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)
Proefcontract
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Met wat vrinden naar een hippe tent gegaan.
De hele avond vrolijk stil gezeten.
Het was heerlijk maar toch ben ik niet voldaan.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast want ik wil meer!
Honger! Thans honger!
Ik heb zo'n honger! Thans honger!
Mijn ledematen zijn niet te bedwingen.
Elke vezel in mijn lijf gaat op een neer.
Ik zie een dansvloer en ik moet er aan beginnen.
Want als de groove in gang schiet heb ik geen verweer.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast het moet eruit.
Honger! Thans honger!
Ik heb zo'n honger! Thans honger!
Dus trek je schoenen aan en volg me op de vloer, want als je honger hebt ik weet wat naar toe.
Er zit honger in de benen.
Wat een vreemd gevoel.
Het zit geen in de genen.
Ik voel me mega cool.
Ik blaas mee met de blazers.
Ik bas mee met de bas.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast want ik wil meer.
Honger! Thans honger!
Ik heb zo'n honger! Thans honger!
Dus trek je schoenen aan en volg me op de vloer want als je honger hebt ik weet wat naar toe.
Honger! Ik heb zo'n honger!
Zo'n ongelofelijke honger!
Oh honger yeah!
Ik weet waar naar toe.
The song "Proefcontract" by Clouseau talks about a hunger that is not satisfied even after having a great meal and spending time with friends. The singer of the song is restless and overwhelmed by a strong desire to dance, depicted as an insatiable hunger. He urges his friends to follow him to a club where he can satisfy this hunger. The lyrics are full of energy and excitement, capturing the feeling of being unable to resist the power of music and dance.
The metaphor of hunger is used throughout the song, suggesting that the singer is missing something in his life that cannot be fulfilled by food or social interaction alone. The hunger can only be satisfied through dance, which seems to provide a form of release and fulfillment for the singer. The lyrics also emphasize the physicality of this hunger, with the singer's body trembling and his limbs uncontrollable as he tries to resist the urge to dance.
Overall, "Proefcontract" is a fun and energetic song that captures the joy of dancing and the sense of fulfillment it can provide. The use of the metaphor of hunger adds a sense of urgency and excitement to the lyrics, making it clear that this is not just a casual desire to dance but a deep need that cannot be ignored.
Line by Line Meaning
Zaterdag en uitgebreid gegeten.
On a Saturday, we had a lavish meal.
Met wat vrinden naar een hippe tent gegaan.
Then, we went with some friends to a trendy place.
De hele avond vrolijk stil gezeten.
We spent the whole night sitting cheerfully.
Het was heerlijk maar toch ben ik niet voldaan.
Although it was delightful, I am still not satisfied.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast want ik wil meer!
I am shaking on my legs, hold me tight, because I want more!
Honger! Thans honger!
Hunger! Now, hunger!
Ik heb zo'n honger! Thans honger!
I am so hungry! Now, hunger!
Dus trek je schoenen aan en volg me op de vloer want als je honger hebt ik weet wat naar toe.
Put on your shoes and follow me to the dance floor because when you are hungry, I know where to go.
Mijn ledematen zijn niet te bedwingen.
My limbs cannot be controlled.
Elke vezel in mijn lijf gaat op een neer.
Every fiber in my body is going up and down.
Ik zie een dansvloer en ik moet er aan beginnen.
I see a dance floor, and I have to start.
Want als de groove in gang schiet heb ik geen verweer.
Because once the groove starts, I have no defense.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast het moet eruit.
I am shaking on my legs, hold me tight, it has to come out.
Er zit honger in de benen.
There's hunger in the legs.
Wat een vreemd gevoel.
What a strange feeling.
Het zit geen in de genen.
It's not in the genes.
Ik voel me mega cool.
I feel mega cool.
Ik blaas mee met de blazers.
I'm blowing along with the horn section.
Ik bas mee met de bas.
I'm grooving along with the bass.
Ik sta te trillen op mijn benen hou me vast want ik wil meer.
I am shaking on my legs, hold me tight, because I want more.
Honger! Thans honger!
Hunger! Now, hunger!
Ik heb zo'n honger! Thans honger!
I am so hungry! Now, hunger!
Dus trek je schoenen aan en volg me op de vloer want als je honger hebt ik weet wat naar toe.
Put on your shoes and follow me to the dance floor because when you are hungry, I know where to go.
Honger! Ik heb zo'n honger!
Hunger! I am so hungry!
Zo'n ongelofelijke honger!
Such an incredible hunger!
Oh honger yeah!
Oh hunger yeah!
Ik weet waar naar toe.
I know where to go.
Writer(s): stefaan fernande, kris wauters
Contributed by Hudson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.