Voting open for Dutch top 2000

[Artsfols]

This is a really big deal in the Netherlands each year at this time. All my relatives and friends there vote, and then listen in to the results between Christmas and New Year.

Here is the link. There is a button to flip the site to English.

NPO Radio 2 Top 2000

www.nporadio2.nl

It's also fun to view the top picks from previous years. I think this has been running for over 20 years now.

There's also a wikipedia entry with further information.

Top 2000 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[restorer-john]

Listen to 2000 songs on the radio from Christmas day to new year is a "really big deal in the Netherlands?" I feel for you guys.

In Australia, between Xmas and NY, we drink heaps of beer, eat copious amounts of expensive seafood, hams and pavlovas, lie on the beach, watch test cricket and yacht races, then rinse and repeat.

It can't be that big, it doesn't even make it to this list of top 25 things to do over there:

25 Best Things to Do in The Netherlands - The Crazy Tourist

The Netherlands is often incorrectly referred to as Holland, and is one of the most vibrant and interesting countries in Europe. Known for its eclectic capital city of Amsterdam, the ... Read more

www.thecrazytourist.com

 

[Artsfols]

Listen to 2000 songs on the radio from Christmas day to new year is a "really big deal in the Netherlands?" I feel for you guys.

In Australia, between Xmas and NY, we drink heaps of beer, eat copious amounts of expensive seafood, hams and pavlovas, lie on the beach, watch test cricket and yacht races, then rinse and repeat.

It can't be that big, it doesn't even make it to this list of top 25 things to do over there:

25 Best Things to Do in The Netherlands - The Crazy Tourist

The Netherlands is often incorrectly referred to as Holland, and is one of the most vibrant and interesting countries in Europe. Known for its eclectic capital city of Amsterdam, the ... Read more

www.thecrazytourist.com

Lol. Listening to the radio isn't a "tourist attraction". Most people I know have the radio on in the background while visiting with family and friends and yeah, drinking beer - Heineken, Grolsch, Belgian Trappist monastery stuff.
Btw, I'm Canadian but of Dutch extraction.

 

[restorer-john]

Grolsch

Gotta love Grolsch. The bottles must cost more than the beers.

 

[JSmith]

lie on the beach, watch test cricket and yacht races, then rinse and repeat.

Yeah but in Holland it's coming into winter... indoor activities prevail.

I'm also looking forward to the summer cricket.

@Artsfols I vote for Doe Maar.



JSmith

 

[Artsfols]

We get one or two kinds of Grolsch mass produced beer here in Canada, but they produce a range of varieties as I discovered when last in the Netherlands. And as to other kinds, there is no end. Here in Canada there are also many fine craft brewers, generally better than what's available state-side. But I digress. Which forum am I on again? Oh yeah, the audio equipment one. Cheers, everyone and a symbolic clink of glasses across the ether.

 

[litemotiv]

I vote for Doe Maar

But which song??

 

[Artsfols]

Looks like they have pre-announced the top 10 for this year. (Which also means voting is over).
Here they are from 1 to10:

• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (2)
• Roller Coaster - Danny Vera (1)
• A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum (153)
• Hotel California - Eagles (3)
• Piano Man - Billy Joel (4)
• Radar Love - Golden Earring (33)
• Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin (5)
• Nothing Else Matters - Metallica (17)
• Black - Pearl Jam (6)
• Avond - Boudewijn de Groot (7)

Procol Harum went from #153 to #3. Usually the top 10 don't change a lot so there must be a reason for that.
Golden Earring's jump into the top 10 can be explained with the illness of George Kooymans in the band. Great song and deserves to be the there.
Roller Coaster doesn't, IMO, and many of my Dutch friends across the pond share that view.

Avond is a fantastic song. Check it out on youtube. Should be higher, IMO.

 

[litemotiv]

Procol Harum went from #153 to #3. Usually the top 10 don't change a lot so there must be a reason for that.

This summer a very prominent crime journalist / cold case investigator was shot and killed in Amsterdam, this was his favorite song. A lot of people upvoted the song in his memory.

Journalist Peter R de Vries dies in hospital after being shot in street - DutchNews.nl

Investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries has died in hospital, nine days after being shot in the street in Amsterdam. The 64-year-old’s family said they were ‘immeasurably proud, but also inconsolable’ as they confirmed his death in a statement on Thursday. De Vries was shot in the head from...

www.dutchnews.nl

 

[Artsfols]

This summer a very prominent crime journalist / cold case investigator was shot and killed in Amsterdam, this was his favorite song. A lot of people upvoted the song in his memory.

Journalist Peter R de Vries dies in hospital after being shot in street - DutchNews.nl

Investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries has died in hospital, nine days after being shot in the street in Amsterdam. The 64-year-old’s family said they were ‘immeasurably proud, but also inconsolable’ as they confirmed his death in a statement on Thursday. De Vries was shot in the head from...

www.dutchnews.nl

Thank you. That makes absolute, perfect sense. His death sent shock waves across the nation. Yes, a fitting tribute.

By the way, have you seen/ heard this version of the song?

 

[litemotiv]

By the way, have you seen/ heard this version of the song?

I hadn't heard that before, thank you it's a beautiful version!

The orchestral background makes me think back to the song's inspiration too, Bach's Air:

 

[Artsfols]

I hadn't heard that before, thank you it's a beautiful version!

The orchestral background makes me think back to the song's inspiration too, Bach's Air:

I was just reading the wiki article on 'Whiter Shade' while I listened to the Air. Yes, it is similar, although not a straight rip of the melody line.
Weren't the 60s remarkable in terms of the many different kinds of songs to be heard on top 40 radio? Now, the radio market is highly segmented and I think we're worse off for it.
You're probably aware that the Air is one movement from the Orchestral Suite No. 3. I have several recordings of Bach's Orchestral Suites and it sounds best, to me, on period instruments.

 

[litemotiv]

I have several recordings of Bach's Orchestral Suites and it sounds best, to me, on period instruments.

Yes i agree, i'm usually also not a big fan when for instance harpsichord/klavecimbel pieces are translated to piano, it can take away some of the magic. Occasionally there are modern interpretations that do add their own beauty, i really like the 11-string guitar interpretations for instance from Moran Wasser, perhaps you've heard of him before. He has some pieces up on Youtube as well:

 

[Artsfols]

Yes i agree, i'm usually also not a big fan when for instance harpsichord/klavecimbel pieces are translated to piano, it can take away some of the magic. Occasionally there are modern interpretations that do add their own beauty, i really like the 11-string guitar interpretations for instance from Moran Wasser, perhaps you've heard of him before. He has some pieces up on Youtube as well:

I haven't heard of Moran Wasser. I enjoy the lute work of Nigel North, and then there's Segovia and the other John Williams, Narciso Yepes and that's about all I know.
This is very nice indeed. I find it a little too closely miked though. That might be quite to some people's taste though.
(And the further I go, the better it sounds.)

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Looks like they have pre-announced the top 10 for this year. (Which also means voting is over).
Here they are from 1 to10:

• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (2)
• Roller Coaster - Danny Vera (1)
• A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum (153)
• Hotel California - Eagles (3)
• Piano Man - Billy Joel (4)
• Radar Love - Golden Earring (33)
• Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin (5)
• Nothing Else Matters - Metallica (17)
• Black - Pearl Jam (6)
• Avond - Boudewijn de Groot (7)

Procol Harum went from #153 to #3. Usually the top 10 don't change a lot so there must be a reason for that.
Golden Earring's jump into the top 10 can be explained with the illness of George Kooymans in the band. Great song and deserves to be the there.
Roller Coaster doesn't, IMO, and many of my Dutch friends across the pond share that view.

Avond is a fantastic song. Check it out on youtube. Should be higher, IMO.

Procol Harum is way underrated IMHO. Nice to see them getting the recognition.

 

[Artsfols]

Procol Harum is way underrated IMHO. Nice to see them getting the recognition.

It's difficult to tell from this side of the Atlantic, but I don't think they're under-rated in Europe. It's interesting to read the wiki article on 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'. It was #1 for 6 weeks in 1967 in the UK. The song has also been recognized in recent years as the most played song in British broadcasting over a 75 year time span. (wiki) By comparison, top Billboard position in the USA was #5.
I followed the band through some of their great album releases like 'A Salty Dog' to 'Home' when ace guitarist Robin Trower joined the band. They also recorded, with mixed success, a live album with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

 

[litemotiv]

It was #1 for 6 weeks in 1967 in the UK.

It also entered at #1 in The Netherlands in 1967 and stayed there for 5 weeks. It was only the second time after The Beatles' We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper that a song entered the charts at the #1 spot.

Interestingly it re-rentered the Dutch charts in 1972 when the song was re-released as a maxi single and reached the #1 spot again for 3 weeks.

 

[Artsfols]

It also entered at #1 in The Netherlands in 1967 and stayed there for 5 weeks. It was only the second time after The Beatles' We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper that a song entered the charts at the #1 spot.

Interestingly it re-rentered the Dutch charts in 1972 when the song was re-released as a maxi single and reached the #1 spot again for 3 weeks.

Are you familiar with Boudewijn de Groots' Avond? Just an incredible song and consistently the top rated Dutch language song on the list.
I translated the lyrics into English for the sake of my family. A bit rushed, but I'm half way pleased with the result. I did not go so far as to match the meter; I just wanted to convey the meaning.

No need to pull on your heavy coat,
Or check that the (bicycle) lamp is in good order.
The storm winds rage in the dark;
But here is warmth and light and good.
Hand in hand, we'll watch as the rain falls outside;
I see the fire of hope and of doubt in your eyes
And I know your deepest fears.

(Because) nothing is certain, and everything will pass.
But I believe, I believe, I believe,
I believe, I believe in you and me.

I'm with you when you awake in the morning,
Maybe I've already made your tea.
If the sun is shining we'll head outdoors and walk through the dunes
But if it's raining we'll head back to bed.
Waking gradually, drifting through the hours,
I see the light streaking through the curtains
and realize, there's no certainty to the past,

Nothing is certain, and everything passes,
But I believe, I believe, I believe,
I believe, I believe in you and me.

(So) I turn out the lights and the living room darkens,
What light there is comes from the street lamp.
All the things in the room are old friends that now fall asleep,
Tho' the chairs will stand to wait 'till breakfast comes.
Tomorrow I'll wake to the scent of bread and honey,
The sunlight golden in your hair once more,
Now I say goodnight to the room, and all the things within,
Tonight we'll rest,and we'll see what the morrow will bring.
All the things in this room would just be lifeless things
Without you.

Nothing is certain, and everything passes,
But I believe, I believe, I believe,
I believe, I believe in you and me.
I believe, I believe, I believe,
I believe, I believe in you and me.
Nothing is certain, and everything passes ...

Hard to argue with de Groot's own rendering, but I did like this cover.

 

[litemotiv]

Are you familiar with Boudewijn de Groots' Avond? Just an incredible song.
I translated the lyrics into English for the sake of my family. A bit rushed, but I'm half way pleased with the result.

That's a nice translation Artsfols!

How long have you been living in Canada?

 

[Artsfols]

That's a nice translation Artsfols!

How long have you been living in Canada?

Thanks.

Since 1959. Lol.
My grandfather emigrated in 1952 with most of my aunts and uncles. My father, as the oldest son, stayed behind in Groningen. At last in 1959 he emigrated as well. I was 6 at the time.
But keep in mind that I spoke mostly Gronings with my mother her entire life, as her English was limited, and she was in a Dutch speaking church community as well. With my father and 3 brothers it was almost all English. It made for an interesting dinner table - a mixture of Gronings and English.
Are you in the Netherlands? I've been back a few times and with Facebook keep in touch with quite a few relatives and friends.