The band achieved international recognition through the inclusion of the track 2Wicky (from A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular) on the soundtrack to Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1996 film Stealing Beauty (Io Ballo da Sola).
The original members of the group were vocalist Liesje Sadonius, keyboardist Frank Duchêne, bass guitarist and programmer Alex Callier, and guitarist Raymond Geerts. Sadonius left Hooverphonic on amicable terms shortly after the release of A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular and was replaced by Geike Arnaert in early 1998. Duchêne left the band after Blue Wonder Power Milk. Arnaert left the band in 2008 and was succeeded by Noémie Wolfs. On March 26, 2015 the band announced that that Noémie Wolfs would be leaving the band "in mutual agreement."
Hooverphonic released their fifth studio album No More Sweet Music in November 2005, featuring four singles: Wake Up, You Hurt Me, Dirty Lenses and We All Float. One year later they released a Best Of album called Singles 96-06. This was their last release under the Sony label.
Hooverphonic released their sixth studio album The President of the LSD Golf Club on 8th October 2007 in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium and Holland, which includes the single Expedition Impossible. European Release January 2008 (although available via mail-order). This was an independent release, recorded at the Willie Nelson studios in the USA.
On October 10, 2008 the management announced that Geike Arnaert would be leaving the band.
After Geike Arnaert and the band parted ways, it took them two years to find a worthy successor to Arnaert. In November 2010 Noémie Wolfs was announced as the new leading lady. A brand new album called The Night Before followed soon after. The new singer was introduced on Belgian television in State Broadcaster VRT's late night show "De Laatste Show" on Thursday November 4th. The title track of the album is their biggest singles' chart success to date. Also, the album soon equaled the success of A Magnificent Tree.
On March 26, 2015 it was announced that Noémie Wolfs would be leaving the band.
Hooverphonic released In Wonderland on March 18, 2016. This release features a number of vocalists including: Emilie Satt, Janie Price (AKA Bird), Felix Howard, Litlo Tinz, Christa Jérôme, and Tjeerd Bomhof.
They were supposed to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam with their song "Release Me". The event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hooverphonic was the only Eurovision entrant for 2020 who refused to take part in the "Love Shine a Light" performance, where entrants each contributed sections of the song, although a photograph of Luka Cruysberghs was included with the other participants making a hand heart at the end.
On 9th November 2020, Luka Cruysberghs left the band and, on the same day, Geike Arnaert announced her return. Also on the same day, they released a new version of Mad About You for the song's 20th anniversary.
Discography
• A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular (1996)
• Blue Wonder Power Milk (1998)
• The Magnificent Tree (2000)
• Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane (2002)
• Sit Down And Listen To... (2003)
• No More Sweet Music (2005/6)
• Singles 96/06 (2006)
• The President of the LSD Golf Club (2007/2008)
• The Night Before (2010)
• With Orchestra (2012)
• Reflection (2013)
• In Wonderland (2016)
Identical Twin
Hooverphonic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
he's so popular
I wish you were him
you're the next best thing
you're the shadow of what I know I never gonna get
When you say love, I hardly know the difference
it's close enough
Hey identical twin
I know you won't be the same under the skin
make me long for him more
it's only because of you and only you I'm his at all
When you say love, I hardly know the difference
it's close enough
I can forget the distance
when you say love, I hardly know the difference
It's because of you that I want him
it's only because of you
identical twin
identical twin
When you say love, I hardly know the difference
it's close enough
I can forget the distance
when you say love, I hardly know the difference
The lyrics of "Identical Twin" by Hooverphonic delve into the complex idea of yearning for someone who you can't have by comparing the object of affection to an identical twin. Throughout the song, the writer hits upon the universal idea of wanting what you can't have, feeling like the next best thing, and ultimately, feeling like a shadow of what you know you can never have. The singer says that everybody wants him, indicating that the object of desire is very popular and desirable, but she knows that she can never have him. She wishes she could be him because being the next best thing is not good enough.
The phrase "when you say love, I hardly know the difference" is very telling. It highlights the singer's confusion and ambiguity towards her feelings because she is so close to her goal yet so far away from it. Her relationship with the person she wants is also somewhat undefined, which makes it even more confusing - "it's only because of you and only you I'm his at all." She ultimately acknowledges that her feelings for the man she desires are because of the constant comparison to his identical twin, who is not even someone she wants. Hooverphonic's "Identical Twin" excellently captures the mental and emotional agony of yearning for someone you can't have.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody wants him
Many people desire him
he's so popular
He is well-liked by many
I wish you were him
I desire for you to be like him
you're the next best thing
You are a suitable alternative
you're the shadow of what I know I never gonna get
You resemble what I can never attain
When you say love, I hardly know the difference
I am uncertain about the true meaning of love
it's close enough
But it feels similar
I can forget the distance
I can overlook any physical separation
Hey identical twin
Hello, person who looks just like him
I know you won't be the same under the skin
I understand you have different qualities and personality
make me long for him more
You increase my desire for him
it's only because of you and only you I'm his at all
I only have any connection to him through you
It's because of you that I want him
My desire for him is influenced by your resemblance
identical twin
Person who looks just like him
Writer(s): Cathy Dennis, Alex Callier Copyright: Emi Music Publishing Ltd., Emi Music Publishing Belgium Sa
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.