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)
De ware
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Het lukt me niet meer
Mijn hart is gebroken
Al tienduizend keer
Zo vaak heb ik
In liefde geloofd
Even vaak is de vlam ook gedoofd
Maar heel langzaam sluip jij in m'n hart
Ben jij de ware ?
Het voelt zo goed vandaag
Maar toch stek ik mij weer die vraag
Dat kan verklaren
Dat ik me niet meer geef
Tenzij ik met zekerheid weet
Jij bent de ware
Toon me de weg
Ik speelde hem kwijt
Heel lang geleden
Mischien voor altijd
Ben jij het licht
En ligt het aan mij
Of zet ik al m'n twijfels opzij ?
Op zoek naar het aards paradijs
Brengt de liefde me weer van de wijs
Ben jij de ware?
Ja, voel me hoe ik beef
Ik hoop dat ik dit overleef
Dat kan verklaren
Dat ik me niet meer geef
Tenzij ik met zekerheid weet
Niets is oiit zeker
Maar jij geeft me hoop
Langzaam haal jij me weer uit de knoop
Want je doet me geloven
Je maakt me compleet
Ik ben hier bij jou en ik weet
Jij bent de ware
Ik heb m'n les geleerd
Dat heb ik te danken aan jou
Na zoveel jaren
Mijn hart heeft zich bekeerd
Ik weet dat jij echt van me houd
Jij bent de ware
The song "De ware" by Clouseau is a beautiful tribute to the power of true love. The lyrics express the heartbreak and confusion that can come with searching for love, but also the joy and relief of finally finding the one who is truly meant for you. The singer has been hurt many times in the past, and is hesitant to trust again, but as he slowly opens up to the possibility of love, he realizes that this time it feels different. He asks the person he is with, "Are you the one?" and declares "I know that you really love me. You are the one."
Throughout the song, the lyrics explore the many emotions that come with falling in love, including fear, doubt, hope, and ultimately, trust. The singer has been lost and confused in the past, but with the help of his new partner, he has found his way back to the path of love. He sings of the journey he has been on, searching for the "earthly paradise" of true love, and how his quest has led him to this moment, with this person. The song ends with a triumphant declaration of love, and a new sense of purpose and hope for the future.
Overall, "De ware" is a poignant and powerful song that speaks to the universal experience of searching for love, and the joy and relief that comes with finding it.
Line by Line Meaning
Mijn tranen zijn op
I have shed so many tears that I have none left
Het lukt me niet meer
I can no longer go on in the same way
Mijn hart is gebroken
I have had my heart broken so many times
Al tienduizend keer
It has happened numerous times
Zo vaak heb ik
This has happened so often
In liefde geloofd
I have believed in love
Even vaak is de vlam ook gedoofd
Just as often, the flame of love has gone out
Ik ben nog zo bang en verward
I am still so afraid and confused
Maar heel langzaam sluip jij in m'n hart
But slowly, you are finding a place in my heart
Ben jij de ware?
Are you the one?
Het voelt zo goed vandaag
It feels so right today
Maar toch stek ik mij weer die vraag
But still, I ask myself that question
Dat kan verklaren
This could explain
Dat ik me niet meer geef
Why I am holding back
Tenzij ik met zekerheid weet
Unless I know for certain
Jij bent de ware
That you are the one
Toon me de weg
Show me the way
Ik speelde hem kwijt
I have lost my way
Heel lang geleden
A long time ago
Mischien voor altijd
Maybe forever
Ben jij het licht
Are you the light
En ligt het aan mij
Is it up to me
Of zet ik al m'n twijfels opzij?
To put all my doubts aside?
Op zoek naar het aards paradijs
In search of earthly paradise
Brengt de liefde me weer van de wijs
Love is confusing me again
Ja, voel me hoe ik beef
Yes, feel how I am trembling
Ik hoop dat ik dit overleef
I hope I can survive this
Niets is ooit zeker
Nothing is ever certain
Maar jij geeft me hoop
But you give me hope
Langzaam haal jij me weer uit de knoop
Slowly, you are helping me unravel my problems
Want je doet me geloven
Because you make me believe
Je maakt me compleet
You make me feel whole
Ik ben hier bij jou en ik weet
I am here with you and I know
Jij bent de ware
You are the one
Ik heb m'n les geleerd
I have learned my lesson
Dat heb ik te danken aan jou
I have you to thank for that
Na zoveel jaren
After so many years
Mijn hart heeft zich bekeerd
My heart has turned around
Ik weet dat jij echt van me houd
I know that you really love me
Jij bent de ware
You are the one
Contributed by Matthew C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Francis Disco
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