MALLE BABBE

Created on 21/03/2001
Latest update on 06/01/2023

Artist: Adèle Bloemendaal
Author: Boudewijn de Groot/Lennaert Nijgh
Label: Philips
Year: 1970

On lp Holland Festival Music Hall and in the first person. As a single it was banned by both NCRV and KRO. Lennaert Nijgh was inspired by the eponymous painting by Frans Hals (1580-1666) from Haarlem, just like the lyricist. It represents a female inmate of the same madhouse where his own son Pieter was treated. Her real name was Barbara Claes and she's now part of the Berliner Gemäldegalerij collection. The portrait of a mad looking old tart with a moustache, a beer stein and an owl on her shoulder does not match with the subject of the song. It is more likely Hals's Zigeunermeisje (1629) was the real inspiration, turning her black hair blond to rhyme with rond.

Covers:

1973:

Rob de Nijs [on LP In De Uren Van De Middag; top 10 NL in '75 with slightly cleaned-up lyrics]

1976:

Rex Gildo [as Marie Babbekorn]

1982:

Boudewijn de Groot [author, live]

1985:

André van Duin

1994:

Rowwen Hèze

1995:

Danny Lukassen [as Ajax Is Kampioen and one year later as Holland Is Kampioen]

1995:

Kiss The Kangaroo

1996:

Paul de Leeuw

1997:

Minder Haar Dan Hersens [as Malle Gabber]

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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