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)
Je Bent Niets
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je groeit snel op en je maakt je klaar
Voor de lol die nog komen moet
En dagen die er echt toe doen en
Werk dat je sterker maakt
En vrienden die je niets verwijten
Ja dat heb je
Allemaal
Veel te duur betaald
(Refrein)
Want je bent niets, je bent niemand
Als niemand van je houdt
Je bent niets je bent niemand
Als niemand je vertrouwt
En ik wacht op een teken van jou
Je bent niemand
Als niemand van je houdt
Ik word nooit meer wat ik was
De slimste jongen van de klas
Ik heb m'n plaats voorgoed verspeeld
Ik heb m'n les te laat geleerd
Ja ik had het
Allemaal
Maar ik heb het
Veel te duur betaald
(Refrein)
Het huis is niet te donker
De planten hebben licht
Ik leun tegen de muur
En luister naar het weerbericht
Er komen mooie dagen
Een hele week zon
En ik wou dat ik dit
Met iemand delen kon
Ja ik had het allemaal
En ik heb het veel te duur betaald
(Refrein)
The song Je Bent Niets by Clouseau explores the heavy realization that sometimes we may feel like we have everything -- friends, opportunities, work, and so on -- but in reality, we are nothing if we don't have the love and trust of others. The first verse speaks of growing up and getting ready for all the exciting experiences that lie ahead. However, even with all these things, the individual has paid a heavy price for it. The chorus emphasizes the central theme of the song that it doesn't matter how much one has accomplished in life, if they have no one to love or to trust them, they are nothing.
The second verse is about reflecting on a past mistake that cost the individual everything that they had. They admit that they were the smartest person in the class, but now they have lost their place due to their actions. In the end, the person is alone, hoping for better days to come, but they wish they had someone to share the good times with. They acknowledge that they had everything, but it was too expensive, which could mean either they paid a steep price for it or they took it all for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Vreemd zoals het gaat
Life is strange, as it unfolds unpredictably.
Je groeit snel op en je maakt je klaar
You grow up fast and get ready for what lies ahead.
Voor de lol die nog komen moet
For the fun that is yet to come.
En dagen die er echt toe doen en
And for the days that truly matter.
Werk dat je sterker maakt
For the work that makes you stronger.
En vrienden die je niets verwijten
And for friends who do not blame you for anything.
Ja dat heb je
You have all of those things.
Allemaal
All of them.
Maar je hebt het
But you have paid for it.
Veel te duur betaald
Paid a very high price for it.
(Refrein)
Chorus
Want je bent niets, je bent niemand
Because you are nothing, you are no one.
Als niemand van je houdt
If no one loves you.
Je bent niets je bent niemand
You are nothing, you are no one.
Als niemand je vertrouwt
If no one trusts you.
En ik wacht op een teken van jou
And I am waiting for a sign from you.
Je bent niemand
You are no one.
Als niemand van je houdt
If no one loves you.
Ik word nooit meer wat ik was
I can never be what I was before.
De slimste jongen van de klas
The smartest boy in the class.
Ik heb m'n plaats voorgoed verspeeld
I have lost my place for good.
Ik heb m'n les te laat geleerd
I have learned my lesson too late.
Ja ik had het
Yes, I had it all.
Allemaal
All of it.
Maar ik heb het
But I have paid for it.
Veel te duur betaald
Paid a very high price for it.
(Refrein)
Chorus
Het huis is niet te donker
The house is not too dark.
De planten hebben licht
The plants have light.
Ik leun tegen de muur
I lean against the wall.
En luister naar het weerbericht
And listen to the weather forecast.
Er komen mooie dagen
Beautiful days are coming.
Een hele week zon
A whole week of sunshine.
En ik wou dat ik dit
And I wish that I could
Met iemand delen kon
Share it with someone.
Ja ik had het allemaal
Yes, I had it all.
En ik heb het veel te duur betaald
And I have paid a very high price for it.
(Refrein)
Chorus
Contributed by Brayden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.