There is now also a Liwwadder parody of ‘Europapa’ by Joost Klein. ‘Welcome to my town. Now give it some gas, dude. Europa-plein’

It is around half past one on Saturday afternoon when folk singer Ricky is clambering up the slope of the Leeuwarden Europaplein in a thick winter coat. “I’ve never been much of an acrobat,” he shouts with a cigar in the corner of his mouth to the curious group that precedes him.

A cameraman and director sprint in front of a car along the road from the busy traffic circle. To do this, none other than Aart Lus and Ed Lip, dressed in tracksuits, sunglasses and mullet wigs, climb into the fountain in the heart of the roundabout. A little later a beat blares from a box and the men start swinging along and singing: “Welcome to my town. Now give it some gas, dude. Europa Square, Europa Square.” Motorists honk at the wonderful company and real Liwwadders open the car window and shout: ‘Rickyyyyyy jonghuu…. ENJOYED!

In the middle of the Easter weekend, Europaplein is the scene of the recording of a video clip for the latest parody of Joost Klein’s Eurovision Song Contest song. The Europapa virus has also struck the Frisian capital. The idea came from Leeuwarder Zander Lamme. When he recently drove into Europaplein in a melancholy mood, he thought that the Eurovision Song Contest entry could be a perfect ode to his city.

Ricky drove at least 98 laps in a limo around Europlein

Lamme called his good friend Remco Efdé, who is a film director, and presented his plan. Within a few minutes they had everything figured out. Lamme: “Just before I hung up, Remco shouted: ‘Welcome to my town, just give it a little gas,’. That has become the refrain.” Ricky and Aart Lus and Ed Lip did the rest of the text. And Hugo Tekstra and Thomas Dijkstra – “I dreamed last night that Joost liked it” – threw themselves into the music. Everything was fixed in a few days.

And so it was that Ricky climbed the embankment on Saturday afternoon and that morning he made “at least 98 rounds” in an 058 limousine across the traffic circle. In the clip, the folk singer grumbles as he drives behind a slow, pale red Honda Jazz – it is Lamme’s own car – with Lus and Lip in the backseat. “Just slow down, Europa Square.”

Resurrection of legendary duo Aart Lus & Ed Lip

During the Easter weekend, the legendary Leeuwarden duo experienced a resurrection. After their hit ‘I am su eil’ with which they gained national fame in 2008, the camp act stopped in 2010. But now the men of ‘ Skeef inne Panty’ dancing in a tracksuit in the fountain on Europaplein. With cigarette butts and half liters of cheap beer, the two alcoholic anti-heroes sing about the beauty of the most beautiful approach road to their beloved town. “Vakaansie is beautiful, but at home it is best when I enter Liwwadden via Europaplein.”

Aart Lus, alias Jan Petersen and Ed Lip, in real life Cor Giesing, are always up for a bit of fun and were immediately attracted to Lamme’s plan. When they heard that Ricky – ‘a Liwadder legend’ – was also participating, saying no was no longer an option. Singer Anneke Douma, mother of the Liwwadder anthem ‘t Woanskip, also contributes to the parody.

Ricky sings: “Anneke has been looking at that fountain for years. She does not live on our woanskip, but on Europaplein.” And let’s not say a word of that is a lie. “She returns in the clip with images from her balcony,” says Lamme, pointing to one of the high-rise apartment buildings on the square. “That’s where she lives.”

Waving blue-yellow smoke flares

And so on this Saturday, Leeuwarden legends wave blue-yellow smoke torches in the middle of Europaplein. The popular folk singer replays the lyrics again and again and casts his typical stoic look into Janko Krist’s rotating camera. “We’re so beautiful, don’t you, I love you all,” he sings, folding his hands into a trendy heart shape. “That’s not good, that came to my mind at once,” he shouts, beaming at the director, who is delighted with the empathetic folk singer.

The Europaplein version has become a real Leeuwarden song, say Ricky, Aart Lus and Ed Lip, all three of whom had a share in the lyrics. “It’s full of typical Liwwadder expressions,” say the men who immediately give examples: “We’re going to beerskieten to fat Leen.” “Oh Nietan Jongu.” “I always keep the droppings at the skoane end.”

Why everything in pompous Dutch?

That city dialect was reason for Ricky (known for his hit Genot) to immediately join in with the idea. As a born and bred working-class boy from 058, he is concerned that the dialect is slowly dying out. “I grew up with it,” says the singer who sees himself as one of the standard bearers of the Leeuwadders. The Frisian language is monitored, he says. But the city frieze is always viewed as a joke. While it is a serious matter. “Why does everything always have to be in pompous Dutch? We must also uphold the Lion Adders.”

Director Efdé thanks the folk singer after he has climbed down the slope in one piece. He is very happy with the cool shots that have been made and has high expectations of the calling card that Leeuwarden has presented with the song. “Next year Ricky to the Eurovision Song Contest.”