Speeltijd Lyrics in English Niels Destadsbader

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Speeltijd by Niels Destadsbader from Dutch to English.

These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!

Verse 1

I remember how it was

Together in class, with teacher Mathias

With a way too big schoolbag

We walked in step

You held my little hand

You and me, what a lovely time

What a lovely time

A bit later I turned six

Never really paying attention

The teacher was stressed again

But you jumped to my defense

Even though it wasn't a success

You still did your best

You and me, what a lovely time

What a lovely time

Chorus 1

Come on now, recess is over

Just wait a bit, keep looking

And later you sat next to me again

Come on now, recess is over

'Cause nothing could ever happen to us

We kept laughing, dreaming every day

And the best was still to come

Verse 2

We were thirteen

Had Beatle hair

You played guitar well

And just kept stealing girls from each other

My big pillar of support in high school

You and me, what a lovely time

What a lovely time

And then your first job

Studying was done

Verse 2

We drank to that

And yet your money was suddenly gone again

You had a new joke

And I had a wooden head

You and me, what a lovely time

What a lovely time

Chorus 2

Come on now, recess is over

Just wait a bit, keep looking

And later you sat next to me again

Come on now, recess is over

'Cause nothing could ever happen to us

We kept laughing, dreaming every day

And the best was still to come

Verse 3

The years have passed

Suddenly I've lost you

And that's forever

No, we really weren't prepared for that

Still, I don't regret our lovely time

And I miss you for the first time

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SONG MEANING

“Speeltijd” – which means recess – is Niels Destadsbader’s cheerful yet touching postcard to a lifelong friend. The lyrics whisk us from the pair’s very first day at primary school, lugging oversized backpacks and holding hands, through the chaos of teenage years filled with Beatles haircuts, guitar riffs, and stolen glances at classmates. Every verse bursts with playful memories: cutting class, cracking jokes, and dreaming out loud that nothing could ever touch their bond.

As the bell keeps ringing for the next stage of life, the friends graduate, land first jobs, and still find themselves laughing side by side. Then, in a quiet twist, time claims one of them, and the singer is left carrying their shared stories alone. Rather than drowning in sorrow, he celebrates all those mooie tijden – beautiful times – and reminds us to treasure the people who stand by us from the schoolyard to adulthood. The song sparkles with nostalgia, warmth, and Belgian charm, leaving listeners smiling through a gentle lump in their throat.

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Niels Destadsbader Speeltijd Lyrics