View source for Schnappi

{{short description|German children's cartoon character}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Schnappi das kleine Krokodil
| series = [[Die Sendung mit der Maus]]
| image = Schnappi.png
| creator = Tobias Gärd
| portrayer = [[Joy Gruttmann]]
| nickname = TorMor Baby
| species = [[Nile crocodile]]
| gender = Male
}}
'''Schnappi das kleine Krokodil''' (''Snappy the Little Crocodile'') is a cartoon character originating from the German children's show ''[[Die Sendung mit der Maus]]'' (''The Show with the Mouse''). The cartoon's introductory song, "[[Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil]]," became an Internet hit before it reached #1 on the [[GfK Entertainment Charts|German Singles chart]] in January 2005 and other [[Europe]]an countries as well, topping the singles charts in [[Austria]], [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]] and [[Switzerland]].<ref name="Europe">{{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/1913/Schnappi-Schnappi,-das-kleine-Krokodil|title=Schnappi - Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil|website=[[Ultratop]] |accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref>
==Background==
Schnappi was a one-time character in a popular animated German children's TV show called ''[[Die Sendung mit der Maus]]'' (The Show With the Mouse). In the episode in which Schnappi appears, Schnappi is seen singing a song about life in [[Egypt]] using simple language in [[German language|German]].
Joy Gruttmann (who sings the song) is the niece of composer Iris Gruttmann, and has since 1999 sung children's songs for ARD's children's broadcast Die Sendung mit der Maus. In February 2001, when she was five years old, she sang her fifth song, Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil, which in 2004 and 2005 ended up at the top of the charts in a number of countries, after first becoming popular through the internet.
==Commercial success==
In 2004 Schnappi became popular on the Internet. Radio station [[RauteMusik.FM|RauteMusik]] began playing Schnappi, which led to a single release of "[[Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil]]" in December 2004. The single reached number one on Germany's [[GfK Entertainment Charts|GfK Entertainment Chart]] on January 3, 2005, staying at the top for 10 weeks.<ref>{{cite web|title=German single charts|url=http://www.officialcharts.de/song.asp?artist=Schnappi&title=Schnappi%2C+das+kleine+Krokodil&cat=s&country=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075847/http://www.officialcharts.de/song.asp?artist=Schnappi&title=Schnappi%2C+das+kleine+Krokodil&cat=s&country=de|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014|accessdate=23 May 2013}}</ref> The song was then released worldwide and peaked at number one in [[Austria]], [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]] and [[Switzerland]] in early 2005.<ref name="Europe"/> It was translated into a French version titled "Crocky le petit crocodile", a [[Lithuania]]n version called "Šnapis mažas klokodilas", and a Japanese version entitled "Togetogeshi, chiisai wani" (刺々し、小さい鰐). Belgian techno group Dynamite released a cover version that charted at number three in Belgium while the original version was still topping the chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/ultratop50/2005/20050319|title=Vlaanderen - De enige echte officiële hitparade|website=[[Ultratop]] |accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref>
In April, the song began to experience success in [[Australasia]]. It made its first chart appearance on [[New Zealand]]'s [[Recorded Music NZ]] (then RIANZ) chart at number 32 on April 25.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/weekchart.asp?year=2005&date=20050425&cat=s|title=25/04/2005|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref> The next week, it jumped to number three before reaching number two for the first time on its third week in. Between May 9 and July 18, the single fluctuated around the top 10, eventually spending five non-consecutive weeks at number two, denied the top position by [[Savage (rapper)|Savage]]'s "[[Moonshine (Savage song)|Moonshine]]", [[The Black Eyed Peas]]' "[[Don't Phunk with My Heart]]", and [[Crazy Frog]]'s version of "[[Axel F]]". It remained in the top 10 until September 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi&titel=Schnappi%2C+das+kleine+Krokodil&cat=s|title=SCHNAPPI - SCHNAPPI, DAS KLEINE KROKODIL (SONG)|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref> On July 17, the song debuted at number 20 on [[Australia]]'s [[ARIA|ARIA Singles Chart]], reaching a peak of number six on August 21.<ref name="Australia">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi&titel=Schnappi%2C+das+kleine+Krokodil&cat=s|title=SCHNAPPI - SCHNAPPI, DAS KLEINE KROKODIL (SONG)|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref>
A studio album, ''[[Schnappi und Seine Freunde]]'' was released through [[Polydor Records]] in February 2005. It peaked at number five in [[Finland]], number two in Germany, and number one in Austria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi&titel=Schnappi+und+seine+Freunde&cat=a|title=Schnappi - Schnappi und seine Freunde|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref> A second single, "[[Ein Lama in Yokohama]]" (credited as "Schnappi und das Lama"), was released in April 2005 and became another top ten single in Austria, Germany and Norway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi+und+das+Lama&titel=Ein+Lama+in+Yokohama&cat=s|title=Schnappi und das Lama - Ein Lama in Yokohama|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref> It narrowly missed the top 10 in New Zealand, reaching number 11, and peaked at number 26 in Australia.<ref name="Australia"/> It became Schnappi's last hit in both countries. In November 2005, "[[Jing! Jingeling! Der Weihnachtsschnappi!]]" was released and peaked at number three in Norway,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi&titel=Jing%21+Jingeling%21+Der+Weihnachtsschnappi%21&cat=s|title=SCHNAPPI - JING! JINGELING! DER WEIHNACHTSSCHNAPPI! (SONG)|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref> but did not reach the top 10 anywhere else. This would become Schnappi's last hit in Europe. The second and final studio album, ''[[Schnappi's Winterfest]]'', was released in December 2005, only charting in Austria and Germany at numbers 43 and 25, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Schnappi&titel=Schnappi%27s+Winterfest&cat=a|title=SCHNAPPI - SCHNAPPI'S WINTERFEST (ALBUM)|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref>
In 2005, ''[[Schnappi das kleine Krokodil – 3 Fun-Games]]'', a [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] game based on Schnappi was released in Germany.
In 2023, Schnappi found surprising popularity in Perth, Western Australia. The sleepy isolated city became obsessed with the song "Kanguru", from Schnappi's 2005 album Liederalbum.
==Discography==
===Albums===
* ''[[Schnappi und Seine Freunde]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Schnappi's Winterfest]]'' (2005)
===Singles===
* "[[Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil]]" (2004)
* "[[Ein Lama in Yokohama]]" (2005)
* "[[Jing! Jingeling! Der Weihnachtsschnappi!]]" (2005)
==See also==
*[[Internet phenomenon]]
*[[Mickael Turtle]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=2127670|name=Schnappi}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izibSMAQhEY Schnappi video]
*[http://www.schnappi.tv/ Official website] (in German)
*[http://www.mp3lyrics.org/s/schnappi/das-kleine-krokodil/ lyrics (in german)]
*[http://artists.letssingit.com/schnappi-das-kleine-krokodil-english-pxjk5r7 lyrics (english translation)]
{{More footnotes|date=February 2008}}
{{Schnappi}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Fictional crocodilians]]
[[Category:Fictional Egyptian people]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic crocodilians]]
[[Category:Animated characters introduced in 2001]]