In '88 they have a small hit with "Alleen met Jou" (Only with you) and win the Baccara-trophy in the squad of Raymond Van Het Groenewoud.
In 1989 they participated in the preselection to determine the Belgian delegate to the Eurovision Song Festival. Clouseau finishes second (behind Ingeborg), but now has a foot in the door. The breakthrough comes immediately with the single "Anne" and an album "Hoezo ?" (How so?). Screaming teenagers all over the place and smashed record sales in Belgium are the consequence. The Netherlands follow, when "Daar Gaat Ze" (There she goes) becomes a big hit. The 2nd album "Of zo" (Or so) also proves to be very successful.
1990 is a year which can only be described as the year of "Clouseau-mania". Everything the boys touch turns to gold.
Manager Hans Kusters : "They really appeal to the teens. Simple songs, but also lyrics in the form of "She comes, she goes or she is". No fuss about apartheid or the nuclear missiles. Clean, cute, sometimes rocking, sometimes slowing, always charming melodies with innocent and easily recognizable love- and dance stories."
In 1991, the Benelux is getting too small for the group so they (or at least the record company) decide to try to storm the European market.
This time they are appointed to participating for Belgium in the Eurovisionsongcontest (where the finish very low with "Geef het op", despite the very high hopes Flanders was posing in them). They record a CD in English called "Close Encounters" (mainly consisting of adaptations of their own Dutch songs) of which they sell 200.000 copies in the slipstream of Roxette's European tour of 1992.
The 2nd English-language album "In every small town", however, is a complete commercial failure. Frontman Koen Wauters starts a career as a television presenter and race-pilot (Paris-Dakar), kicks a few old friends out of the band and refocuses on the Dutch market with the CD "Oker" (Ochre) in 1995.
On the album "Adrenaline", only the two Wauters' Brothers remain. The album shows a more adult Clouseau. They have successfully survived the hype and are starting to produce decent material again, without the necessity to "score" or match the sales figures of the 1989-1990 craze.
What about the band members that were left behind :
- Bob Savenberg has ventured to a successful solo career (e.g. the duet with Dutch singer Stef Bos in "Breek de stilte" and his solo CD "Vuur en Vlam"). He also presented "Ultratop" (the Belgian hitparade on VRT) and has a small company that builds websites. In 2001, he did the show "Popstars" for VT4.
- Tjenne Berghmans has played in about every other Belgian group (e.g. The Scabs, Betty Goes Green ...) since he left Clouseau.
- Karel Theys, formerly of the Employees, was at the base of another Kloot Per W project, de Lama's in 1993-94.
In 1997, they release a compilation album "Clouseau 1987-1997" and have a celebration on their 10 years of existence. Koen Wauters (although hard to recognize amidst all the publicity for Belgacom) finishes another Dakar at the beginning of 1997. He also continues his television career (Familieraad, Koen & The Gang, Wedden dat ...), and fights off a female stalker in his bathroom. In 1999, he marries Carolijn Lillipally (who was a VJ for MTV-Europe).
In 1999 Clouseau conquers Flanders for the umpteenth time, on this occasion with the new CD "In Stereo". In a production with a lot of violins by Jean Blaute (see RvhG, Kate's Kennel ..) and with songs that were written by people such as Frank van der Linden (of De Mens), Jan Leyers (of My Velma & Soulsister), Mark Vanhie (The Bet, Sarah) and others, and pulled by singles such as "Heb ik ooit gezegd" (a Van Morisson-cover) and "Altijd meer en meer" the group even makes it back again as a headliner at Marktrock (where it all had started). This leads them to a new live-album, simply called "Live", released in 2000.
In 2001 they opened with an album with nothing but slow songs for the Dutch market - entitled "Ballades" - but in recording their next album they deliberately stepped away from this trend in ever slower songs. En Dans - wrapped in a funny cover hand-drawn by Marcel Vanthilt, who also sings on one song - was released in November 2001, and contained much more uptempo songs, taking them back to the starting days of the band. Most striking track was certainly the title song "En Dans", Clouseau in an festive disco-outfit. However the first single that was taken from the album was a ballad "Ik Geef Me Over" (I surrender) with a video that caused some controversy due to the smoking habit of Koen. Through the usual visits to radio stations and a break-in into the BigBrother house, the CD certainly didn't miss it's start, as it deserved platinum for 30,000 copies in the presales, and entered the album-charts at n°1. On the live-front it remained fairly quiet, working towards two gigantic gigs in the Sportpaleis in Antwerp in the month of December.
The band released their latest CD Vonken & Vuur ("Sparks & Fire") in March 2007.
Band members (original line-up) :
- Koen Wauters (vocals)
- Kris Wauters (keyboard and guitar)
- Bob Savenberg (drums and backing vocals)
- Karel Theys (bass)
- Tjenne Berghmans (guitar).
Albums :
- Hoezo(Hans Kusters Music - 1989)
- Of Zo (Hans Kuster Music - 1990)
- Close Encounters (EMI - 1991)
- Doorgaan (tot je niet meer op je benen kan staan) (EMI- 1992)
- In Every Small Town (EMI - 1993)
- Oker (EMI - 1995)
- Adrenaline (EMI - 1996)
- In Stereo (EMI - 1999)
- En Dans (EMI - 2001)
- Live in het Sportpaleis DVD ("Live at the Sport Palace, Antwerp") (2003)
- Vanbinnen (2004)
- Clouseau in 't lang DVD ("Live at the Sport Palace, Antwerp") (2006)
- Vonken en Vuur (2007)
- Zij aan Zij (2009)
Compilations :
- Clouseau Live (Hans Kusters Music - 1991)
- Clouseau 1987-1997 (EMI, 1997)
- Live (EMI, 2000)
- Ballades (EMI, 2001)
Altijd Meer En Meer
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vol wilde feestjes, ja ik was er overal bij
Geloof me vrij, het was niet zo zwaar, oh neen
Tot die dag, toen zag ik haar
Niemand deed me ooit zoveel als zij
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier bij mij
Van mei tot in april
Want jij maakt het verschil
En wat ik ook probeer
Ik wil je telkens weer
En altijd meer en meer
Ik spring, ik zing, ik zweef, ik leef voor 2
Ik lijk verward en gek maar verder is alles OK
'k heb 't gevoel dat alles mag en niets moet
't is de liefde die het'm doet
Aan niemand heb ik ooit zoveel gedacht
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier vannacht
Jij bent wat ik wil
Van mei tot in april
Want jij maakt het verschil
Ja ooooh
En wat ik ook probeer
Ik wil je telkens weer
En altijd meer en meer
Niemand deed me ooit zoveel als jij
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier bij mij.
This song, Altijd Meer En Meer, sung by Clouseau, begins with the singer describing his wild partying days - a lifestyle that he found to be a blessing. He mentions how he was present at every party and it was never too difficult for him to lead that life. However, everything changed when he saw her. She, whoever she may be, affected him more than anyone else ever did. He wants her to be with him always and mentions that he thinks of her the most because no one else can compare. He jumps, sings, floats, and lives for two - his love for her gave him a sense of freedom that made him feel like he can do anything. He remarks that it's the power of love that's making him feel this way but he doesn't mind. His goal is to have her always by his side because no one else can make him feel the way he does when he's with her.
The underlying theme of Altijd Meer En Meer seems to be the power of love and how it can change a person's life. The singer is shown to be leading a life that is destructive and chaotic. It's a life where consequences don't seem to matter, and the party never ends. However, everything changes when he sees the woman he loves. She becomes the center of his life, and nothing else seems to matter. This love, although it may be seen as madness or confusion, has the power to make the singer feel like he can conquer the world. It's obviously clear that the singer is deeply in love and seeks her love, and this unrequited love only makes the song more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Het leven was een zegen voor mij
My life was blessed, filled with wild parties and I was present at all of them.
Vol wilde feestjes, ja ik was er overal bij
I never missed a single wild party.
Geloof me vrij, het was niet zo zwaar, oh neen
Believe me, it never felt too heavy or serious.
Tot die dag, toen zag ik haar
But then on that day, I saw her.
Niemand deed me ooit zoveel als zij
No one has ever affected me as much as she has.
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier bij mij
There is no one I would rather have by my side.
Jij bent wat ik wil
You are what I want.
Van mei tot in april
All year round.
Want jij maakt het verschil
You make the difference.
En wat ik ook probeer
No matter what I try.
Ik wil je telkens weer
I want you again and again.
En altijd meer en meer
And always more and more.
Ik spring, ik zing, ik zweef, ik leef voor 2
I jump, I sing, I float, I live for the two of us.
'k heb 't gevoel dat alles mag en niets moet
I feel like anything is possible and nothing is required.
't is de liefde die het'm doet
It's the love that does it all.
Aan niemand heb ik ooit zoveel gedacht
I have never thought of someone as much as I have thought of her.
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier vannacht
Tonight, there is no one I would rather have here with me.
Ja ooooh
Yes, ooooh.
Niemand deed me ooit zoveel als jij
No one has ever affected me as much as she has.
Nee, niemand wil ik liever hier bij mij.
There is no one I would rather have by my side.
Contributed by Ava P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Katelijn Isselee
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