Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Das Kleine Krokodil"
Single by Schnappi/Joy Gruttmann
from the album Schnappi und Seine Freunde
Language	German
English title	The Little Crocodile
B-side	"Schnappi" remixes
Released	6 December 2004 (2004-12-06)
Recorded	1999
Genre	Pop
Length	2:09
Label	Universal
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)

Das Kleine Krokodil (which means "The Little Crocodile" in English) is a super popular song. It's also known simply as "Schnappi". This song is the first single from an animated cartoon crocodile character named Schnappi. It's from his first album, Schnappi und Seine Freunde.

The voice of Schnappi is sung by a child named Joy Gruttmann. Her aunt, Iris Gruttmann, first wrote the song in 1999. The famous "Schni-Schna-Schnappi, Schnappi Schnappi schnapp" part was added later when the song was put online. Nobody expected it, but the song quickly became a huge hit on the internet! Because it was so popular, it was officially released as a single on December 6, 2004. This was also Joy's ninth birthday!

"Schnappi" became a big success in many European countries. It reached number one on the music charts in places like Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. It was even the sixth best-selling single in all of Europe in 2005! The song also made it into the top ten in Australia and New Zealand. In 2005, "Schnappi" won an ECHO Award for "Download of the Year." Many people have made their own versions of the song in different languages, and some of those also became hits!

How the Song Started

The singer for "Schnappi" is a German child named Joy Gruttmann. Her aunt, Iris Gruttmann, created the music in 1999. She also rewrote the words that her friend at work had given her. Joy was only four years old when she was asked to sing the song.

After it was recorded, the song was put on a collection of nursery rhymes in 2001. This collection was called Iris Lieder – Lied für mich. At this time, the famous "Schni-Schna-Schnappi" part was not in the song.

From Album to Internet Sensation

A few years later, in 2004, the song was put on another album. This album was for a popular German children's series called Die Sendung mit der Maus. On this album, the song was sung by an animated crocodile named "Schnappi." This crocodile had never been on the TV show before.

People started to notice the song more and more. Eventually, someone put the song on the internet without permission. This was done without Joy's family or the music company Universal Music Group knowing. This is when the "Schni-Schna-Schnappi" part was added in! Around this time, a radio station in Cologne, Germany, started playing the song. This was the first time it was heard on the radio.

Becoming a Real Single

Joy's family was on holiday when all this happened. When they came home in August 2004, the team from Die Sendung mit der Maus told them the news. They checked the internet and saw that everyone was talking about the song! They found many different versions of "Schnappi," from heavy metal to techno. They even saw a video of rock fans singing the song at a festival!

Soon, a person named Rolf Moser decided to help with the song. He helped make it official and promote it. The song was officially released as a single in Germany on December 6, 2004. This was Joy's ninth birthday! After this, Iris hired more people and started working on the Schnappi und Seine Freunde album.

How Well the Song Did

"Schnappi" became number one on Germany's music chart on January 3, 2005. It stayed at the top for 10 weeks! Even though Schnappi's next song, "Ein Lama in Yokohama", also did well, "Schnappi" is often seen as a "one-hit wonder." This means it's a song by an artist who is mostly known for just one very big hit.

In 2005, the song won an ECHO Award for "Download of the Year." After that, the song was released all over the world. It reached number one in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland in early 2005. It also reached number two in Denmark and number 10 in France.

Success in Australia and New Zealand

In April 2005, the song started to become popular in Australia and New Zealand. It first appeared on New Zealand's music chart at number 32 on April 25. The very next week, it jumped up to number three! It then reached number two for five weeks. It stayed in the top 10 until September 12.

On July 17, the song started on Australia's music chart at number 20. It reached its highest spot, number six, on August 21.

Other Versions of the Song

Because "Schnappi" was so popular, many people made their own versions!

• A Dutch version called "Snappie de kleine krokodil" was made by Snappie. It reached number two in the Netherlands and number five in Belgium (Flanders).
• A Belgian group called Dynamite made a techno version. It reached number three in Belgium (Flanders) even while the original song was still number one!
• In another part of Belgium, Charlotte sang a French version called "Schnappi, le petit crocodile." It reached number 23.
• Another French version called "Crocky le petit crocodile" was also released.
• There was a Lithuanian version called "Šnapis mažas klokodilas."
• And even a Japanese version called "Togetogeshi, chiisai wani" (刺々し、小さい鰐).

Song Versions and Tracks

Here are some of the different versions of the song that were released:

Who Made the Song

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

Where the Song Charted

This section shows how high "Schnappi" reached on music charts around the world.

Awards and Sales

The song "Schnappi" sold so well that it earned special awards called "certifications" in many countries.