We received Pabrizzer's Little White Uke this week, so we had to try and record a typical Dutch song.
Having had some trouble finding a song that was culturally significant and did not mention football or beer, we took a slight side step and went for a song from an important Dutch television series. It was called Ja zuster, nee, zuster (Yes, nurse, no nurse) and was aired between '66 and '68, aimed at families. The songs were written by composer Harrie Bannink with lyrics by Annie M.G. Schmidt, who is one of our most beloved authors ever: every child grows up hearing her stories, and in her hay day as a columnist she was a subversive force to be reckoned with. The TV-series gained some sort of mythical status because almost all the tapes were re-used by the network for budget reasons, so very few images remain. Some of the songs made the hit-parade back then, and all of them are still available and still well loved.

We chose this song, Met u onder een paraplu (Together with you under an umbrella), because it is about rain, of which we have plenty in the Netherlands, and because it's a duet, which suited us fine. We went wild multi-tracking! (Uke, glock, ubass, vocals and a recording of some rain in our backyard).
The lyrics have no specific cultural importance, and the translation goes a little something like this:

“Are you all by yourself out in the rain, Miss?
Maybe I can join you for a bit?”
“Well, sir, I’ll be straight with you,
But I must object to that.”
“Excuse me, Miss, it’s really pouring, come and give me your arm.”
“My mother says I mustn’t but I have to admit it’s warm.”

Together with you under an umbrella

They walked across the puddles, splishing and sploshing,
You could hardly see what’s in front of you because of the terrible rain.

“Isn’t this cosy, to walk together like this, Miss?
Isn’t it cosy in the rain?”
“Thank you, sir, I’m at my destination
The tram stop for the number 9.”
“I’m sorry, Miss, the tram’s just left.
Let me walk you to the bus stop.”
“Well, mother says I shouldn’t but I must admit it’s nice.”

Together with you under an umbrella

They walked along the waterside and walked along the canals
Hand in hand they strolled through the evening rain.
He said “Mind that puddle, Miss, the road is very narrow here.”
And: SPLASH!
They fell into the canal, umbrella and all.
They were pulled out of the water and the young lady said: “Sir, I see my mother was right after all and I will never do this ever again!”

“Are you all by yourself out in the rain, Miss?
Maybe I can join you for a bit?”
“Well, sir, I’ll be straight with you,
But I must object to that.”
“Miss, I have an umbrella.”
“What a great idea, and look, here comes my family, they’ll join us on our walk.”