Belgium : Clouseau's new single makes waves

by Dominique Dufaut 168 views

Clouseau's latest single, recently released in Belgium, will be included in the 10th studio album of the group, to be published next October 16th. Entitled Leve Belgie” (Long Live Belgium), the song sounds like an hymn for a united country.

Leve België ! Oh, vive la Belgique ! Ja, leve België ! Oh, oh, owowowo… the lyrics say, with some other parts in french along the verses (On est tous les mêmes – we are all the same)."We did it as we think it was time to have a new song written on Belgium", Koen and Kris Wauters declared. "The latest one we have in mind is entitled Belgie and was performed by… a Dutch group !" (Het Goede Doel – 1982, editor's note).

Clouseau’s song stirred up controversy with minister Geert Bourgeois, who is also a member of the New-Flemish Alliance, a separatist movement that strives for secession of Flanders from Belgium. "This is pure propaganda", the man declared, as reported by the RTBF website. On Le Vif-L'Express.be, the politician also said: "The song of the brothers Wauters tries to create a Belgian emotion with low quality rhymes that I would not even dare to use myself. But I see no objection to their opinion and every kind of music could be broadcast". "Flanders should be happy not to have Bourgeois as minister of Culture", Kurt De Loor, member of the Socialist Party, answered, "as his declarations are harmful to artistic freedom".As for Clouseau, the brothers Wauters clearly say there is no political intention in their song.

Small report on private tv channel vtm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NvgeSZ2O5E

Geef Het Op, as performed at the 1991 Belgian selection (with Clouseau alone, singing three songs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9yhNFb1vrk

Clouseau represented Belgium at the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Geef Het Op. They placed 16th. At the time, Clouseau also has Bob Savenberg as a member. The latter left in 1996. Since that time, Clouseauhave performed asa duet.