Hi I had no luck with Google translate can someone translate what Kiele kiele koeweit means? What do the lyrics say? Seems funny cause I’m from Koeweit 🇰🇼

5 comments

1. When this aired it actually led to a minor diplomatic incident, with the Dutch ambassador having to explain the situation. This was around the time of the oil crisis in the 1970s, so Kuwait was in the news in the Netherlands at the time.

   It doesn’t really mean anything, “kiele kiele” references tickling, but that doesn’t make sense in the context. It’s just a nice alliteration.

2. Kielekiele can be said when you’re not sure if a successful outcome but still made it. A bit like we barely/just made it ≈ dat was kielekiele.

3. Hi there, this is going to take some explaining.

   Kiele kiele are nonsense words, they are the sound we make when we tickle someone else.

   The song Kiele Kiele Koeweit was made after the oil crisis of 1973. In the Netherlands we have the folk-festival of Carnaval (carnival), in which we mock or comment on important people and events. So the Oil Crisis was commented on in the Carnaval of 1974. This usually takes the form of songs. So this song is meant to mock the people who caused the oil crisis, OPEC in Dutch eyes at the time. Why Kuwait was singled out and not any of the other OPEC countries, I have no idea. The humor is not very high brow. Meant to sing along with a large crowd.

   ​

   The complete lyrics (with my **translation** as far as possible)

   Koeweit, Koeweit, Koeweit **kuwait kuwait kuwait**

   Kiele kiele Koeweit **tickle tickle kuwait**

   Kiele kiele hopsasa **tickle tickle hopsasa (another nonsense word, hopla)**

   Koeweit, Koeweit, Koeweit

   (repeat)

   Op ‘t carnaval geen centje pijn **at the carnival there is no cent of pain (you feel no pain)**

   Kun je nog volop in de olie zijn **you can still be fully in the oil (to be in the oil is slang for being extremely drunk, and it refers to the oil shortage at the time)**

   Word je voor de lol geflesd **you are be bottled (drink alcohol) for fun (also slang for being taken financial advantage of)**

   Het Arabier is er weer best **the Arab(eer) is the best again (very bad punning, the beer is good)**

   Plak je zorgen naast je neer **put your cares away**

   Dat beziene, ziene we, ziene we, ziene we **we will see see see (beziene is a very old form of zien, to see, to regard, but sounds the same as benzine, meaning gasoline).**

   Morgen dan wel weer, hey **tomorrow (about our cares), hey**

   **repeat kuwait refrain twice**

   Op ‘t carnaval wel wis en drie **at the carneval for sure**

   Barst een mens van energie **a man can burst with energy (be full of energy)**

   Hoe zo’n Sjeik ook zeikt (pardon) **no matter how much a sheikh whines (pardon) (zeikt means to piss, but in this instance it means whining)**

   ‘t Pils komt toch nooit op de bon **The beer will never be rationed**

   Al stijgen prijzen al maar meer **Even if the prices rise again**

   Dat beziene, ziene we, ziene we, ziene we **we wil see see see**

   Morgen dan wel weer, hey **tomorrow (about the prices), hey!**

   **repeat the refrain until you get bored with it.**Bron: [https://muzikum.eu/nl/farce-majeure/kiele-kiele-koeweit-songtekst](https://muzikum.eu/nl/farce-majeure/kiele-kiele-koeweit-songtekst)

   [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiele_kiele_Koeweit](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiele_kiele_Koeweit)

   ​

   the preformance of the song in front of the Kuwait Consul caused a minor diplomatic incident at the time.

4. It depends on regional dialects.. in Brabant if we say something is “kiele kiele” it usually means “so so” or “by the width of a hair”

   “is it going to fit ?”

   “well it’s gonna be kiele kiele, but it should yeah”

5. Just like “Vader Abraham En Boer Koekoek Den Uyl Is In Den Olie” some riming to write a carnaval song aimed at the beck then oil crisis as a subject.