Anyone who is on TikTok or Instagram could hardly have missed it: the Dutch clog dance, of which thousands of different videos have been posted online. The music used is originally from Brabant and was written by the party band WC Experience. But now it is also a big hit in Germany. “I think it’s really cool.”
As hypes go, they suddenly appear. The song was once recorded by an Austrian record company. “We did that years ago in the hope that it would one day lead to international success.” Every year René and Patrick, the founder of the band, received an email with what had been done with the song. But that did not lead to a breakthrough.
That breakthrough suddenly came this year, when the Clog Dance suddenly went viral on TikTok and Instagram. Every day there are videos online of nurses, farmers, housewives, children, road workers, construction workers, veterinarians of all nationalities dancing to the intro of the Clog Dance by WC Experience. Or Rammpsteiner Kloempestoemper, as the song is officially called. Better-known influencers were also not left behind.
“I’ve always said this is an Oktoberfest song.”
René van Rooij, singer of the WC Experience, did not even notice that at first. “Only since last week. I was crazy because of the sudden success,” says René. The song’s breakthrough in Germany did not come as a complete surprise. “I’ve always said this is an Oktoberfest song and when I hear it there now, it drives me crazy.”
Various versions of Rammpsteiner Kloempestoemper were subsequently recorded. The Alpenzusjes and Johnny Verweij had done that before and Snollebollekes used it in his show, but they actually saw little of it. “But in Germany one version after another is released,” says René in the radio program Afslag Zuid on Omroep Brabant.
The first to be released was from the Chaos Team, under the title ‘Wenn der Pegel stimmt’. Only the singer of this party duo was found dead in his car a few days after the release, having died of cardiac arrest. Another German and also an English version from an Austrian group follow.
“They are dancing and waving idiotically.”
Despite all the videos on TikTok, the cash register did not ring for writer René. “But now that all kinds of new versions are being recorded, Patrick and I are participating for a third. I have no idea where this hype suddenly comes from, but I think it’s really cool.”
René doesn’t know the accompanying dance yet, but he thinks it’s funny. “They then dance idiotically and wave like a waddling duck behind someone, who then suddenly joins in.” Despite the great success now, he is not going to sit back. “No, I’m not going to be counting my money somewhere, because making music remains the most beautiful thing.”
Some TikTok versions of the song: