Wie zijn ze

When they are young they dream of love in gold
of a world that is beautiful that was never built
they still have heaps of ideals and illusions
because they don't read newspapers yet and they don't know fights
they don't feel pain yet because death is far away
their love is still pure like the sun or a star
the girls dream of a handsome fresh lad
without crooked legs and poetic talk
the boys are still innocent and can still please
because they don't have hate yet and haven't learned to carry weapons

who are they, who are they
you will probably know them
who are they, who are they
they are people like us, like him
like me, like you

but then they get older and they blind themselves
on their wife, their car, their only child
or they have abandoned their greatest ideals
because now they are going to accumulate capital and prestige
they don't feel pain yet because the drinks are ordered
their love is cold but yes, you buy it with money
the women dream of an older specimen
with a will and beautiful gray hair
the men are calmer but can still please
because now they have their money, their name or their car

who are they, who are they
you will probably know them
who are they, who are they
they are people like us, like him
like me, like you

and then they are old and their skin is worn out
because there were so many things they forgot back then
there are now means to chase away their pain
because they have buried too many friends
they feel rotten now because death is near
their love is cold but yes, the fun is over
the ladies are now quiet and pray every day
and think about the pension and the stone on their grave
the men are calmer and think about those days
and their old sweethearts and their old heroic deeds

who are they, who are they
you will probably know them
who are they, who are they
they are people like us, like him
like me, like you