Recorded on 6 March 1962, the song describes the North Sea as the final wasteland of Belgium's borders, then mentions the mist, the winds from all corners and cathedrals as "the only mountains" his country has.

Because this landscape is rather typical not only of the West Flanders, but of large swathes of the Low Countries, the Dutch version of the song is popular in the Netherlands.

He also refers to the Flemish seasonal workers who left their farms every winter to work in the textile mills of Northern France from November to May.

(Les fils de Novembre qui nous reviennent en May)[2] The success encountered in Paris by his Swiss mentor friend Jean Villard' "La Venoge", about an unknown little river, inspired and encouraged him to write the song.

The Italian singer and author Herbert Pagani wrote and interpreted a cover titled "La Lombardia".