De takken gaan weer kraken, geen vogel die nog fluit
Refrain:
We gaan weer sneeuwballen-ballen-ballen gooien
Tot je warm wordt van de kou
Je handen worden blauw
En iedereen die loopt weer op 't water van de sloot
We gaan weer sneeuwballen-ballen-ballen gooien
En de vogels krijgen brood
De koperrood gekleurde zon, die zakt weer veel te vroeg
De olieman, hij gaat naar huis, hij vindt 't wel genoeg
'T Dorpje ligt te rusten als een grote ansichtkaart
'T Leven in de winter, dat is de moeite waard
Refrain
Aan de hemel staan de sterren en de wereld wordt verlicht
Een kromgebogen fietser met de kou op z'n gezicht
De ramen staan vol bloemen, als door een kunstenaar gemaakt
De pret kan weer beginnen, als de ochtend is ontwaakt
Refrain
Refrain
The lyrics of Vader Abraham's song "Sneeuwballen Gooien" describe the onset of winter and the joys of playing in the snow. The singer describes the cold weather, the crackling of branches, and the lack of birdsong. Despite the cold, the singer celebrates the arrival of winter by throwing snowballs with friends and family. The refrain repeats the joy of hurling snowballs until one feels warm from the cold, getting blue hands, walking on frozen ponds, and feeding the birds.
The second verse reflects on the end of a day and the transition from work life to winter festivities. The red copper sun sets early, and the oilman heads home, presumably to warm up himself. In contrast, the village is quiet, with life reduced to a postcard-like image. This tranquility reflects the beauty and the worth of winter.
The final verse describes the world illuminated by starlight and the preparations people make to enjoy winter. A cyclist riding in the cold with a bent back illustrates the determination and the beauty of winter. The window decorations, like artwork, signify the arrival of winter festivities, and the joy can start anew when morning comes.
Line by Line Meaning
Met m'n jas over m'n schouders en m'n neus pal in de wind
I'm bundled up against the cold wind
Toch wordt 't al wat kouder, 't is de winter die begint
It's getting colder, winter is starting
De warme wollen dekens komen gauw de kast weer uit
We're getting out our warm woolen blankets
De takken gaan weer kraken, geen vogel die nog fluit
The branches are creaking and the birds have stopped singing
We gaan weer sneeuwballen-ballen-ballen gooien
We're going to throw snowballs
Tot je warm wordt van de kou
Until you're warmed up from the cold
Je handen worden blauw
Your hands will become blue
En iedereen die loopt weer op 't water van de sloot
Everyone's ice-skating on the canal again
En de vogels krijgen brood
And the birds get some bread too
De koperrood gekleurde zon, die zakt weer veel te vroeg
The reddish sun is setting too early
De olieman, hij gaat naar huis, hij vindt 't wel genoeg
The oil man is going home, he's had enough
'T Dorpje ligt te rusten als een grote ansichtkaart
The town is sleeping like a big postcard
'T Leven in de winter, dat is de moeite waard
Winter life is worth it
Aan de hemel staan de sterren en de wereld wordt verlicht
The stars light up the sky and the world
Een kromgebogen fietser met de kou op z'n gezicht
A bent-over cyclist with the cold on their face
De ramen staan vol bloemen, als door een kunstenaar gemaakt
The windows are full of flowers, like made by an artist
De pret kan weer beginnen, als de ochtend is ontwaakt
The fun can start again when morning comes
We gaan weer sneeuwballen-ballen-ballen gooien
We're going to throw snowballs
Tot je warm wordt van de kou
Until you're warmed up from the cold
Je handen worden blauw
Your hands will become blue
En iedereen die loopt weer op 't water van de sloot
Everyone's ice-skating on the canal again
En de vogels krijgen brood
And the birds get some bread too
Refrain
Chorus
Writer(s): P. Kartner
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@corrybroeken3686
Mooie teks .....bedankt vader Abram toop lied
@niekwagenaar4666
gaaf nummer hoor!!!!!
@mike85875
een echte kerstlied