Robert Long was the stage name of Dutch singer-songwriter, composer, cabaret performer, writer, columnist, and radio and television presenter Jan Gerrit Bob Arend Leverman. He was born in Utrecht on October 22, 1943, and died in Antwerp on December 13, 2006. Known for his direct delivery and sharply observant lyrics, Long became one of the Netherlands' most distinctive singer-songwriters of the 1970s and 1980s.
After training as a window dresser, Leverman began performing with amateur groups influenced by beat music and early 1960s pop. In 1963 he formed the Yelping Jackals under the name Bob Revvel. The group later became Bob Revvel and the A-Ones, and in 1967 he joined Gloria, soon renamed Unit Gloria. The band enjoyed success with Dutch pop and schlager material, including "The Last Seven Days." Long eventually found this repertoire too restrictive and began developing his own songs.
He adopted the name Robert Long in the early 1970s, reportedly referring to his height of 1.92 meters. His early solo recordings were mainly in English, but this direction produced limited results. A decisive change came when he began writing and recording in Dutch. His first solo album, Vroeger of later, appeared in 1974. Made with arranger Erik van der Wurff and producer John Moring, the album combined melodic songwriting with ironic and socially critical observations about politics, religion, sexuality, and everyday Dutch life. It sold more than half a million copies and reached the top of the Dutch album chart.
The follow-up Levenslang, released in 1977, confirmed Long's position as a major Dutch recording artist. His songs frequently challenged religious authority, social conformity, economic power, and narrow ideas of respectability. At the same time, his writing could be intimate and romantic, giving his work a range that went beyond protest music. He was open about his homosexuality, and his willingness to address it directly made him an important voice in Dutch popular culture.
Long also achieved success in German-speaking markets. The album Homo sapiens was issued in a German-language version in 1981, with translations by Michael Kunze. Other German releases included Tag, kleiner Junge, Hinter dem Horizont, Leidenschaft, and Lange genug jung. Songs such as "Feste Jungs," "Wenn man mich mal fragen wurde," and "Tolerant" introduced his work to a wider audience in Germany. His recordings earned numerous Dutch Edison awards, and he received the Zilveren Harp in 1975 and the Gouden Harp in 1984.
Theater was another important part of Long's career. He worked with Dimitri Frenkel Frank, Jenny Arean, and Jerome Reehuis on the satirical program Scherts, satire, songs en ander snoepgoed. With Leen Jongewaard, he created three acclaimed and controversial shows: Duidelijk zo!? in 1980, Tot hiertoe in 1982, and En het bleef nog lang onrustig in de stad in 1983. Their material attacked bourgeois complacency and religious conservatism.
From the late 1980s onward, Long expanded into broadcasting and literature. He presented programs including Mijn geheim, Fantastico, and the language quiz Tien voor taal, and hosted the radio program Mezzo from 1999 to 2003. He wrote newspaper columns and published the novel Wat wil je nou in 1988. With Cees van der Pluijm, he also produced books of correspondence and collaborated on the musical Tsjechov.
Long remained socially outspoken late in life, including as a spokesman for the animal-welfare organization Varkens in Nood. His final studio album, 'n Duivels genoegen, was released in 2006. His catalog has continued to be revisited through compilations, archival collections, and stage productions, reflecting the enduring appeal of a songwriter who combined accessible melodies with fearless social criticism.