1. a rock ban… Read Full Bio ↴Vitesse is the name of at least two different artists:
1. a rock band from The Netherlands (1975 to 1994)
2. an electro pop duo from the United States (1997 to around 2004)
1. Vitesse was a rock band from The Netherlands, active from 1975 'til 1994. Key figure and driving force of the band was its drummer and vocalist, Herman van Boeyen, who was also the only permanent band member.
Vitesse started in 1975 in Amsterdam. The original line-up featured Herman van Boeyen, Herman Brood (vocals, piano), Rob ten Bokum (guitar) and Peter Smid (bass). In the first year several guitarists came and went. Having been signed by Reprise, the band released its début, the eponymous Vitesse (1976) with Herman Brood, Jan-Piet den Tex, Gerrit Veen and Ross Recardi playing alongside Van Boeyen. Herman Brood left the band after one album to start his own band, taking Veen along.
After the second album Rendez Vous (Negram, 1977) and the third album Out in the Country (Negram, 1978), with guitarists Jan van der Meij and Rudi de Queljoe and bassist Wilco Toerroe Leerdam, there's still no big success.
The fourth album Rock Invader (Negram, 1979) does significantly better. The single 'Rock & Roll Band'reaches the Dutch charts, just like just 'Whole Lot Of Travellin''. The album contains short, fast rock & roll songs, mostly sung by Jan van der Meij.
Van Boeyen briefly re-united with Herman Brood, but the partnership failed. Vitesse's Good News and Live 1980 albums are the final ones with Van der Meij and Van Straaten onn board; they leave to start their own group, Powerplay.
The year 1982 marked Vitesse's big break: singles 'Rosalyn' and 'Good Looking' were succesful in The Netherlands and beyond. The line-up with Otto Cooymans, Ruud Englebert and Carl Carlton has turned out to be the most succesful in Vitesse history. Vitesse were very popular in Germany in these years.
After the success years Van Boeyen kept Vitesse alive and jumped on several bandwagons, including new wave and synth rock, without much commercial succes. It ultimately led to Vitesse's demise, in 1994. The two best periods in the band's existence were their 'funky rock' era in the latter half of the 1970s and the hard rocking era of the early 1980s.
2. Vitesse was an electro pop duo from the United States that formed in 1997 and went on indefinite hiatus in the mid-2000s.
Spending most of their musical career in obscurity, this electropop duo was vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Hewson Chen and keyboardist/bassist Joshua Klein. Klein was most notably once the drummer for the indie rock outfit Toulouse and a staff-writer for the satirical newspaper, The Onion. The two first collaborated in 1997 at the University of Chicago. They had worked on a piece for their Intro to Music Compostition class. Late the following year, under the moniker Vitesse, they recorded their debut album A Certain Hostility at home, in a marathon 36 hour session. The album was released on the Hidden Agenda label the next spring.
Owing much to the synthesizer, drum machine and electric guitar arrangements pioneered by the likes of OMD, Joy Division/New Order and The Magnetic Fields; suffused with Chen's lazy vocals, Vitesse continued to write dreamy, 80's nostalgiac, synthpop songs with the release of Chelsea 27099 in 2000.
2001 saw the release of the "surprisingly long EP", What Can Not Be, But Is..., which was in fact a full-length collection of leftover tracks and covers. In late 2002, the dreamy You Win Again, Gravity! was released.
After this, Vitesse quietly retired to other pursuits. According to the Parasol.com website, what was last known of the pair is the following: "Hewson currently lives in Nashville where he attends Vanderbilt University’s Law School. Josh is settled in Chicago where he writes extensively for the entertainment section of a very funny weekly paper. Don’t expect any live dates soon."
Julia
Vitesse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She wouldn't let me into her heart
She always had a slight suspicion
That rock'n'roll would drive us apart
Julia couldn't stand showbusiness
On radio, tv, and the press
Where gimmicks are attracting attention
Julia, let me into your heart
Julia, you're tearing me apart
Julia had to keep some distance
She really was afraid to be hurt
By just another rock'n'roller
Running 'round as free as a bird
Julia, let me into your heart
Julia, you're tearing me apart
Julia's in fear of some music in here
Julia's in fear of some music in here
(Julia)
(Julia)
Julia, let me into your heart
Julia, let me into your heart
Julia, let me into your heart
Julia, let me into your heart
The lyrics of Vitesse's song "Julia" depict the story of a young woman named Julia, who despite having feelings for the singer, is afraid to let him into her heart. Julia's fear of being hurt by a rock'n'roller leads her to keep a distance and avoid any involvement with the music industry. The singer tries to convince Julia to give him a chance and let him love her, but her fear ultimately tears them apart.
The lyrics suggest that Julia's fear may stem from the perception that showbusiness is full of gimmicks and attention-seeking behavior that can break artists. This might be a commentary on the commercialization of music and entertainment industry, which ultimately interferes with the purest form of art. By using the metaphor of rock'n'roll, the song expresses the idea that fame and success often come at a cost - the loss of oneself.
The repeated plea of "Julia, let me into your heart" showcases the singer's vulnerability and desire to connect with Julia on a deeper level. The song ends with a repetition of this line four times, emphasizing the urgency and intensity of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Julia was afraid to love me
Julia had reservations about loving me
She wouldn't let me into her heart
She kept her emotions guarded from me
She always had a slight suspicion
She had a sense of distrust or doubt
That rock'n'roll would drive us apart
She believed that their differences would cause a rift
Julia couldn't stand showbusiness
Julia loathed the attention-grabbing world of entertainment
On radio, tv, and the press
The mediums that contributed to over-the-top performances
Where gimmicks are attracting attention
Performers relied on fancy tricks to stand out
Breaking artist more or less
These antics could make or break careers
Julia had to keep some distance
Julia had to maintain a healthy boundary between herself and him
She really was afraid to be hurt
She didn't want to face emotional pain
By just another rock'n'roller
By another musician with a different lifestyle than her own
Running 'round as free as a bird
Living a free and unencumbered life
Julia's in fear of some music in here
Julia is scared of the effect music has on her emotions
Julia, let me into your heart
He wants Julia to let him into her innermost feelings
Julia, you're tearing me apart
Julia's actions are driving him crazy
(Julia)
The repetition of her name emphasizes the importance of her role
Julia, let me into your heart
He implores her again to allow him closer
Julia, let me into your heart
Reinforcing his desire to genuinely connect with her
Julia, let me into your heart
He stresses that he wants to be let in by her.
Julia, let me into your heart
He repeats his plea, desperate for her acceptance.
Contributed by Skyler T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stan Rams
vitesse is amazing and one of the best bands ever from Holland
Chica boom
Ehehe... Yes yes, our dutch glamour rock band from the 80's! Luved it! 😂😎😀🖤🎼🎙️🎵🎹🎸
hubertgunpowder
Great song !! ♫
Chica boom
Lol Herman didn't looked very happy in the end?! 🤔🤓