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)
Bergen En Ravijnen
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dat een zwerver in me leeft
ik moet naar buiten breken
ver weg van al wat mij omgeeft
dan kan ik niets verdragen
loop nerveus en overstuur
in m'n bloed klopt verlangen
naar onstuimig avontuur
Het kan opeens gebeuren
en het valt zo plots op mij
geen mens houdt mij nog tegen
zelfs m'n liefste, zelfs niet jij
ik kan het niet verklaren
't is een gloed die smelt en brandt
ja los wil ik me scheuren
los van elk gezond verstand
Het zijn bergen en ravijnen
of een zaal van duizend man
of de hitte van woestijnen
die ik graag bedwingen zou
Dan scheur ik door de nacht
door de hitte die me slaat
een dorre witte vlakte
die me naar de eindstreep jaagt
dan luwt opeens de storm
een rust die mij herschept
onpeilbaar is de vreugde
als je iets veroverd hebt
Het zijn bergen en ravijnen
of een zaal van duizend man
of de hitte van woestijnen
die ik graag bedwingen zou
'T is een beest dat wild te keer gaat
dat m'n angsten overstemt
het gevaar dat me uitdaagt
Koen ik wil dat jij me temt
Dan wenkt opnieuw de haven
van een huis waar ik verblijf
dan proef ik weer de liefde
van haar zoete warme lijf
vind ik opnieuw de kant
van het leven dat zich schrijft
tot dat de onrust wakker wordt
en mij weer naar buiten drijft
Naar de bergen en ravijnen
of een zaal van duizend man
of de hitte van woestijnen
die ik graag bedwingen zou
'T is een beest dat wild te keer gaat
dat m'n angsten overstemd
het gevaar dat me uitdaagt
Koen ik wil dat jij me temt
nananana nanananana nananana
The lyrics of Clouseau's song Bergen En Ravijnen describe the internal struggle of the singer between his wild, adventurous side and his more reserved, domestic side. He feels a constant yearning for the thrill and excitement of exploring the unknown, whether it be scaling mountains, facing danger in the desert or captivating an audience of thousands. This feeling of restlessness leads him to sometimes act impulsively and erratically, putting himself in potentially dangerous situations. However, despite his desire to break free from the constraints of normal everyday life, he is always drawn back home by his love for his partner and the comfort of their life together.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that this inner turmoil is not exclusive to the singer alone; it is a universal experience that we all face at some point in our lives. We all have a part of ourselves that longs for adventure and the unknown, even if we ultimately find fulfillment in more settled, predictable routines. The song reflects on the importance of finding a balance between these two aspects of our personalities, and realizing that they are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary.
Line by Line Meaning
Er zijn zo van die dagen
There are certain days
dat een zwerver in me leeft
When a wanderer lives within me
ik moet naar buiten breken
I must break free
ver weg van al wat mij omgeeft
Far away from everything that surrounds me
dan kan ik niets verdragen
I cannot endure anything
loop nerveus en overstuur
I walk nervously and agitated
in m'n bloed klopt verlangen
A desire pulsates in my blood
naar onstuimig avontuur
For wild adventure
Het kan opeens gebeuren
It can suddenly happen
en het valt zo plots op mij
And it suddenly strikes me
geen mens houdt mij nog tegen
No one can stop me anymore
zelfs m'n liefste, zelfs niet jij
Not even my dearest, not even you
ik kan het niet verklaren
I cannot explain it
't is een gloed die smelt en brandt
It is a passion that melts and burns
ja los wil ik me scheuren
Yes, I want to tear myself free
los van elk gezond verstand
Irrespective of all logic
Het zijn bergen en ravijnen
These are mountains and ravines
of een zaal van duizend man
Or a crowd of a thousand people
of de hitte van woestijnen
Or the heat of deserts
die ik graag bedwingen zou
That I would like to conquer
Dan scheur ik door de nacht
Then I tear through the night
door de hitte die me slaat
Through the heat that strikes me
een dorre witte vlakte
A barren white expanse
die me naar de eindstreep jaagt
That drives me towards the finish line
dan luwt opeens de storm
Then suddenly the storm subsides
een rust die mij herschept
A tranquility that remakes me
onpeilbaar is de vreugde
The joy is immeasurable
als je iets veroverd hebt
When you have conquered something
'T is een beest dat wild te keer gaat
It is a beast that goes wild
dat m'n angsten overstemt
That overcomes my fears
het gevaar dat me uitdaagt
The danger that challenges me
Koen ik wil dat jij me temt
Koen, I want you to tame me
Dan wenkt opnieuw de haven
Then the harbor beckons again
van een huis waar ik verblijf
Of a house where I stay
dan proef ik weer de liefde
Then I taste the love again
van haar zoete warme lijf
Of her sweet warm body
vind ik opnieuw de kant
I find the direction again
van het leven dat zich schrijft
Of the life that writes itself
tot dat de onrust wakker wordt
Until the restlessness wakes up again
en mij weer naar buiten drijft
And drives me outside again
Nananana nanananana nananan
Nananana nanananana nananan
Contributed by Lincoln F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Katelijn Isselee
Bedankt voor jullie mooie muziek