"Mens(ch) durf te leven" ("Dare To Live, People") is the most famous song of singer/composer Dirk Witte. The song encourages people to enjoy life and not adjusting so many questions; and it also calls for not always following the calibrated paths, not adapting as slaves to the majority. Thematically, the text resists the so-influential social control, and against the acceptance of authoritarian morale.
In 1918 Leo Gestel painted a beautiful cover for the sheetmusic of this song, in which he assigned the song to Jean-Louis Pisuisse.
But there"s a rumour the music was actually written by Meyer Olman.
Jean-Louis Pisuisse first introduced "Mensch Durf Te Leven" in December 1917 in the Centraal Theater in Amsterdam.
In 1918 (amongst 12 other songs) he recorded the song (as "Memento Vivre") for His Master's Voice, but it was never released.
(o) Jean-Louis Pisuisse (1918) (as "Memento Vivre") (NEVER RELEASED)
Recorded August 18, 1918 in The Hague (Den Haag), Netherlands
With Jan Hemsing at the piano.
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The first recording to be released was by a one-time member of the Cabaret of Pisuisse: Henri Wallig
(c) Henri Wallig (1920) (as "Mensch Durf Te Leven")
Recorded December 6, 1920 in The Hague (Den Haag), Netherlands
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Released on the Zonophone-label (# 3238)
Or here:
(c) Alex de Haas (1941) (as "Mensch Durf Te Leven")
with Dick Willebrandts, piano
Recorded October 1, 1941 for a Dutch Radio Broadcast
Released on the next album
Listen here:
(c) Max van Praag (1958) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released on the album "Dirk Witte Liedjes".
Listen here:
(c) Willy Alberti (1962) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released on Phlips single # 318 741 PF
Also released on Philips EP # 433 122 PE
Listen here:
(c) Herman Tholen (1964) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released on the album "Waar Blijft De Tijd".
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Ramses Shaffy (1967) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Sung in the TV documentary about Jean-Louis Pisuisse: "Namen Die Je Nooit Vergeet", which was broadcasted on November 20, 1967 for KRO Television.
Watch it here:
It was also published on the next album
(c) Willem Nijholt (1977) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Not released at the time, but finally released in 1998 on the next CD
Listen here:
(c) Enny de Leeuwe, Ronnie Bierman, Henk van Ulsen, Fred Florusse and Cor Lemaire (1975)
(as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Recorded live on September 25, 1975 at the Tingel Tangel Theater in Amsterdam.
This recording was commissioned by the NCRV broadcasting company on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Dutch cabaret. (1895-1975) and ready to be broadcast, but the broadcaster objected to two contributions: "Het gebed van de onwetende" and "Ouwe Daatje".
Wim Ibo, the director and producer, withdrew the program and it could not be broadcast.
However, the program was released on the album "Wim Ibo presents Onder De Bomen Van Het Plein", including the two songs in question.
Listen here:
Thanks to Leo Heistek from Canada for the soundfile above.
And finally in 2016, the recorded tapes, meant to be broadcasted on NCRV television, were on YT:
"Mens Durf te Leven" begins at 8 minutes and 35 seconds in the YT below:
(c) Frits Lambrechts (1987) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released in 2002 on the CD: "Dringende Kwesties".
SEE ALSO: Dringende kwesties
Also released in 2004 on the CD: "Portret"
Listen here:
(c) Huub van der Lubbe with the Metropole Orkest (1999) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
From the Dutch TV-program "Samen over de drempel" broadcast on December 31, 1999, containing the most beautiful songs of the last century.
Watch it here:
(c) Amazing Stroopwafels (1988) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released in 1988 on the album "Gaan Te Ver"
Listen here:
They also performed it live in the Dutch TV-Show "Kopspijkers".
Watch it here
(c) Jenny Arean (2002) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Recorded for the theater production "Klarenbeek en Verbrugge".
SEE ALSO: Klarenbeek & Verbrugge
Listen to a sample here: Klarenbeek & Verbrugge - Jenny Arean - Muziekweb
(c) Wende Snijders (2005) (as "Mensch, Durf Te Leven")
Recorded January 26, 2005 for the TV-programme "De Avond Van Het Gedicht".
Listen here:
(c) Wende Snijders (2008) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Wende performed the song again on the TV-programme "Een Nieuwe Jas - Live"
Listen here:
(c) Jim de Groot & de Matangi's (2008) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Listen here: Mens, Durf Te Leven! van Jim de Groot
(c) Tim Knol (2013) (as "Mens, Durf Te Leven")
Released on the next album
Listen here:
In September 2015 the song (amongst all the 33 Dirk Witte composed songs) was performed before a live audience in the Forbo Flooringzaal of the Zaantheater in Zaandam (Netherlands) by Huub van der Lubbe.
Listen here:
Here's an ad from the Dutch newspaper De Groene Amsterdammer dated November 20, 1920, with a few songs that Pisuisse recorded on the same date as "Memento Vivere".
Here's the complete TV documentary about Jean-Louis Pisuisse in which Ramses Shaffy sang "Mens Durf Te Leven"
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