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)
Hier Bij Jou
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Die ik niet één keer heb gespeeld
Ik ken 1000 goeie films
Toch heb ik me vaak verveeld
Ja, de lijst is eindeloos
Al die zinloze cadeaus
Zogenaamd onmisbaar, maar ik wil ze kwijt
Al wat overbodig is, ik gooi het overboord, liefste
Niets of niemand houdt me tegen
Jij hebt mij de kracht gegeven
Alles wat me doet herleven
Vind ik hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Ik was koning van het feest
Ik was wereldkampioen
Tot ik plotseling besefte:
God, wat sta ik hier te doen
Ik ben overal geweest
Ik heb veel te veel gezien
Maar nu ben ik eindelijk waar ik moet zijn
Al wat overbodig is, ik gooi het overboord, liefste
Alles wat ik nodig heb, vind ik hier bij jou
Niets of niemand houdt me tegen
Jij hebt mij de kracht gegeven
Alles wat me doet herleven
Vind ik hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Bij jou vind ik een plek waar ik mezelf kan zijn
Jij bent de enige voor mij
Al wat overbodig is, ik gooi het overboord, liefste
Alles wat ik nodig heb, vind ik hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
Hier bij jou
These lyrics tell the story of someone who has accumulated plenty of material possessions, experiences, and achievements but still feels unfulfilled and bored. The singer has an extensive collection of records and films that they've never used, they've traveled the world and been a party king, but it all seems meaningless. However, the singer has found what truly matters in life: their partner. They believe that everything they need to feel alive and complete can be found in their significant other.
The repetition of "hier bij jou" emphasizes the importance and centrality of the partner in the singer's life. The singer recognizes that their partner gives them strength and renews their energy, making them feel as though they are truly living. The line "niets of niemand houdt me tegen" (nothing and no one can stop me) also emphasizes the power and freedom the singer feels when they are with their partner.
Overall, the lyrics carry a message of the importance of love and relationships over material possessions and achievements in life. The singer learns that true fulfillment and happiness are found in the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Er staan platen in mijn kast
I have records in my collection
Die ik niet één keer heb gespeeld
I've never played them
Ik ken 1000 goeie films
I know a thousand good films
Toch heb ik me vaak verveeld
Yet, I have often been bored
Ja, de lijst is eindeloos
Yes, the list is endless
Al die zinloze cadeaus
All those meaningless gifts
Zogenaamd onmisbaar, maar ik wil ze kwijt
Supposedly essential, but I want to get rid of them
Al wat overbodig is, ik gooi het overboord, liefste
Anything that is unnecessary, I let it go my dear
Alles wat ik nodig heb, vind ik hier bij jou
I find everything I need here with you
Niets of niemand houdt me tegen
Nothing or no one stops me
Jij hebt mij de kracht gegeven
You gave me the strength
Alles wat me doet herleven
Everything that makes me come alive again
Vind ik hier bij jou
I find it here with you
Ik was koning van het feest
I was the king of the party
Ik was wereldkampioen
I was a world champion
Tot ik plotseling besefte:
Until I suddenly realized
God, wat sta ik hier te doen
God, what am I doing here
Ik ben overal geweest
I have been everywhere
Ik heb veel te veel gezien
I have seen far too much
Maar nu ben ik eindelijk waar ik moet zijn
But now I am finally where I belong
Bij jou vind ik een plek waar ik mezelf kan zijn
I find a place with you where I can be myself
Jij bent de enige voor mij
You are the only one for me
Hier bij jou
Here with you
Hier bij jou
Here with you
Hier bij jou
Here with you
Hier bij jou
Here with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANK JOZEF VANDER LINDEN, JAN LEYERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thdr
Clouseau al meer dan 30 jaar mijn idolen. Ik ben met ze opgegroeid en hoop dat de nu afgezegde concerten volgend jaar wel door gaan. En ze nog lang optreden en muziek maken😍 en ohja geweldige video clip en liedje
Myrte Kooi
Hopelijk gaan jullie nog vele jaren door! okal zijn jullie al vele jaren bezig ;)
Michaël Boen
Natuurlijk want ik heb ze vorige zondag voor het eerst in het OLT Rivierenhof in deurne gezien met hun Nieuwe Tweesprong tour 😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️🎤🎸🥁🎹
Nathalie Vranken
😍 zalig!👍
Roel
Koen en Kris the best
Lena Vest
👍👍
Noella Van Den Berghen
Pour ma fille Stéphanie