Snollebollekes: The Authentic Supernova Stars
You familiar with the Snollebollekes? Pre-UEFA Euro Championship, most folks outside the Netherlands would've likely answered "no" to this question. But thanks to the wild "Oranje" party, at least the biggest tune from the party band has gained recognition beyond the Netherlands.
On a Saturday night, late in Dortmund's Kreuzviertel, a Greek fast food vendor, pleased with the day's business, particularly the ravenous Portuguese, is already pondering the upcoming Euro Championship days in his city. Who might arrive in Dortmund for the quarterfinals? The Dutch, maybe? They've certainly left an impression on him. They're a bunch of nuts, right? Yeah, they are. And are they hungry? Perhaps so. He's just a businessman, after all. And the matches, not just Borussia Dortmund's, can be profitable sources of income.
Now, the "Oranje-Express" won't bring the Dutch to Dortmund for the quarterfinals. Instead, they'll go up against Germany. Good, things could still change, but such thoughts are just for fun. If the Dutch win the group, they'll head back to Leipzig. Potential opponents in the quarterfinals could be the Turks, who were pissed off by the Portuguese on Saturday night. And in Leipzig, the balance of affection might be different than in Dortmund. In Dortmund, Turkey is almost like a second host country. That's why some Portuguese fans were also singing for an away win.
However, in Leipzig, the Dutch have won the hearts of the people. And not just within the city limits. Even before the first game, they were in massive crowds storming through the city. In a strangely zigzagging pattern. From left to right it went. It looks, forgive me, a bit chaotic, but also very funny. They're driven by a song from the party band Snollebollekes, featuring legendary text passages like these:
-Go crazy with the Snollebollekes!Oh, that will be chaos again!Bang, stamp, jump! The hut is playing crazy! Everything from left to right!
One can sense it, this song, which bears the clever title "Links rechts," won't become absolute high culture. But does it have to? No. The core idea of this song, as Rob Kemps revealed to "Spiegel," is not to deliver a profound message. "It's just music without pretense. Successful songs usually carry a message, whether it's about war or peace. For us, it's all about the fact that it's danceable." Mission accomplished! In Leipzig, the walls are shaking, Oranje is hopping!
In Germany, one should not be too critical of this song and the party. After all, there's a large fan base here that adores the catchy lyrics: the Mallorca and Apres-Ski scene. Even fans of Scooter wouldn't claim to be singing songs filled with wisdom. People here celebrate to songs that have created lines for eternity, such as these:
-I'm thinking about giving up drinking, oh hoBut I'm still wavering
Or this:
-Däpp Däpp Däpp Johnny Däpp Däpp Däpp
Johnny Johnny Däpp Däpp Däpp Johnny Däpp Däpp
Johnny Johnny Däpp Däpp Däpp Johnny Daëpp Daëpp
But, back to the topic, before it gets a little absurd. This Euro championship really writes many beautiful and great stories, from people who truly feel good and welcome here. Yes, there are also the images of the Hungarians, with their fascist mob. But there are also the Scots, who almost everyone falls in love with, for their passion and devotion. The French, who stroll along the Rhine in disguise. The Austrians, who can't believe how good their team is. And just the hopping Dutch.
But what motivates the Snollebollekes-Man really, how did he come up with the sensation idea, to send an entire nation from left to right - and back. "It's about expressing joy," says the man to "Spiegel." He lives in the Netherlands, and when he sees a Turkish wedding there, "I want to dance with the people on the street. I don't understand a word of what they sing. But this kind of joyful music brings people together." And in the Netherlands, people are especially fond of this. The people there are known for their good mood and singing joy. In the Alps, they enchant the huts with their charm. And at the lifts, guests from other nations are often caught up in the celebrations during longer waiting times.
The Dutch a party people? Kemps sees it this way: "People from the Netherlands are simply free. They have no shame to celebrate." So, left, right, and a lot of Doep! Not yet in Dortmund.
