Zoals Vrienden Doen: Celebrating 40 Years of Bonnie & José's Signature Song

Exactly forty years ago, on June 21, 1985, "Zoals Vrienden Doen," a duet single by Bonnie St. Claire and José Hoebee, premiered on the legendary TROS TV show "Op Volle Toeren." This Dutch cover of ABBA's song "The Way Old Friends Do" later entered the Dutch Top 40 and charted on the Nationale Hitparade. It is considered the signature song of the Bonnie & José duo. Let's celebrate the 40th anniversary of this iconic record!

History

After Luv's first breakup in 1981, José Hoebee emerged as the former member of the girl group with the most successful solo career. She scored two major hits in the Netherlands and Belgium: the #1 song "I Will Follow Him" and "Secret Love" in 1982, along with several lesser-known singles such as "The Good Times" (1982), "I Can Hear Music" (1983), and "Time Goes By" (1984). She experienced a new phase in her career with the popular duet single "So Long, Marianne" alongside Ron Brandsteder in early 1984.

Bonnie St. Claire had been a household name in the Low Countries since the early 1970s. Some of her greatest hit singles include "I Won't Stand Between Them" (1970), "Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet" (with Unit Gloria, 1972), the chart-topper "Rocky" (with Don Mercedes, 1976), "Dokter Bernhard" (with Ron Brandsteder, 1976), "Pierrot" (1980), and "Sla Je Arm Om Me Heen" (1983).

Bonnie and José had known each other since 1978, as they were under the same management (Interlinde, owned by Pim ter Linde), and they quickly became friends.

In 1984, long before ABBA’s music experienced a major resurgence through releases such as Erasure’s ABBA-esque (1992), the ABBA Gold compilation (1992), the Mamma Mia! musical (1999) and its film adaptations (2008 and 2018), Madonna’s global hit Hung Up (2005), which sampled "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", Cher’s ABBA cover album Dancing Queen (2018), ABBA’s long-awaited final album Voyage (2021), and the groundbreaking virtual concert residency ABBA Voyage (2022–2026), Bonnie and José came together as a duo with the unique aim of recording Dutch-language versions of songs by the Swedish Fab Four. Their first collaboration, "Cassandra" (originally the B-side of ABBA's hit "The Day Before You Came" in late 1982), peaked at #24 on the Top 40 and #19 on the Nationale Hitparade.

July 17, 1984: Veronica magazine: Bonnie & José: duet queens

Photo edited by Marco Rens

Following the respectable success of "Cassandra," Bonnie and José chose to continue their professional relationship. In late 1984 and early 1985, they were involved in the ABBAcadra project. Moreover, the two frequently appeared together in the press, on television, and stage.

Limburgsch Dagblad - February 9th, 1985 - Bonnie & José about losing weight

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De Telegraaf - April 13th, 1985: Bonnie St. Claire, José Hoebee and Centerfold at a charity event for Africa

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The July 13th, 1985, edition of the Dutch most-read newspaper De Telegraaf featured an article about Bonnie St. Claire's legal negotiations with ABBA to release a duet album with José, including cover versions of songs originally performed by the legendary Swedish quartet.

De Telegraaf - July 13th, 1985

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In June 1985, RCA Records released "Zoals Vrienden Doen", a Dutch-language cover of ABBA’s The Way Old Friends Do, performed by Bonnie & José. The recording was produced by Will Hoebee, José’s husband and a highly sought-after producer at the time. The arrangement was crafted by renowned Eurovision Song Contest conductor Harry van Hoof, while the Dutch lyrics were written by Benny Neyman, one of the most prominent artists on Hoebee’s roster. The B-side of the single featured "Vandaag of Morgen," a Dutch adaptation of "The Sun Will Be There" by Full House.

The original version of "The Way Old Friends Do" was performed live by ABBA during their 1979 concert tour and later included as the closing track on their 1980 album, Super Trouper. Decades later, on June 6, 2016, the members of ABBA stunned the world with a rare joint appearance at a private celebration at Berns Salonger in Stockholm, marking the 50th anniversary of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’s first meeting. During this special event, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad performed 'The Way Old Friends Do' live before being joined on stage by Benny and Björn, reuniting ABBA in an unforgettable moment.

ABBA ~ The Way Old Friends Do | Live at Wembley | November 1979

The Way Old Friends Do - 2016

During the promotion of her record with Bonnie, José had to ease her schedule due to her pregnancy.

Just days before the release of "Zoals Vrienden Doen", a radiant José, over four months pregnant, appeared on the KRO game show "Ted Tijd", which aired on June 7, 1985.

On June 21, 1985, TROS/Nederland 2 aired an episode of "Op Volle Toeren", the popular music show hosted by Chiel Montagne and filmed at Bobbejaanland, a theme park in Lichtaart, Belgium. During this broadcast, Bonnie & José premiered their new duet.

Leeuwarder courant - June 21, 1985: Op Volle Toeren at Bobbejaanland, including "Zoals Vrienden Doen" by Bonnie & José

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Limburgsch dagblad - June 21, 1985: Op Volle Toeren including Bonnie & José

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The June 22, 1985, printed edition of the Dutch Top 40 featured an advertisement for "Zoals Vrienden Doen".

"Zoals Vrienden Doen" charted in the Netherlands. Bonnie & José sang it on several occasions on TV and stage. The song was included on the duet LP "Herinnering", which came out in late 1985. In November 2020, the album was reissued on CD and DVD, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign.

Bonnie & José's Herinnering (2020 edition), including "Zoals Vrienden Doen"

In 2006, as José visited Bonnie on Talpa's reality TV show "Hotel Big Brother", the two singers sang their iconic duet.

In 2013, when the ladies made a brief comeback, they performed their song on SBS6's program "Nederland Muziekland".

Commercial performance

Chart positions:

🇳🇱 #36 on the Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands)

First chart date: August 5th, 1985 - Weeks on chart: 4

The August 10, 1985, printed edition of the Dutch Top 40 featured Zoals Vrienden Doen's peak position at #36, along with an advertisement for this single.

🇳🇱 #18 on the Nationale Hitparade - Top 50 (Netherlands)

First chart date: July 6th, 1985 - Weeks on chart: 9

Tracklisting - Credits

Front cover

Zoals Vrienden Doen - released in June 1985 by RCA Records

• A side: Zoals Vrienden Doen (The Way Old Friends Do) - 3:16

Lyrics by B. Neyman - Music by B. Andersson/B. Ulvaeus

• B side: Vandaag Of Morgen (The Sun Will Be There Again) - 3:15

Written by A. Hol, B. Neyman, R. Brandsteder

Vocals: Bonnie St. Claire & José Hoebee

Recorded at Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, The Netherlands

Arranged by Harry van Hoof

Management: Double Entertainment

Producer: Will Hoebee

Technician: Pieter Boer

Styling: Tom Touch Hilversum

Photography: Govert de Roos

Back cover of Zoals Vrienden Doen

TV performances

• June 21, 1985: Op Volle Toeren (TROS, Netherlands)

• July 11th, 1985: Nederland Muziekland (Veronica, Netherlands)

• August 16th, 1985: Op Volle Toeren (TROS, Netherlands)

• May 27th, 1986: Bonnie en José in Zweden (TV special taped in Sweden) on NCRV, Netherlands

  
  

• March 27th, 2002: rerun of Zoals Vrienden Doen on Voor Alle Fans (TROS, Netherlands)

  
  

• February 6th, 2006: Hotel Big Brother (Talpa, Netherlands)

• December 8th, 2008: rerun of Zoals Vrienden Doen on Voor Alle Fans (TROS, Netherlands)

  
  

• October 12th, 2013: Nederland Muziekland (SBS6, Netherlands)

Zoals Vrienden Doen: Legacy & Cover Versions

Although it was initially an ABBA song and not a tremendous commercial success, "Zoals Vrienden Doen" became a classic of Dutch-speaking pop music. Several artists have covered it over the years.

In 1985, Dutch trumpeter Marty performed the song for his album entitled "Carpentras".

In 1986, Flemish chanteuse Dana Winner sang it live on stage.

In 2001, the Flemish singers Eric Flanders & Margriet Hermans recorded their version of the track. This duet was included on Eric's album entitled "Genoegens". It was reissued as a CD single in 2008.

In 2002, Corry Konings and Johan Heuser covered the song for their album titled "Eindeloos".

In 2007, Annie Schilder and Anja Steur's version of the song appeared on the album "Anny en Ik". Two years later, Anny and José formed a duo and recorded the Phil Spector classic "Be My Baby" (originally performed by The Ronettes in 1963).

In 2009, Dutch singer Janneke de Roo recorded her version of Bonnie & José's song, which was included on her album entitled "Hallo hallo de wereld is van jou". She performed the track with her sister Anita and the pirate choir De Stormvogels.

In 2015, José Hoebee's matinee with Dutch Show Company (fronted by Anton van Stekelenborg) took place at Musis Sacrum in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The songstress and the party band performed several tracks from her back catalogue; including 'Zoals Vrienden Doen".

In 2018, Dutch soprano singer Amira Willighagen (winner of Holland's Got Talent 2013) covered "Zoals Vrienden Doen" for her album "With All My Heart", released in South Africa.

In 2023, Roy van der Veen & Akkelien Edes covered Bonnie & José's classic hit.

Bibliography:

• Top 40 Hitdossier 1956-2005 (9e editie) by Johan van Slooten, publ: Gottmer Bech

Sources: Marco Rens, www.dutchcharts.nl, www.discogs.com, YouTube, Luv' weblog archives