At least six bands have the name Fungus:
1. Dutch folk rock band (70's)<… Read Full Bio ↴At least six bands have the name Fungus:
1. Dutch folk rock band (70's)
2. Spanish rock band (00's).
3. Italian rock band (00's)
4. Japanese punk band
5. Swedish punk band (90's)
6. Portuguese death metal band (00's)

Fungus (Netherlands):
Fungus, a legendary dutch folk band is founded in 1972 in the Dutch town of Vlaardingen. The band consists of founder Fred Piek, Bob Dekenga and Kees Maat. At first they almost exclusively play English and Scottish folk.
Bob Dekkenga leaves the group in 1973 to study and is replaced with Sido Martens, a former Farmers Union and Hello member and bass player Koos Pakvis. They publish the single "Farewell To Tarwathie".

Fungus is the first band to combine Dutch folklore and folkrock in 1974. The titleless debut LP, with half Dutch traditionals and half British material, will be Fungus's most succesfull album, mostly because of the hitsingle "Kaapren Varen".
Drummer Louis Debij joins the band after recording the album with Fungus. Bob Dekenga return and replaced Kees Maat on keyboard. Kees Maat joins "Electric Tear". Fungus is the only Dutch band at the Pinkpop festival of this year and starts a tour soon after, playing in Belgium, Germany, Denmark and the UK. During the tour Debij is temporarily replaced with drummer Jack van den Blink.

The more balanced album "Lief ende Leed" is published in 1975. It contains exclusively rock versions of Dutch traditionals. Martens leaves the group halfway during the recording of the album to persue a solo-career. He is replaced by Rens van der Zalm, ex-Lascarrol and Bill Brooker's Jugband, who brings more than just his electric guitar: a mandoline, bagpipe and fiddle for example.

1976 After recording the third album, "Van De Kiel Naar Vlaring", the co-founder Dekenga leaves the band a second time.

1977 A changing musical climate forces the group to find new ways. They return to a lighter English folk repertoire. This more early-Fungus style results in the LP "Mushrooms". Arie van der Graaf is the guitarist on this album.

1978 The group continues to slink. Piek, Pakvis and Van der Zalm play for awhile as a succesfull accoustic trio. At the end of the year Fungus ceases to exist.

1979 The fairly succesfull farewell-LP "De Kaarten Zijn Geschud" contains, as did the 1st, a mix of Dutch and English material. However the catchy single "De Moord Te Raamsdonk" leaves the masses unmoved, silenced in the beginning of the punk-era.
Van der Zalm join the more puristic "Wolverlei" while Piek and Wim Kerkhof start the duo "The Amazing Stroopwafels".

Fungus (Spain):
The band FUNGUS was born in Vicalvaro (Madrid, Spain) in the 2001, influenced by the sound Stoner. Groups as Dozer, Fumanchu, Nebula, QOTSA and above all, the pioneers in this sound: Kyuss, they mark a so extensive style in shades as the own rock. After various changes in the band of guitars and drums, the crew present is consolidated in 2005 with Fernando Matus in bass and vocals, Sergio FuzzCamaro and Fernan to the guitars and Antonio Heavy as drummer. The existing songs are reinforced and themselves extensive the set of concert with versions from our Stoner Rocks favourites bands (like Dozer, Unida, Fumanch, Kyuss). In February-March of 2005 they record in Pluggin with King Carlos Diamond their first demo called Lost in lonely planet with six themes. With the inertia and the desires after the good reception of the demo begin to play live in Madrid with several concerts. Already in summer played in other towns near the capital like Avila (Bikers meeting) or Salamanca. For October 13, 2005 they give the leap at large concert with Los Natas (Argentina) and their friends Glow and in December they organize the FUZZ FEST. In 2006 record Psychonaut, second demo with seven tracks full of power (with more psichedelic & stoner riffts, even one song singed in Spanish).

Fungus (Italy):
Italian Fungus were born between 2001 and 2002, In Genova, Italy. Devoted to improvisation in a psych - prog mood, after a year the started to compose their songs and music, thus leading to their first LP, "careful!", recorded in 2004 and published by italian indipendent company Mellow Records. After some line-up changes, they started working on new songs and to mix new elements in their music, from pink floyd to gong, not forgetting post-rock and 70's english singers. Today their line-up is Ale J Blissett (guitars), Carlo Barreca (bass guitar), Dorian (voice), Claudio Ferreri (keys), Cajo (drums). Their last LP is "Better Than Jesus", published in 2010. They are currently recording "The Face Of Evil", their third LP.

Kaap'ren varen
Fungus Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Al die willen te kaap'ren varen
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Al die ranzige tweebak lusten
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Al die deftige pijpkens smoren
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Al die met ons de walrus killen
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Al die dood en duivel niet duchten
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Al die willen te kaap'ren varen
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn

Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Piert, Joris en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee

Overall Meaning

The song "Kaap'ren Varen" by Fungus is a traditional Dutch folk song that glorifies the life of pirates and their exploits on the high seas. The melody is lively and upbeat, and it features a repetitive verse with a catchy chorus that is easy to remember and sing along to.

The lyrics of the song suggest that in order to be a successful pirate, a man must have a beard. Throughout the song, the lyrics state that all those who wish to sail the seas as pirates must have beards, whether they are men who enjoy eating rancid food, smoking pipes, killing walruses, or having no fear of death or the devil.

In many ways, the song celebrates a stereotypical image of a pirate as a rough, tough, and fearless man who is willing to risk everything for the thrill of adventure and the promise of riches. The reference to eating rancid food and smoking pipes may also reflect the fact that pirates were often seen as rough and unrefined compared to respectable citizens.

Overall, "Kaap'ren Varen" is a fun and lighthearted song that captures the spirit of adventure and the romance of the sea that is associated with piracy. It's a great song to sing along to and is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.

Line by Line Meaning

Al die willen te kaap'ren varen
Those who want to sail in pirate ships

Moeten mannen met baarden zijn
Must be men with beards