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)
Vliegtuig
Clouseau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Het vliegtuig verdwijnt in zilveren wolken
Naar je nieuwe thuis
En je zei me, in m’n hart blijf ik dichtbij je
Maar een bang gevoel beklijft me
Nu je met hem de hemels doorkruist
Jij wou altijd de wereld rondreizen
Laat vooral geen traan
En geniet maar
Er is vast veel moois te zien daar
Jou geluk is mij zo dierbaar
Dat ik poog om dit blad om te slaan
Wij waren vrienden zonder meer
Maar nu krijg ik spijt van alle woorden
Die ik jou nooit zei
En ik weet wel
Zelf intens verdriet geneest wel
Maar m’n liefde is geen zeepbel
Die uiteenspat zodra je verdwijnt
Ik had nooit de moed ervoor te gaan
Was bang om je helemaal te verliezen
Maar nu voel ik spijt
Het is niet eerlijk
Want ons afscheid maakt nog meer stuk
Liefde is toch onontbeerlijk
‘k heb je nodig ik wil je niet kwijt
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
En vertel je alles waar ik zo vaak aan dacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Maar het blijft bij dromen liefste slaap nu maar zacht
Durf ik het wel of toch maar niet
Kom ik je nieuwe leven verstoren
Doe ik hem dat aan
Hij verwacht niet
Nee dit wordt z’n beste dag niet
Maar m’n liefde nee die wacht niet
Er is veel teveel tijd verloren gegaan
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
En vertel je alles waar ik zo vaak aan dacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
In m’n mooiste droom is dit waar jij ook op wacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Want er is geen pil die deze pijn ooit verzacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Ik kom je halen vannacht
Je bent het mooiste wat de wereld ooit heeft voortgebracht
The song "Vliegtuig" (Airplane) by Clouseau is about the pain of saying goodbye to someone you love who is moving away. The singer watches as their loved one boards a plane and leaves for their new home, feeling both happy for their happiness and sad about the distance that will come between them. Despite promising to stay close in their heart, the singer admits to feeling a lingering sense of fear and regret for not saying all the things they wanted to in the past. They realize that their love for this person is not just a passing phase, but something worth fighting for. The singer dreams of flying to their loved one's new home and confessing everything they've been holding back. Ultimately, "Vliegtuig" is a poignant meditation on the experience of letting go in love.
One of the interesting things about "Vliegtuig" is that it was written and performed by the Belgian band Clouseau, who are known for their mix of rock and pop influences and witty lyrics. The song is part of their 1999 album "In Stereo," which was a commercial success in Belgium and featured several hit singles. "Vliegtuig" is particularly notable for its emotional intensity and vulnerable lyrics, which almost read like a letter to a lost love. The song's soaring chorus and gentle melody make it a perfect showcase for lead singer Koen Wauters' soulful vocals.
Another interesting fact about "Vliegtuig" is that it has been covered by several other artists over the years. In 2012, Dutch singer Joey Hartkamp released a version of the song with new lyrics under the title "Jij Bent Zo Mooi" (You Are So Beautiful). That same year, Clouseau themselves recorded a live acoustic version of "Vliegtuig" for their album "Clouseau Danst." The song has also been featured in various TV shows and films in Belgium and the Netherlands, cementing its place as a classic of the Dutch-language pop-rock genre.
Chords (as played live by Clouseau): Verse: A, E, F#m7, D. Chorus: A, E, F#m7, D. Outro: A, E, F#m7, D.
Line by Line Meaning
Ik kijk naar de lucht en zie je gaan
I look at the sky and see you leaving
Het vliegtuig verdwijnt in zilveren wolken
The airplane disappears into silver clouds
Naar je nieuwe thuis
To your new home
En je zei me, in m’n hart blijf ik dichtbij je
And you told me, 'in my heart, I'll stay close to you'
Maar een bang gevoel beklijft me
But a fearful feeling stays with me
Nu je met hem de hemels doorkruist
Now you're traversing the heavens with him
Jij bent van hier en hij van daar
You're from here and he's from there
Jij wou altijd de wereld rondreizen
You always wanted to travel around the world
Laat vooral geen traan
Don't shed a tear
En geniet maar
And just enjoy
Er is vast veel moois te zien daar
There's surely a lot of beauty to see there
Jouw geluk is mij zo dierbaar
Your happiness is so precious to me
Dat ik poog om dit blad om te slaan
That I try to turn this leaf
Wij waren vrienden zonder meer
We were just friends
Maar nu krijg ik spijt van alle woorden
But now I regret all the words
Die ik jou nooit zei
That I never said to you
En ik weet wel
And I know
Zelf intens verdriet geneest wel
Intense grief heals eventually
Maar m’n liefde is geen zeepbel
But my love isn't just a bubble
Die uiteenspat zodra je verdwijnt
That bursts as soon as you disappear
Ik had nooit de moed ervoor te gaan
I never had the courage to go for it
Was bang om je helemaal te verliezen
Was scared of losing you completely
Maar nu voel ik spijt
But now I feel regret
Het is niet eerlijk
It's not fair
Want ons afscheid maakt nog meer stuk
Because our goodbye breaks even more
Liefde is toch onontbeerlijk
Love is still indispensable
‘k heb je nodig ik wil je niet kwijt
I need you, I don't want to lose you
Ik kom je halen vannacht
I come to get you tonight
En vertel je alles waar ik zo vaak aan dacht
And tell you everything I've been thinking about
Maar het blijft bij dromen liefste slaap nu maar zacht
But it's just a dream, dearest, sleep tight
Durf ik het wel of toch maar niet
Do I dare or not?
Kom ik je nieuwe leven verstoren
Do I disrupt your new life?
Doe ik hem dat aan
Do I do that to him?
Hij verwacht niet
He doesn't expect it
Nee dit wordt z’n beste dag niet
No, this won't be his best day
Maar m’n liefde nee die wacht niet
But my love, no, it doesn't wait
Er is veel teveel tijd verloren gegaan
Too much time has been lost
In m’n mooiste droom is dit waar jij ook op wacht
In my best dream, this is also what you're waiting for
Want er is geen pil die deze pijn ooit verzacht
Because there's no pill that ever eases this pain
Je bent het mooiste wat de wereld ooit heeft voortgebracht
You're the most beautiful thing the world has ever produced
Contributed by Cole R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@linsyvanderelst8127
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