Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil

"Das kleine Krokodil" (English: "The Little Crocodile"), also known under the title "Schnappi", is the debut single of animated cartoon crocodile Schnappi from his first album, Schnappi und Seine Freunde. The voice of Schnappi is provided by Joy Gruttmann, a child singer. Joy's aunt, Iris Gruttmann, originally wrote the song in 1999 without the "Schni-Schna-Schnappi, Schnappi Schnappi schnapp" refrain, but when the song was uploaded to the internet, this hook was added in without the Gruttmanns' or Universal Music Group's knowledge. The song quickly became a viral hit, and it was released as a single on 6 December 2004—Joy's ninth birthday.

"Das kleine Krokodil"
Single by Schnappi/Joy Gruttmann
from the album Schnappi und Seine Freunde
LanguageGerman
English title"The Little Crocodile"
Written1999
Released6 December 2004 (2004-12-06)
GenreChildren's music[1]
Length2:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Rosita Blissenbach
  • Iris Gruttmann
  • Jochen Wagner
Producer(s)Iris Gruttmann
Schnappi/Joy Gruttmann singles chronology
"Das kleine Krokodil"
(2004)		 "Ein Lama in Yokohama"
(2005)
Audio video
"Das kleine Krokodil" on YouTube

"Schnappi" subsequently became a success in several continental European countries, topping the singles charts of Austria, Flanders, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland; it ended 2005 as Europe's sixth-best-selling single. It also became a top-10 hit in Australia and New Zealand. In 2005, the song won an ECHO Award for Download of the Year. The song has spawned a number of cover versions in different languages that also became chart hits.

Background

German child singer Joy Gruttmann provides the vocals on "Schnappi". Her aunt, Iris Gruttmann, composed the music in 1999 and rewrote the lyrics that her coworker provided. Joy, four years old at the time, was asked to sing the track. After it was recorded, it was included on a 2001 nursery rhyme sampler titled Iris Lieder – Lied für mich, without the signature "Schni-Schna-Schnappi, Schnappi Schnappi schnapp" hook.[1] Several years later, in 2004, the song was featured on a compilation album for popular German children's series Die Sendung mit der Maus, sung by an animated crocodile called "Schnappi", who had never been featured on the programme before. Attention toward the song grew, and it was eventually illegally uploaded to the internet, unknown to the Gruttmanns or Universal Music Group at the time, with the aforementioned hook added in.[1] Around this time, the song received its first airplay exposure when a radio station in Cologne, Germany, added the track to its playlists.[2]

The Gruttmanns were on a family holiday during these events, and after returning home in August 2004, the editorial team for Die Sendung mit der Maus told them of the news. Upon checking the internet, they noticed the song being discussed on many message boards, discovered various remixes of "Schnappi" ranging from heavy metal to techno, and saw a video for Wacken Open Air in which rock fans were singing the track. Soon, the managing director of Bavaria Media, Rolf Moser, decided to handle the recording's licensing and promotional agreements, and it was officially released as a single in Germany on Joy's ninth birthday, 6 December 2004.[2][3] At this point, Iris hired more employees and began to work on the Schnappi und Seine Freunde album.[1]

Commercial performance

"Schnappi" reached number one on Germany's GfK Entertainment Chart on 3 January 2005, staying at the top for 10 weeks;[3] this gave Joy Gruttmann the distinction of being the youngest musical artist to top the German Single Chart.[2] In 2005, the single was awarded an ECHO Award for Download of the Year.[4] The song was then released worldwide and peaked at number one in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland in early 2005.[5] It additionally reached number two in Denmark and number 10 in France.[5]

In April 2005, the song began to experience success in Australasia. It made its first chart appearance on New Zealand's RIANZ Singles Chart at number 32 on 25 April.[6] The next week, it jumped to number three before reaching number two for the first time on its third week in. Between 9 May and 18 July, the single fluctuated around the top 10, eventually spending five non-consecutive weeks at number two. It remained in the top 10 until 12 September.[6] On 17 July, the song debuted at number 20 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart, reaching a peak of number six on 21 August.[7]

Cover versions

The song was re-recorded in Dutch by Snappie under the title "Snappie de kleine krokodil", which peaked at number two in the Netherlands and number five in the Flanders region of Belgium.[8] Belgian techno group Dynamite released a cover version that charted at number three in Flanders while the original version was still topping the chart.[9] In Walloon Belgium, the song was covered in French by Charlotte under the title "Schnappi, le petit crocodile", and peaked at number 23.[10]

Track listings

Personnel
  • Arranged by Iris Gruttmann, Jochen Wagner
  • Composed by Iris Gruttmann
  • Lyrics by Iris Gruttmann, Rosita Blissenbach
  • Producer by Daniel Scholz, Robert Wässer, Kay Wittgenstein
  • Vocals by Joy Gruttmann

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[45] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[46] 2× Platinum 60,000*
France (SNEP)[47] Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[48] 2× Platinum 600,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[49] Platinum 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[50] Gold 10,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[51] Platinum 40,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 6 December 2004
[3]
Australia 4 July 2005 CD [52]

References
  1. Soethof, Fabian (6 December 2019). "Was wurde eigentlich aus... Schnappi, dem kleinen Krokodil?" [What became of ... Schnappi, the little crocodile?]. Musikexpress (in German). Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  2. "The ARIA Report – Chartifacts!" (PDF). ARIA. 11 July 2005. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  4. Lippitz, Ulf (3 April 2005). "Glamour inmitten der Schmuddel-Idylle". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  5. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  6. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  7. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  8. "Snappie de kleine krokodil", Dutch and Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved 26 February 2008)
  9. "Vlaanderen – De enige echte officiële hitparade". Ultratop. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  10. "Schnappi, le petit crocodile", Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved 10 September 2008)
  11. Das kleine Krokodil (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Schnappi. Polydor Records, Universal Records. 2004. 06024 9869553.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Das kleine Krokodil (German 3-inch CD single liner notes). Schnappi. Polydor Records, Universal Records. 2004. 000750 2103629.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Das kleine Krokodil (European CD single liner notes). Schnappi. Polydor Records, Universal Records. 2004. 06024 9870423 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Das kleine Krokodil (European DVD single liner notes). Schnappi. Universal Records. 2005. 987 374-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Das kleine Krokodil (Australian CD single liner notes). Schnappi. Polydor Records, Universal Records. 2005. 9870332.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. "Issue 802" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  17. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  18. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  19. Schnappi — Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil. TopHit. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  20. "Schnappi – Das Kleine Krokodil (Kroko Italo Mix)". Tracklisten. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  21. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 7. 12 February 2005. p. 49. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  22. "Schnappi: Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  23. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Schnappi". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  26. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  27. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil". VG-lista. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  29. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  30. "Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  32. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005". ARIA. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  33. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Dance Singles 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  34. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2005" (in German). Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  35. "Jaaroverzichten 2005" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  36. "2005 Year in Review – The Top Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 52. 24 December 2005. p. 42. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  37. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 2005" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  38. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2005" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  39. "Single top 100 over 2005" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2005" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  41. "End of Year Charts 2005". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  42. "Årslista Singlar, 2005" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  43. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005" (in German). Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  44. "Gratis: 'Hits des neuen Jahrtausend'-Liste" [Free: 'Hits of the New Millennium' List] (in German). RTL. 2010. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  45. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  46. "Austrian single certifications – Schnappi – Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  47. "French single certifications – Schnappi – Das klein Krokodil" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  48. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Schnappi; 'Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  49. "New Zealand single certifications – Schnappi – Das kleine Krokodil". Recorded Music NZ.
  50. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2005" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  51. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Schnappi; 'Schnappi das kleine Krokodil')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  52. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 4th July 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 4 July 2005. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2005. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
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