We translated the song into English and first asked Orlando Nastri, a Business student from Brazil. He thinks it’s a little bit over the top: ‘It’s so full of national pride. It’s like it’s trying to unite the nation, but it sounds unreal. It also sounds very powerful and intense, almost like the King wants to create a new Europe.’

For the festivities surrounding the inauguration, a special committee was formed by the Dutch Government. One of their jobs was to compose a song that the Dutch could sing together, creating a feeling of unity. Unfortunately, the song was disliked by a lot of people. They expressed their dissatisfaction on Twitter and Facebook. Even a Minister demanded that the grammatical errors in the song be corrected.

Creepy love song

Andrew Fletcher, a Law student from Australia, seems to share the opinion of the Dutch people. ‘It sounds so weird. It’s like a creepy love song. It’s so confusing because you can’t tell whether or not the song is supposed to be Willem singing to the country or the country singing to Willem.’

After the song was launched, the storm of criticism became so massive that the composer withdrew it. However, the committee had a change of heart and so the song will be sung as originally planned on Tuesday. A lot of commotion over one song you might think.  

Patriotic

Opinions about it are still mixed, though, as Cammy Brown, a History and Literature student from Scotland, points out: ‘It’s a very patriotic song. It has a lot of imperialist and colonial aspects to it. You can tell the writer has thought of the Dutch Golden Age when writing it, but he should have tried to connect more with modern times.’

Sing along!

There you are

You have seen this moment so often in your dreams and here it is

The day you knew would come

has at last arrived

Are you ready?

Can you ever really be?

 

There you are

Every human being has a purpose in life

You’ve done everything to prepare for it

And here it is

You promise to give everything

Every step you took was to this place

Look around you

We will walk with you

 

Through wind and rain

I will stand next to you

I will protect you from harm

I will keep watch when you are asleep

I will protect you from storms

I will keep you safe as long as I live

 

One battle, two lives

We stand by each other, strong.

One flag, two lions

Together in sun and rain

Side by side, fierce

Proud as peacocks, this is our sound

We may be little

But our accomplishments are big

We will not fall

 

For you, my child

For my father

For my mother

I will walk with you through wind and rain

I will stand behind you

 

I will bear a banner with your name

I will believe in you as long as we live

I will build a dyke with my bare hands

I will protect you from the water

RAP

Let me know what you are dreaming of

What your heart desires

I will not rest until it becomes reality

And if you are ever lost,

I will be your beacon in the night

I will point you towards the harbour

I will fight like a lion

So you will want for nothing

I will keep you safe

As long as I live

 

W is for Willem

Three fingers in the air, come on

W is for Willem

Three fingers in the air, come on

The W for Willem is the W for we

The entire Orange nation side by side

W for water to which we will not yield

We reclaim the land and build dykes

W is for welcome in our midst

whichever God you may be praying to

W is for Willem

W is for Willem

W is for waking up, eating stamppot

Millions of coaches who know better

W is for always wanting to win

Whatever it is we are embarking on

 W is for we are one together

 

Shoulder to shoulder

We shout today:

Through wind and rain

I will stand next to you

I will protect you from harm

I will keep watch when you are asleep

I will protect you from storms

I will keep you safe as long as I live

Let me know what you are dreaming of

What your heart desires

I will not rest until it becomes reality

 

And if you are ever lost

I will be your beacon in the night

I will point you towards the harbour

 

I will fight like a lion

So you will want for nothing

I will keep you safe

As long as I’m alive

 

I will keep you safe

As long as I live