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'Lucien Van Impe The Best': Musician Clark wrote famous song 1 week before Van Impe won the Tour of 1976

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Belgian musician Clark van Mere wrote and recorded a song about cyclist Lucien Van Impe winning the 1976 Tour de France a week before the victory was confirmed.
  • The song, titled 'Lucien Van Impe Den Besten,' was recorded quickly to meet the record label's deadline, using pre-existing music.
  • Approximately 5,000 copies of the single were produced and distributed locally, with the song receiving radio play.

Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1976, Belgian cyclist Lucien Van Impe became the last Belgian to win the Tour de France. Around the same time, local musician Clark van Mere captured the anticipated victory in song, completing the track just a week before Van Impe crossed the finish line.

The message was clear: by the next morning, I had to record a song about Lucien Van Impe's impending Tour de France victory.

— Clark van MereThe musician described the urgent request from his record label to create a song about the cyclist.

Clark, whose real name is Clark De Spiegeleer, recalled the whirlwind process of creating "Lucien Van Impe Den Besten." His record label called him on a Monday evening, demanding a song about Van Impe's imminent Tour de France win be recorded by the next morning. "That's how it went in those days," Clark explained. He had to write the lyrics, in local dialect, and record the song all within a tight timeframe.

"By 10 a.m. the next morning, I had to record the song, while I still had to write the text. And that had to be done in the local dialect. But I managed, because by 8 p.m. that evening the text was ready," he said. The record company was so confident in Van Impe's victory that they pushed for a Saturday release, utilizing music previously recorded for another song, 'De Middenstander.'

That's how it went in those days. The next morning at 10 a.m., I had to record the song, while I still had to write the text. And that had to be done in the local dialect. But I managed, because by 8 p.m. that evening the text was ready.

— Clark van MereClark detailed the rapid production process for the song.

About 5,000 copies of the 45-rpm single were pressed and circulated in Mere and surrounding areas. While sales weren't massive, the song gained recognition through radio airplay. Clark, now 80, still proudly performs the song, reflecting on the unique circumstances of its creation and its connection to a significant moment in Belgian cycling history.

The record company was so confident that he would win that they didn't want to wait. Everything had to be ready by Saturday. The music itself was fortunately already available: it had been recorded earlier for another song, 'De Middenstander.'

— Clark van MereHe explained the label's eagerness to release the song and the reuse of existing music.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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