Willeke Alberti (February 3, 1945, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) (real name: … Read Full Bio ↴Willeke Alberti (February 3, 1945, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) (real name: Willy Albertina Verbrugge) is a Dutch singer and actress, the daughter of entertainer and singer Willy Alberti.

Biography
Willeke Alberti started her career at the early age of eleven in the musical Duel om Barbara and she recorded her first single in 1958 together with her father. During the 1960s, she was a well-known singer in the Netherlands and had at least one #1 hit with "De Winter Was Lang" ("The Winter Was Long"), however there was no official Dutch chart at the time. Willeke and her father had a television show between 1965 and 1969. Her singing career from 1970 onwards is less active, however Alberti still releases singles and albums at an irregular interval and plays minor roles in television programs and movies.

Alberti married John de Mol on July 24, 1976. Together they have one son Johnny de Mol, who is currently an actor and television personality. The couple divorced in 1980. She had a second marriage with Danish football player Søren Lerby and a second son was born from that marriage. Søren Lerby and Willeke Alberti separated in 1990.

In 1994, she represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Waar is de Zon" ("Where is the Sun"), which claimed a meagre four points from the international juries, all coming from Austria. The Netherlands beat only Estonia and Lithuania that evening.

Zeg 't Maar
Willeke Alberti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Zeg het maar, ik wil het weten
Heb ik soms wat fout gedaan
Heb ik iets niet goed begrepen
Zo kan het toch niet verder gaan
Zeg het maar, je moet je uiten
Is er ruzie, heb je pijn
Je bent ver weg zoals ik je nu zie
Terwijl we toch goede vrienden zijn

Refren':
Waarom die muur om je heen
Waarom blijf je alleen
Zo in jezelf gekeerd
Draag je problemen niet alleen
Twee weten meer dan een
Alles delen is niet verkeerd

Zeg het maar dan zal ik weten
Of ik je soms helpen kan
Of ben je nu totaal vergeten
Dat ik je maatje ben, al lang
Zeg het maar, moet ik soms zwijgen
Vertel je mij dan wat er is
Graag wil ik jouw vertrouwen krijgen
Of is dat juist wat je mist

Refren'

Samen kunnen we de wereld aan
En ik blijf altijd naast je staan
Maar zeg wat je dwars zit
Dan weet je dat ik steeds solidair blijf
Lieve schat

Refren'

Waarom die muur om je heen
Waarom blijf je alleen
Zo in jezelf gekeerd
Draag je problemen niet alleen

Twee weten meer dan een
Alles delen is nooit verkeerd

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Willeke Alberti's song "Zeg 't Maar" (Just Say It) are about the importance of communication in relationships. The singer is urging the person she is addressing to open up to her and express their feelings, whether they are upset with her or going through something difficult. The repeated refrain asks why the person is keeping a wall around themselves and staying isolated, when sharing their problems with someone else can lighten the load. The singer promises to listen and support the person, emphasizing that they are friends and can face the world together.

The song's lyrics strike a universal chord and have resonated with many listeners, especially in the Netherlands where it was a hit upon its release in 1981. Its message of the importance of communication and empathy has made it a popular choice at events like weddings and funerals. The song has also been covered by other Dutch artists, and has been used in advertisements and television shows.

Line by Line Meaning

Zeg het maar, ik wil het weten
Tell me, I want to know

Heb ik soms wat fout gedaan
Have I done something wrong?

Heb ik iets niet goed begrepen
Have I misunderstood something?

Zo kan het toch niet verder gaan
This can't go on like this

Zeg het maar, je moet je uiten
Speak up, you have to express yourself

Is er ruzie, heb je pijn
Is there a fight or are you in pain?

Je bent ver weg zoals ik je nu zie
You seem far away to me right now

Terwijl we toch goede vrienden zijn
Even though we're good friends

Waarom die muur om je heen
Why do you have a wall around you?

Waarom blijf je alleen
Why do you stay alone?

Zo in jezelf gekeerd
So introverted