Levenslied
Encyclopedia
A levenslied is a highly sentimental Dutch-language sub-genre of pop music
. Typical levenslied-lyrics are very sweet, highly sentimental and about subjects such as love, misery and far-away, sunny, exotic holiday places.
A typical levenslied has catchy, simple rhythms and melodies, with many pop and folk tunes, and is always built up in couplets and refrains. Essential, traditional musical instruments in levenslied-music are the accordion
and the barrel organ
. In recent years, many levenslied-artists also use synthesizer
s and guitar
s for their music.
of any age. Music critics are often critical of the levenslied, judging the simple and catchy chorusses
and tunes as a lack of creativity. For this reason, the word "smartlap" (Dutch, lit. "sorrow scrap" meaning "sentimental song") is often used for this music style. Originally a term with negative connotations, the term smartlap is now more neutral, and almost any sentimental song is referred to as a smartlap in Dutch.
schlager
. In addition, levenslied-music is often called schlager (especially the songs of the Dutch singer Frans Bauer
), and many Dutch levenslied-artists are very popular in Germany and other German-speaking countries. Many Dutch levenslied-artists translate their own songs into German. They also translate German schlagers into Dutch.
Famous Flemish levenslied-artists:
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. Typical levenslied-lyrics are very sweet, highly sentimental and about subjects such as love, misery and far-away, sunny, exotic holiday places.
A typical levenslied has catchy, simple rhythms and melodies, with many pop and folk tunes, and is always built up in couplets and refrains. Essential, traditional musical instruments in levenslied-music are the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and the barrel organ
Barrel organ
A barrel organ is a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated...
. In recent years, many levenslied-artists also use synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s for their music.
Target audience
There is no clear target audience for the levenslied; it is most popular among members of the working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
of any age. Music critics are often critical of the levenslied, judging the simple and catchy chorusses
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
and tunes as a lack of creativity. For this reason, the word "smartlap" (Dutch, lit. "sorrow scrap" meaning "sentimental song") is often used for this music style. Originally a term with negative connotations, the term smartlap is now more neutral, and almost any sentimental song is referred to as a smartlap in Dutch.
Equivalent in Germany
The levenslied is the Dutch equivalent of the GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
. In addition, levenslied-music is often called schlager (especially the songs of the Dutch singer Frans Bauer
Frans Bauer
Frans Bauer is a Dutch singer of "het levenslied" .-Biography:From an early age, Frans Bauer was determined to become a singer. His great idols are Julio Iglesias, Elvis Presley and Koos Alberts...
), and many Dutch levenslied-artists are very popular in Germany and other German-speaking countries. Many Dutch levenslied-artists translate their own songs into German. They also translate German schlagers into Dutch.
Artists
Famous Dutch levenslied-artists:- Koos Alberts, André HazesAndré HazesAndré Gerardus Hazes was a Dutch singer in a genre called levenslied which is a form of emotional folk music about everyday life sung in the Dutch language. André Hazes was one of the most successful singers in this genre...
, Frans BauerFrans BauerFrans Bauer is a Dutch singer of "het levenslied" .-Biography:From an early age, Frans Bauer was determined to become a singer. His great idols are Julio Iglesias, Elvis Presley and Koos Alberts...
, Jan SmitJan Smit (singer)Johannes Hendricus Maria "Jan" Smit is a Dutch pop music and schlager singer. He scored his first number one position in the Dutch charts with Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen in 1997...
, Dries RoelvinkDries Roelvink.Dries Roelvink is a Dutch singer of the Levenslied genre. He was born in the Jordaan and was raised in the folkish tradition of the Jordaanlied ....
, Sylvia Corpiér and Marianne Weber
Famous Flemish levenslied-artists:
- Jo Vally, Eddy WallyEddy WallyEddy Wally is a singer from Zelzate , and is the self-proclaimed "Voice Of Europe".-General information:...
, Frank Galan, Laura LynnLaura LynnLaura Lynn may refer to:* Laura Lynn , American singer & actor a.k.a. Lauren Hays* Laura Lynn...
and Will TuraWill TuraWill Tura is the stage name of Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert, a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician , composer and songwriter...