Aan de andere kant
Ben zo even losgeraakt
in de felle zon gestaan
in mijn eentje met de wind gegaan
los van mijn bestaan
Heb de noorderzon gezien
en voelde geen berouw
van alles wat ik zeggen wilde
bleef ik de waarheid trouw
Aan de andere kant
in de wereld van de buren
in het licht van wat komen gaat
en wat er nooit zal zijn
Aan de andere kant
klim ik over de muren
en ik breek door het oerwoud heen
van wat er komen gaat
wat er komt vandaag
wat er komt vandaag
Ik reeg alles door elkaar
en wilde niet veel meer
dan meegaan in een groot gebaar
mee gaan in de sfeer
en alles wat ik zag
en ieder die ik voelde
we wachten op de grote dag
Aan de andere kant
in de wereld van de buren
in het licht van wat komen gaat
en wat er nooit zal zijn
Aan de andere kant
klim ik over de muren
en ik breek door het oerwoud heen
van wat er komen gaat
wat er komt vandaag
wat er komt vandaag
Aan de andere kant
in de wereld van de buren
in het licht van wat komen gaat
en wat er nooit zal zijn
Aan de andere kant
klim ik over de muren
en ik breek door het oerwoud heen
van wat er komen gaat
wat er komt vandaag
wat er komt vandaag
On an isolated shore
I got adrift some moments past
the blazing sun my guide
following the wind, at last
detached from bone and hide
I saw the vanishing thin air
and felt no cold remorse
from everything I once held dear
the truth alone held course
On an isolated shore
in the furs of our neighbors
in the light of what will occur
and what will never be
On this isolated shore
I’m drifting past their labors
and break my only anchor line
loosing what felt sure
okay with insecure
okay with insecure
I was fine with tying knots
no other needs arose
than sail along each light house beam
along their highs and lows
And everything I saw
and all of those I’ve witnessed
we’re fighting under jungle law
On an isolated shore
in the furs of our neighbors
in the light of what will occur
and what will never be
On this isolated shore
I’m drifting past their labors
and break my only anchor line
loosing what felt sure
okay with insecure
okay with insecure
On an isolated shore
in the furs of our neighbors
in the light of what will occur
and what will never be
On this isolated shore
I’m drifting past their labors
and break my only anchor line
loosing what felt sure
okay with insecure
okay with insecure
Translation Benne van der Velde
Martijn van Dijk. Thank you for allowing me to translated another one of your beautiful songs! Your ‘Erachter’ was a joy to put to English for our July 2026 issue. I’m still grateful for your gorgeous rendition of my Dutch re-write of Jeff Buckley’s timeless Lilac Wine.
Martijn. The very first time I heard this crazy talented musician play and sing I was at some venue in Schiedam with partner in crime Gino, both stoned out of our minds, and I think Gino took me there for this exact reason. To hear this then young man perform. Must have been 30 years… Anyhow, stoner mind blown. Martijn and me became friends, and over the following decades we made some awesome stuff both together and as members of The Ongeboren Idee!
Martijn went to the Willem de Kooning academie, and after graduating taught there for years. Another couple of those ago he switched from active teaching to a lead backoffice job at the same institution. He’s been making music and being a podium animal for most of his adult life and hosted the Sunday jam sessions at The Grauwe Hengst for… at least a decade. In 2018 he released his criminally undervalued EP Giswerk and In 2021 he got his diploma as a sound engineer.
In 2024, though, he fell head over heels in love with improv theater and recently joined a second improv group, as one does :) You go, mate! Just don’t forget to also keep making music okay? Cheers.
Click here for his beautiful ‘Alone’ (Laat mij maar gaan) as also published in this very issue!
Martijn singing his ‘Aan de andere kant’ live. Video by IJsbrand Klok