🇳🇱 ESC Reaction to The Netherlands: Joost Klein - Europapa

Wanna hang with me outside?

0:00 Intro
2:45 Song
6:00 Discussion

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Intro Excerpt from Husavik by Atli Örvarsson

[Braddington]

Joost was orphaned at a young age. A lot of the song recounts him travelling Europe, trying to escape the bad thoughts but not being able to feel sure of himself anywhere. Hence the line "Io sono in Italia, but I still feel pain." Also the reference to Papaoutai, hearing it on the radio, ofc that is another song about a missing father, so it resonated with him on his travels.

[DePaii]

Sadly Joost was orphaned at a young age. When he was 12 years old, he lost his papa (father) to cancer. A year later he lost his mother to a cardiac arrest.
His dad always told him there were no borders/limits and everything was possible if you just believed! When him and his parents used to watch the
Eurovision together, he always used to say:"look dad, one day I will be performing up on that stage!" The ending of the song is a reflection of him always believing in the words his father told him. The burning house is a reflection of him leaving his
grieving past behind him, and finally moving on in life.

[AnAmericanInDenmark]

How Dutch do you want the Netherlands entry to be this year??? YES!!! It's fun, it's catchy, and it will be a real crowd pleaser. I am sure it will do well. Everyone loves a great party on the ESC stage!

[Lizet-tupx]

This song is a about his personal story.
Joost lost his parents
at a young age (12)
He struggled with his emotions and had therapy.
This song is a about him transforming his grief into choosing life.
It is a fun song but also has a deeper meaning
The lyrics are layered.
He tells he travels through Europe but takes his grief everywhere.
At the end he burns his grief symbolic.
Joost is a well known artist in the Netherlands.
He started having a youtube site as a boy.
Than he became a rapper but his label wanted 92 procent of the income so he started his own label.
He writes about his own experiences.
Youngsters relate to it and feel it is ok not to be ok sometimes.
This song is dedicated to his father who was a writer and told him that borders are invented by people meaning we are
all one.
Joost wrote a book to and also poetry.
He performs in clubs and festivals like Lowlands, Pinkpop, Pukkelpop.
He won prices also and has lots of fans.
You can find a clip with English lyrics online.
He is also on wikipedia.
Lots of concert videos on YouTube.
The dancing is retro and was popular in the nineties in the Netherlands also the fashion.
Still hot in clubs all over Europe.
On his concerts people form mosh pits and he dances in the middle but he also dares to read poetry and cry.
The costumes are funny and over the top
But the message is deep.
The message is we are all one in happiness and grief.
Everybody loves to party and this song
makes people happy and wanna dance.
Thank you for the analyses.
By the way
Did you ever see the movie Zorba the Greek
Zorba dances when sad so people think he is nuts but it was his way to deal with grief.

[raquelmp]

I love the softly whisper:"i dont know whats happening "😅
Its a great song 🎉

[Vincent-pypx]

If you KNOW, you KNOW, . This song (lyrics + videoclip) is pure ART. Joost is a genius!

[Cherlindrea]

You've not heard a Dutch entry before as Dutch as this. Behind the 'fun' there is the sorrow of missing his parents. Kids are supposed to be happy, right? What if you don't? Nobody can help, even if you pay them. And it doesn't care where you go or what you eat, you can't escape the pain. This song is really clever, has different layers. I honestly don't think you got it 😁

[RAMDH]

I'm not going to talk about the lyrics because plenty of other people already do that.

The music and music video format is made in 90s style. The music is 90's Eurodance with Happy Hardcore elements.
Happy Hardcore was very popular in the 90s in the Netherlands

At the beginning of the song there is a shout.
"Europe" ""lets come together" "is now or never" etc. That is a reference to Scooter

The piano melody in the chorus when he sings Euro pa pa pa pa pa hey. Is a reference to Charly lownoise Mental Theo who made Happy Hardcore in the 90s.
e.g
Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo - Your Smile
Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo - wonderful days

The hard last part of the music is Made by DJ Paul Elstak Who also made Happy Hardcore in the 90's.
e.g
Dj Paul Elstak - Luv You More
Dj Paul Elstak - Rainbow In The Sky

He is also in the car in the video. DJ Paul also made Gabber (Hardcore) music.

GabberHouse was very big in the Netherlands in the 90s. It was a youth culture that originated in the Netherlands.
1 in 3 young people was Gabber (age 14 - 24). Those young people dancing (Hakkuh) in the video they look like the 90 Gabbers. Bald head or very short hair, Australian (Aussie) training suit, Nike Air Max shoes.

Forgot to say.
The birds in the beginning of the music video are a reference to "Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo - wonderful days". The original music video for that song also starts with birds in the sky


Conclusion the music can't be more Dutch than this

[QueenofKings_]

12 points to The Netherlands. The winner of the Eurovision Songcontest 2024. Nostalgia from the 90's.

9 millions views in 8 days, no1 trending on YouTube, loved from Asia to South America. No1 on Spotify. A hit on TikTok.

Joost said that he will bring a huge surprise on stage in the finals that will shock the world.

This is a masterpiece. Euro papa= Euro dad, because papa is dad in Dutch. A sad song with lyrics with a meaning, with a message, in a happy hardcore melody. A letter to his father who died when he was a 12 year old child. His mother past away a year later. He promised his father that he will be someday on the Eurovision Songcontest stage. His father told him that it is possible because there are no borders between the countries, and no limits to follow his dream. Borders and limitations are made by human. In every country he went, he felt the pain and grief of no having his parents. The fire symbolise letting go of the grief and pain, and the start of a new chapter in his live.

[AmaanStorm]

As someone who experienced the 90's as a teen, this song is so up my street. It has elements of Technohead (a techno band in the 90's famed for the Euro-smash "I Wanna Be A Hippy") and it has that fun 90's piano-house sound.
Love the twist at the end....it always makes me cry!

[dk]

Happy hardcore/Gabber music on Eurovision stage, what a treat from Netherlands.

And this and Croatia reactions back to back are going to be an experience.

[esc]

Im so into this. From initial reaction of wth but nice to see Netherlands submitting something totally different this turned into my top favourites (also now knowing his background). Will definately be voting for this. Well done Joost Klein & the Netherlands 🎉❤

[urbandiscount]

The location shots with the windmill is near the village where Joost lived in Friesland, while his parents were still alive. The 90s band shots is him with his childhood friends playing ¨rockband". If you want the Ur version of this: his track "papa en mama¨, about the death of his parents.

[edojan]

Knowing his background stories (lost both parents at a very young age, got depressed and dedicated this song to his father) and being a Dutch native speaker myself, I thought, why not translate Europapa, explaining the deeper meaning of the song (its my personal take on the song and not verified of course (Joost knows) but I think it makes a lot of sense.
Have a read:

--> Welkom in Europa, blijf hier tot ik dood ga
(Welcome in Europe, I'll stay here till I die)

Welcome in a world without borders, without constraints.
I will never let myself be constricted.


--> Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa
(Euro-dad-dy, Euro-dad-dy)


--> Bezoek m'n friends in France
(I visit my friends in France)

'Friends' translated in France is 'Amis'
Amis was author of e.g. 'Invasion of the Space Invaders' and 'Money'.
Joost didn't visited friends in a country, he identified himself with characters in books.


--> Of neem de benen naar Wenen.
(or take a walk to Vienna)

In Dutch 'de benen nemen' has two meanings. Litterary is means 'to walk', but figuratively it means 'running away'
Same counts for 'Wenen'. Translated to English can mean 'the capital of Austria 'Vienna' but can also be translated to 'crying'.
So, it can mean 'walk to Vienna' or 'running away to despair'


--> Ik wil weg uit Netherlands, maar m'n paspoort is verdwenen
(I want to leave the Netherlands, but my passport is gone)

I want to run away from my childhood, run away from my pain, but I lost my identity. I don't know who I am anymore, I'm lost.


--> Heb gelukkig geen visum nodig om bij je te zijn
(I don't need a visa to be with you)

There's is nothing what can stop me to be with you, you are in my heart.


--> Dus neem de bus naar Polen
(So I take the bus to Poland)

Besides transportation, a bus is also a conductor. Polen, in Dutch, is the plural of pool. In English poles. So magnetism. With a balance of positive and negative ends.


--> of de trein naar Berlijn
(or the train to Berlin)

First; the Berlin Wall was the symbol of the Cold War and a divided Europe.
The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolizes the start of a united Europe.

Second; the track 'Friesenjung' of Joost Klein is co-written by his friend, the Berlin rapper Ski Aggu.


--> Ik heb geen geld voor Paris, dus gebruik m'n fantasie
(I don't have money for Paris, so I use my imagination)

Paris is the city of love. But there's no currency in the world that can buy his father back. He only can use his imagination to be reunited with his father


--> Heb je een еuro'tje, please? Zеg "merci" en "alsjeblieft"
(can you spare a euro, please? Say "merci" en "here you are")

Can I have a bit of your wealth, please? In return I will share a bit of my love with you.


--> Ik ben echt alles kwijt behalve de tijd
(I lost everything, except the time)

I lost everything what's important to me (his parents) the only thing that remains is the time he has left in his life, without his father a burden.


--> Dus ben elke dag op reis want de wereld is van mij
(So I'm travelling every day because the world is mine)

He's running, searching, trying to find something. Every day over and over and again in a world where he feels lonely.


--> Ich bin in Deutschland, aber ich bin so allein
(I'm in Germany, but I'm so alone)

The track 'Friesenjung' was a huge hit in Germany. He made it in Germany, but he can't share his successes with the one who is most important to him.


--> Io sono in Italia, maar toch doet het pijn
(I'm in Italy, but it hurts)

In his track 'Ome Robert' Joost sings (well actually screams), 'Who are you? I'm a god!'. But even the gods of the Roman empire are not enough to soothe the pain.



--> Ben aan het vluchten van mezelf, roep de hele dag om help
(I'm running away from myself, call for help the whole day)

I don't want to be the person as I am today, don't want to feel the pain anymore. But I can't do this on my own. I need help. Perhaps he asks his dad for help but realizes he is on his own.


--> Ja, ik geef zelfs mensen geld, maar d'r is niemand die me helpt
(Yes, I even give money to people and organizations, but there's nobody who helps)

I need help and I'm willing to share everything I have, but nobody understands my pain, not even the organizations who should have taken care of me. I feel alone and lonely.


--> Ik hoef geen escargots, hoef geen fish 'n' chips
Hoef geen paella, no, ik weet niet eens echt wat dat is
(I don't need escargots, don't need fish 'n' chips. Don't need paella, no, I'm not even sure what it is)

I'm not interested in luxury, not interested in traditions, not interested in exotic places.


--> Zet de radio aan, ik hoor Stromae met "Papaoutai"
(turn on the radio, I hear Stromae with "Papaoutai")

I tune in and hear someone in a similar situation (Stromae lost his father as well) echoing my thoughts ('Papaoutai' means 'Daddy, where are you?')


--> Zal niet stoppen, tot ze zeggen: "Ja, ja, dat doet 'ie goed, ey"
(Will not stop until they say: "yeah, yeah, he doing a great job, ey")

I'm a insecure and will not stop until I got the confirmation that I'm on the right track. That I'm doing a good job. A tab on the shoulder will do.



And there you have it.
Europapa is a masterpiece....

[Lyvyan]

This song has a deeper meaning. 'Papa' is translated 'dad' in dutch. Joost lost his dad to cancer when he was 12 and his mom a year later because of a cardiac arrest. When he was younger he watched the Eurovision with his parents and said “I’m gonna sing at Eurovision one day”. Joost sings that no matter where he goes or what he eats, he can not escape the pain of this loss. In the end he says goodbye to the pain of his loss by burning the photo, without losing the memory. This song is also an ode to Europe. His dad told him that it’s a world without borders, because borders are invented by humans. And that you can create your own world. The dance break is happy hardcore - a music style that was invented in the Netherlands, also called gabber music. Bringing a personal loss, the feeling of Europe and the dutch culture together; that is art.

The lyrics have a lot of layers:

Europe let’s come together!
It’s now or never!
I love you all!

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Visit my friends in France
Or take a long walk to Vienna
I want to leave the Netherlands
But my passport is gone

Fortunately don't need a visa
To be with you
So take the bus to Poland
Or the train to Berlin

I have no money for Paris
So use my imagination
Do you have a euro please
Say "merci" and "please"

I lost everything
Except time
So am travelling every day
For the world is mine

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Euro-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Euro-pa-pa-pa
Euro-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Eu-ro-pa!

Ich bin in Deutschland
Aber Ich bin so allein
Io sono in Italia
but still I feel pain

Am running from myself
Calling for "help!" all day long
Yes I even give people money
But there is no one to help me

I don't need es-car-gots
Don't need fish 'n chips
Don't need paella, no
I don't even really know what that is

Turn on the radio
I hear Stromae with "Papaoutai"
Won't stop until they say
"Yes, yes, he does that very well ey!"

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Welcome to Europe
Stay here until I die
Euro-pa-pa, Euro-pa-pa

Euro-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Euro-pa-pa-pa
Euro-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Eu-ro-pa!


Welcome in Europe boy!

At the end of the day
We are all human beings
My father once told me
It's a world without borders

I miss you every day
Is what I secretly whisper
You see dad
I listened to you

Is what I secretly whisper
You see dad
I listened to you

[vbzwd]

Joost is an entertainer...used to performing on big stages in The Netherlands.
It is a serious song wrapped into a upbeat tempo. The music style is typically Dutch...happy hardcore. Originated in the 90s which is very clear when you look at the clip.
Oh, and it has nothing to do with EU

[Gmilian]

The last girl felled it quite right. A funny song with serious lyrics. You have to watch it with subtitles to understand it better.
Watch also his live performance of the song.
And if you to learn and see more of Joost check also Lowlands 2023 and Florida 2009.

[kpqjcll]

Although everyone here is talking about the singer's painful story, that is really a simile of what is happening politically now in Europe, and there are clear references. The underlying meaning of the song is a message to Europeans, of strength and of moving forward seeing what we have built together as positive, even though it seems to be collapsing before our eyes.

[Stefan-]

After Ducan Laurence, Joost Klein is our new nr 1 for The Netherlands 🇪🇺🥳🇳🇱, greetz from Amsterdam!!

[johannesnicolaas]

His live performance is stunning good, that we have seen already in Holland. The last days there are video's made of him doing a live version. Stunning.