An album, a book and a podcast, Sportsman of the Year is a celebration of life, its foibles and its perfect imperfection, and tells a tale of grit and of never giving up.

An album, a book and a podcast, Sportsman of the Year is a celebration of life, its foibles and its perfect imperfection, and tells a tale of grit and of never giving up from award-winning singer and songwriter Jan Hellriegel.

I have left the trail that millions before me/have worn right down to the bitter core - "It's My Sin", Jan Hellriegel, 1992.

Sportsman of the Year - A Suburban Philosophy is a unique project.

It's an album of 12 new songs by award-winning singer and songwriter Jan Hellriegel.

But it's also a book that expands and puts flesh on the ideas and experiences captured in the songs.

And it's a podcast series, which mixes the words and the music together beautifully.

In every format, Sportsman is a celebration of life and its foibles as well as its perfect imperfection. It represents the journey, not the destination, and tells a tale of grit and of never giving up.

"My career has been nothing short of soul-destroying at times" says Jan. "And even though I have tossed my music aside on more than one occasion, I persevered. Through hardship came the wins, then more hardship, more flops, more lessons, more growth."

"Each time I failed, I learned something new and got back up and kept going."

Each episode of the podcast represents a song from the album and a chapter from the book. Sometimes it's clear which stories are related to which songs. Other times the meanings are open to interpretation. They can all be digested on their own or go hand-in hand with each other. They're not married, but they are good friends.

Sportsman of the Year - A Suburban Philosophy is not always an easy listen and some things might make you squirm. But this is how it happened for Jan. It's supposed to be a little sad, funny, perplexing and occasionally contradictory because every day the view changes while we all try to make the nonsensical comprehensible.

"If I have met you or if you have ever listened to a song of mine then you are right here in this podcast, these songs and this book, "says Jan.

"They are for you."

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In episode one of Sportsman of the Year, Jan Hellriegel argues that some of the worst things in life might just turn out to be the best.

"Looking back, I realise some of the worst things ever just happened to be some of the best things in disguise. I just didn't know how to read the signs" - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

HOUND DOG (IT'S A GOOD LIFE)

Shuffling around with my nose to the ground and my eyes all covered in scrim

I'm feeling sorry for myself and I don't know why because in truth I have everything.

What am I to choose as I fluff along this mortal coil?

What am I to lose if the road I choose is a lighter toil?

It's a good life if you want it if you let it into you.

It's a great life if you call it if you call it into you.

But it's a Hound Dog if you let it eat away at you.

So come on call it in the good life.

Let it in to you.

Days and days and hours and hours working for the man.

The rents catching up and you're going nowhere but you're doing the best you can.

What am I to choose as I fluff along this mortal coil?

What am I to lose if the road I choose is a lighter toil?

It's a good life if you want it if you let it into you.

It's a great life if you call it if you call it into you.

But it's a Hound Dog if you let it eat away at you.

So go on call it in the good life.

Let it in to you.

Days and days and hours and hours.

You watch your folks become tethered and soured.

In and out around the round.

There's no respite from the daily grind.

La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la.

It's a good life if you want it if you let it into you.

It's a great life if you call it if you call it into you.

But it's a Hound Dog if you let it eat away at you.

So go on call it in the good life.

Let it in to you.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Doing something, even if it fails, is better than doing nothing.

"Doing something is way better than doing nothing, even if it's hardly doing anything at all." - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

LOVE AND CONVICTION

I've walked this earth a long time and I've done all kinds of things.

Delivered fish to fancy restaurants, sold gold and bling and rings.

I've cleaned a lot of hotel rooms, sold beer in dirty bars.

Packed records in cold warehouses and polished lots of cars.

One thing I'd like to say right here and will say it loud

Is that I've loved you with a passion in the here and in the now.

Some things I'm really proud of and I don't mind if I share.

Other things I've screwed right up, they're whispers in the air.

I've met a lot of people I know I won't meet a second time.

Some friends have now departed and I know my wrongs from right.

One thing I'd like to say right here and I will say it loud

Is that I've loved you with a passion in the here and in the now.

I say it now to all who'll listen

I've loved you long and I've loved you hard.

I say it now and with conviction

You have my love.

You have my heart.

Well there's been some pretty bad times and oh so many good.

Sometimes I've been bewildered, other times I've understood.

But I've always kept on loving you, never faulted from the path.

Sometimes I've been defeated but I knew it wouldn't last.

One thing I'd like to say right here and I will say it loud

Is that I've loved you with a passion in the here and in the now.

I say it now to all who'll listen

I've loved you long and I've loved you hard.

I say it now and with conviction.

You have my love.

You have my heart.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

They say knockbacks, rejections and mistakes just make us stronger. The worst gig in the world tested this philosophy.

"If everything was super easy and I didn't have to face the odd bump in the road or difficult time, then I guess my resilience muscles wouldn't be in such good shape." - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

ON ICE III

Gentle sparkle so serene.

This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

And a good friend took me there.

All I could do was stop and stare into this place,

This space.

Oh I, I'm on ice can't move anywhere.

And it's so cold here on ice.

The rune said you can not move.

You're weighted down by forces, which are hidden from view.

Take comfort that the time will come.

When you will thrash your arms in legs in all directions

And all will be forgiven.

Oh I, I'm ice can't move anywhere

And it's so cold here on ice.

On ice the ghosts go stalking.

They start to rearranging your mind.

They get your mind

And I've seen it and the sound that it makes.

Could turn the warmest blood into the coldest of crystal

If you would let it.

The hue of the place is such

That it could break your heart in two if you would let it.

But will you?

Will you?

Go down to the lakeside and search out the meaning.

Salvage what left you and start disbelieving.

Will you, oh will you go down

With me?

Oh I, I'm on ice, can't move anywhere.

It's so cold here on ice.

On ice.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

They say you should never meet your heroes. But that isn't always true.

"I realise that things are pretty good right now and although I know there will always be trials and tribulations which accompany life, today I just say 'phew!'" - Jan Hellriegel, 2019.

FOR THE LOVE OF GLORY

I have trekked across the Tundra

And wrestled in Japan.

Sailed around The Horn

And raced the Isle of Man.

And it's all following you.

Crossing desert plains on barefoot

I discovered Noah's Ark.

I worked 10,000 hours, left my family cold and dark.

And it's all following you.

Oh for the love of Glory, she is such an elusive Queen.

Oh for the love of Glory, she will lick the damage clean.

I have acted out in stadiums

And made them beg for more.

Humiliated lovers

Smeared their hearts across the floor.

And it's all following you.

I have desecrated temples

And I've told a thousand lies.

I've sacked and burned and pillaged

And I've left good men to die.

And it's all following you.

Oh for the love of Glory, she is such an elusive Queen.

Oh for the love of Glory, she will lick the damage clean.

I have lied and stolen, cheated

Made them get down on their knees.

Eliminated rivals, left them twisting in a tree.

All for the love of you.

Oh for the Love of Glory, she is such an elusive Queen.

Oh for the love of Glory, she will lick the damage clean.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How hard is it for a woman to have a career in music?

"No matter how uneven the playing field, I resolve to work with what I have on hand today. Because the alternative is to quit and, quite frankly, that is not going to happen." - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

NEPTUNE AND ME

Wash right through me dark blue currents.

I belong to the rolling waters.

I belong to the bubbling seas.

And you.

These things are becoming real.

The lighthouse keeper has broken the seals.

Light's shining through.

Who cares at all about the troubles I've seen?

They've got enough of their own.

Who cares at all about the lessons I learned?

They've got enough of their own.

Dark blue ocean

Stormy greys.

Swimming in the sea is better that way'

Being tossed in the waves till your hair begins to fray

With Neptune.

Who cares at all about the troubles I've seen?

They've got enough of their own.

Who cares at all about the lessons I learned?

They've got enough of their own.

Who cares at all about how cruel he can be?

Who cares at all about the troubles I've seen?

Wash right through me dark blue currents.

I belong to the rolling waters.

I belong to the bubbling seas.

And you.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When you are growing up, life sometimes seems totally random. But at other times it's all like a set of perfect coincidences.

"If the darkest hour is right before the dawn then hold on and make a cup of tea while you are waiting to greet the new day.This episode is dedicated to those friends and family who have left us far too early." - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

ODE TO THE PROMISE OF YOUTH

There it goes the promise of youth

Of handsome and might.

There it goes faster than light.

These are the stories we have told.

These are the stories which go round and round till they get old.

And I see you.

You're in her eyes.

She has your way about her.

And shows such promise.

And so it goes on

Round and round.

Till the stories get told and they make no sound.

And the reasons why and the reasons because.

And the reasons go round and round and round.

Until they've gone.

I remember the drive.

We were young and we were so free.

And we had things we had to do.

Things seemingly so easy.

And I see you

You're in her eyes.

She has your way about her

And shows such promise.

And so it goes on.

Round and round.

Till the stories get old and they make no sound.

And the reasons why and the reasons because.

And the reasons go round and round and round

Until they've gone.

Last thing I said was

"Have a great day you,

We just live down the road now,

It was so good to bump in to you"

And the stories get old.

They go round and round.

And the stories get told 'til they make no sound.

And the reasons why and the reasons because.

And the reasons go round and round and round

Until they've gone.

They go round and round and round and round until they've gone.

Goodbye you x

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Great loves have been the inspiration for a lot of great love songs. And a lot of rubbish, too.

"So they don't love you anymore? Be grateful; they are standing aside so the right one can see you better." - Jan Hellriegel 2019.

HIGH MAINTENANCE MAN

Hot Dog

Met him in the city, the neon lights weren't shining

But tea and scones and cake were all around.

You know I wasn't looking

He wasn't looking

For lovers

But that is what we found.

He came over

We started talking

He asked me questions

Never did he talk about himself.

I knew it had been a hard one

He'd known it tough but

The lights still flickered in his eyes.

And I was hooked

And I was stung

And I was done

High Maintenance Man.

You're doing what you do to drive me crazy

High Maintenance Man

You demand every ounce, every part of my will

High Maintenance Man.

It's true

Some things are sent to test us

To show us new and bold ways

To think about the things you've never done.

No way

Can you decline it

The intervention

Deep down you know it's what you're looking for.

And I was hooked

And I was stung

And I was done

High Maintenance Man.

You're doing what you do to drive me crazy

High Maintenance Man

You demand every ounce, every part of my will

High Maintenance Man.

And the road is a time bomb

Littered in debris.

Caught in the cross fire

Fake eyelashes mock me.

And through all the accolades

Blowouts and comedowns

Here I stand with my head held high

Poised and ready and reaching high

High Maintenance Man .

Hot Dog

Met him in the city, the neon lights weren't shining

But tea and scones and cake were all around.

You know I wasn't looking.

He wasn't looking

For lovers

But that is what we found.

And I was hooked

And I was stung

And I was done

And all the world

It made more sense

And everything

The Art of War.…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details