ALI B & RUBEN ANNINK - TERWIJL JULLIE NOG

BIJ ME ZIJN
Ali Bouali is a rapper, who sings Dutch songs. Rap is a main element of hip hop and reggae.
Rap is also called emceeing, MC-ing or spitting. Rap is singing rhyming text on the beat. In
the beginning Ali mainly sang rap, but after 2016 his songs were heading towards ballads.
Ruben Annink is a Dutch singer and songwriter. Ruben studies at the Dutch Pop Academy in
Utrecht. Ali was the coach of Ruben when he was a competent in the Voice Kids.
This song is a combination of rap and a kind of ballad. Ali B is singing about his children,
when they will grow up. The song was first performed during De wereld draait door where
Ali and the audience were emotionally touched when he sang about his children. It is a song
in which you can recognise yourself, even when you are not a parent.
My first expression of the song is that it is slow, Moreover, the song sounds sad, the lyrics
and melody are actually quite lovely. The song has a nice chorus which sticks to you, stays on
your mind. I think it is an unique song, because the lyrics are so emotional and personal. The
lyrics is personal because I know how much my parents love me and try to protect me, but
still have to let me go one day.
It is a slow song, which has a special meaning for Ali. Ruben Annink plays on an acoustic
guitar, so there is only one instrument. The lyrics are actually quite simple even with a
deeper meaning behind the words. The lyrics describe the life of Alis children when they
grow up. Ali sings about the mistakes he has made, which he hopes his children wont make
(for example smoking). He also describes how he loves his children, quote: is mis jullie nu al,
terwijl jullie nog bij me zijn ( I am missing you already, while you are still here with me). The
sound is soft so it really touches your feelings and makes it more personal.
The song has a repetition, it is a verse-chorus form. This means that his song consists of a
verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse and a chorus again. So it is a BACADA form, which is a
commonly used form in modern music. The chorus slightly changes because in the first one
they say there is time enough and in the second one time flies by, but it mainly stays similar.
The composer created variety by using different verses, changing the chorus slightly and
increasing the tempo over the song. There is tension during the song caused by the tempo
getting high during the verses and a low tempo throughout the chorus, this tempo
difference is made by the acoustic guitar which creates the beat. Ali grabs your attention
because he describes his own life and the potential future of his children. Ruben created a
syncopation by lowering the tempo and sound of the guitar over the song, especially in the
end. The lyrics are positive nor negative. Harmony is created by consistent and similar sound
through the song mainly affected by the chorus.
I really like the song. It inspires me and motivates me to love my parents even more. In
addition I want to do more fun activities with my parents for example playing sports, go for a
walk etc. It really touches my soul when I hear this song. Though the song makes me
emotional, I do not feel the need to cry. Nevertheless during all the performances of this
song, mainly listeners start to cry. Moreover, I think a lot of parents can identify with the
lyrics of the song. As parent you spend all your time and regard with your children and you
know that one day the time comes you have to let your children go. They will fly away to
start their own families. The emotional side of the song created my first expression of
sadness. I first thought the song was slow, but after listening the song over and over again I
think the tempo is high. Furthermore I still think the song is unique because I had never
heard such a personal song in my life before.

Ali Bouali was born in Zaanstad 16 October 1981. He is mostly known as Ali B. He is a Dutch
rapper and comedian and is from Moroccan origin. Ali lives in Almere. He also works as
television presentator and as stand-up comedian. Ali owns different records from SPEC
Entertainment. The tv-program De wereld draait door is a program in which they interview
people and discuss different subjects. The song belongs in the category slow rap and ballad.
Ali B has become popular with the songs Rampeneren, Leipe mocro flavour, Ik ben je
zat and his cooperation with Marco Borsato on the song Wat zou je doen?. He has often
worked together with Akon, Yes-R, Ziggi, The Opposites, The Partysquad and Fresku.
Ruben Annink was born in Amsterdam 13 june 1998. Like I said before he is a singer,
songwriter and a student at the Dutch Pop Academy (NPAC). He was a competent of The
Voice Kids in 2012 and he was an finalist of De beste singer-songwriter. On 22 may 2015 he
sang together with Ali B the song Terwijl jullie nog bij me zijn.
My conclusion is that I still love this song and think it is inspiring. I have changed my opinion
about the speed or tempo of the song. I first thought the song was slow, but later on the
tempo went up, grabbing my attention. I really like the emotional side of the song. You can
really see how personal the song for Ali is.

Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxoeOx0mCfk

Stefan de Reijer 4ve