Potverdekke! (It's great to be a Belgian)

Potverdekke! (It's great to be a Belgian) is a 1998 novelty song, recorded by British singer John Makin, better known under his artist name, Mister John. It was his only hit song in his long career, making him a classic example of a one-hit wonder.


The word "Potverdekke" is a curse word, typically associated with the region around Brussels. The word is a minced oath; the intended meaning is "Goddamn!" (Dutch: godverdomme), but the roots for "God" and "damn" have been replaced by similar-sounding words.

History

The song is a joyful celebration of Belgium. It was created by Makin and some of his Belgian friends as a throwaway joke, but to their surprise became a huge hit in Belgium, spending more than 26 weeks in the national hitparade.[1] This was especially amazing, seeing that the hit charted while the Dutroux scandal was in full effect and many Belgians at the time weren't in the mood for national pride.[2] Mr. John was even invited to perform it during the National Holiday on July 21, 1998 before king Albert II of Belgium.[1]

The song also references the (then current) British mad cow disease in the line: "Now, the English egg and bacon is not so bad/ especially since all their cows went mad./ But if they never tasted mussels on the Grand Place down in Brussels/ it's no wonder they're feeling very sad." [3]

Belgian icons listed in the song

All throughout the song Mister John names several iconic Belgian people, fictional characters, inventions, locations and brands. Among these are:

See also

References
  1. "John Makin". Togethermag.eu. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  2. "John Makin". The Daily Telegraph. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. "Mr. John - Potverdekke, it's great to be a Belgian Songtekst". Muzikum.eu. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.