Popular group powered by the charming presence of singer Bea Van Der Maat. … Read Full Bio ↴Popular group powered by the charming presence of singer Bea Van Der Maat.

Won Ton Ton is the successor to the group Chow-Chow that had a short but beautiful span of new-wave attention in the years 1984-1985.

After the split, Bea had started a career on television and continues to sing in the LSP-band (a changing group of musicians that perform mainly covers). Her popularity gets the group a new record contract. In 1987 the group reforms - under the name Won Ton Ton - and release the single "I lie and I cheat".

This splendid and emotional song becomes a big hit, both in Belgium (n° 10) and in Holland (n° 13). The successors, "Hey Marlene" and the intimist "Can I come near you" fair less well.

As Oor put it "The album debut, very poorly produced by Luc Van Acker disappoints many : weak songs that lack the tension of I lie and I cheat".

The group doesn't let its spirits drop after that, but continues to record. However, Bea Van Der Maat is only willing to give part of her attention to the band : it is shared by her television career (she makes the move to VTM and presents "Tien om te zien" - a program carrying the more commercially oriented Flemish music) and her personal life (she gives birth to two children). Perhaps it's this that prevents Won Ton Ton from going the extra mile and becoming a big group.

In 1996 Bea Van Der Maat releases a solo album with trip-hop music "Thin skinned" that gets very good reviews but sells poorly. The press on this : "After her job as a presenter of Tien om te Zien Bea Van der Maat has a hard time being taken seriously as an artist. That hurts. Rightly so, 'cause thin skinned is a more than convincing comeback for the former singer of Won Ton Ton. She is closer to Patti Smith than to Dana Winner and she feels her music is more in place on Studio Brussel than on Tien om te Zien. The question is : will she get a fair chance ?".

Why a solo record ? : "Because the songs are mine and mine alone and they had to sound the way I wanted. In Won Ton Ton I wrote part of the lyrics but didn't have an impact on the musical course. Won Ton Ton has never split. Never have I said "Okay guys, that was that, thanks, I quit". I just hadn't the time to record and give concerts when my children came."

Members (Won Ton Ton) :
- Bea Van Der Maat - vocals
- Ronny Timmermans - guitar
- Fons Noeyens - guitar
- Els Ravijts / Jos Borremans - keyboards
- Jan Biesemans - bass
- Raf Ravijts - drums

I Lie And I Cheat
Won Ton Ton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every now and then I think about my life
I see it around me and smile
What a happy life I got till now
Till now

Every night I sleep well, and I dream
I dream about everything I'm not
Oh, I'm not a loser

[Chorus]
'Cause I lie, and I cheat
That's why I lay down at your feat, boy
I lie, and I cheat
That's why I lay down at your feat, boy

Every now and then you give me flowers
Mostly the morning after
To show me that I was wrong
So wrong

It took me one hundred years to find you
It's sad I admit
But I can't quit

[Chorus]

Every now and then you blow me a kiss
But then you blew it with your fist
Pride makes me bear these bruises
When you grin
No roses without thorns

[Chorus]

I'm a liar
I'm a cheater
I'm a liar
I'm a cheater
I'm a liar
I'm a cheater
I'm a liar
I'm a cheater
I'm a liar
I'm a cheat
I'm a cheat
I'm a cheater

Every now and then I think about my life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Won Ton Ton's song "I Lie And I Cheat" bring to light the internal struggle of the singer who is torn between his happy life and his dishonesty. The song begins with the singer reflecting on his life and realizing how happy he is until now. Despite his contentment, he has an internal conflict due to his deceitful nature. He admits that he dreams of everything he's not and how he's not a loser. The chorus repeats the fact that the singer is a liar and a cheater and how he submits to the object of his affection.

The second verse reveals the object of the singer's affection who often tries to show him kindness with flowers, but the singer admits that their relationship is complicated. He confesses that it took him a hundred years to find his love, which is quite a long time. The final verse reveals love can be painful, and that the singer is willing to endure the bruises caused by his lover's anger because he loves them dearly. He understands that roses come with thorns, and it's all part of the relationship.

The lyrics demonstrate the strong internal struggle that liars and cheats go through. It's hard to face the facts that you are dishonest, but the singer accepts it and the consequences that come along with their behavior. The chorus repeats the words liar and cheater along with the fact that they submit to their lover, which shows that the singer acknowledges their flaw and is willing to live with the consequences of it.

Line by Line Meaning

Every now and then I think about my life
Occasionally I reflect on my existence

I see it around me and smile
I observe my surroundings and feel contentment

What a happy life I got till now
My life has been filled with joy until this point

Till now
As of right now

Every night I sleep well, and I dream
Each night I rest comfortably and imagine

I dream about everything I'm not
My fantasies consist of attributes I lack

Oh, I'm not a loser
Despite my deficiencies, I don't view myself as worthless

'Cause I lie, and I cheat
Because I am deceitful and dishonest

That's why I lay down at your feat, boy
That is why I submit to you

Every now and then you give me flowers
On occasion, you offer me floral arrangements

Mostly the morning after
Usually, it is the day after an argument or disagreement