Josefien [English translation]

The baker's daughter from around the corner was quite a looker

She was the sex bomb of the neighborhood and was called Josefien

I was still young, head over heels I wrote her a sonnet

But she wasn't that poetic, she left with

A gentleman who traded in textile1

And his automobile

Oh Josefien, Josefien, Josefien

I was only seventeen

When I saw you Josefien, Josefien, Josefien

For the first time

My mother thought you were a trollop

And perhaps Josefien, Josefien she was right

But you caught me of guard

And more importantly, the neighborhood resembled Paris

When you walked by, oh Josefien.

But the gentleman who traded in textile turned out to be not that interesting

She knew deep in her heart that there was more in store for her

She bought a ticket to Paris and a naked dress

And pretty soon had ten rich gents to choose from

She chose a millionaire

Who was eighty-five years

Oh Josefien, Josefien, Josefien

That was a pretty smart move

You were in mourning pretty soon

Together with round and about ten million of your new friends

My mother thought you were a trollop

But you had a good head on your shoulders

You showed that from time to time

And all the gentlemen would fall for you

Can you imagine, oh Josefien

I recently saw a enormous yacht in St. Tropez

A chauffeur parked a very large limousine in front of it

I saw how the crew stood in attention when you

exited the limousine, Josefien, together with a bloke with very long hair

I said: Hello Josefien

Do you remember me

And then you said, Josefien Josefien

I have seen you before

Voila, bien sur, it is you Wim, it is you Wim

But you are no longer seventeen

Your mother thought I was a trollop

And entre nous mon petit, that I am

But I rather be a trollop in St. Tropez

Then a slut in Zandvoort aan Zee2

A little bit of thinking doesn't hurt anyone,

Otherwise I would still be walking in the Kalverstraat3

Please say hello from Josefien

1. In the Netherlands wealthy textile manufacturers were called "textielbaronnen", barons of textile, and the word "heer", gentleman, refers to this nickname.2. coastal town in The Netherlands.3. Large shopping street in Amsterdam.

• Artist:Wim Sonneveld