Barbapapa

Background

The inspiration for Barbapapa came by chance in the Luxembourg Garden in Paris one day in May 1970. While walking in the park with Annette Tison, Talus Taylor thought he heard a child ask his parents for something called "Baa baa baa baa". Not speaking French, he asked Tison what the words meant. She explained that the child was asking for a treat called Barbe à papa (cotton candy, literally 'daddy's beard'). Later at a restaurant, the couple began to draw on the tablecloth and came up with a character inspired by the candy: a pink and round character. When it came time to give it a name, Barbapapa came naturally.

Several European publishers expressed interest in Barbapapa but did not wish to pay the publishing cost. Frank Fehmers, a Dutch publisher, subsequently set up a co-production, and the first editions were published in 1970. The original editions were published in French by L'École des Loisirs, in Dutch by Frank Fehmers Productions, in British English by the Ernest Benn Company, and in American English by the Henry Z. Walck Co.

Characters

The main characters in the books are the Barbapapa family, who are most notable for their ability to shapeshift at will. In their native form, Barbapapas are blob-shaped, with a distinct head and arms, but no legs. Male Barbapapas have rounder bottoms, whereas female Barbapapas have a more slender form. Each Barbapapa can adopt any form they choose, but they remain easily identifiable by always retaining their faces and their distinctive colour.

Barbapapa himself is a generally papaya-shaped, pink shapeshifting blob-like creature who grows from the ground and tries to fit in the human world. The shapeshifting is usually accompanied by the saying "Clickety Click—Barba Trick", or in the 1970s British dub "All Change!"

After various adventures, Barbapapa comes across a female of his species (more shapely, and black-coloured), named Barbamama. They produce seven children: four sons – Barbabravo, a sports fan (red), Barbabright, a scientist (blue), Barbazoo, a nature enthusiast (yellow) and Barbabeau, a painter (black and furry) – as well as three daughters: Barbalala, a musician (green), Barbabelle, a narcissistic beauty queen (purple), and Barbalib, an intellectual (orange).

Adaptations

Television

A few years after the book's initial publication, and when more titles had been published, Fehmers expanded the project to television films in conjunction with Joop Visch of Polyscope-PolyGram and Japanese animation studio Topcraft Limited Company, with the storyboards designed by Taylor. After twelve years, Fehmers and Tison/Taylor discontinued their business relationship. The first animated series, simply titled Barbapapa, aired on French, British and Dutch TV in 1974, and premiered in Japan three years later, in 1977. One hundred five minute-long episodes, spanning two seasons, were produced and aired on television.

In 1999, another animated series called Barbapapa Around the World was produced and aired in Japan. Animated by Studio Pierrot and produced by Kodansha, the series depicted the family travelling to different countries around the world. The series aired over 50 episodes.

In 2019, a new animated series, called Barbapapa: One Big Happy Family!, was produced by Normaal Animation. It currently airs on TF1 in France and Yle TV2 in Finland. In other countries including Poland, the show is aired on Nick Jr. The show was written by Alice Taylor and Thomas Taylor. Alice is the daughter of Tison and Taylor. The English dub was produced by Jungle Studios in the United Kingdom and features a cast of up-and-coming child actors.

Episodes

Season 1

1. La naissance

2. Le feu (Episode)

3. La plage

4. En route (Episode)

5. La mer (Episode)

6. L'Indie

7. L'Amérique (Episode)

8. Barbamama

9. Le port

10. Le château

11. Problème de maison

12. Maison de Barbapapa

13. Le petit train

14. Le désert (Episode)

15. Les œufs

16. Les beaux-arts

17. Le sport

18. Baby-sitter (Episode)

19. Le microscope

20. Chef de gare

21. La poterie

22. La valise

23. L'Afrique

24. La torte des moutons

25. Le tissage

26. Le taureau

27. Le biberon

28. La métamorphose

29. La coiffure

30. Le ski

31. La forêt (Episode)

32. Le pique-nique

33. La régate

34. Les puces

35. Les vendanges

36. Les insectes

37. La machine (Episode)

38. Photos de mode

39. Le concert (Episode)

40. L'anniversaire

41. L'alpiniste

42. Pollution (Episode)

43. La chasse

44. Le sauvetage

45. Retour sur Terre

Season 2

Around The World

One Big Happy Family!

Music

The first Barbapapa theme's lyrics were written by Harrie Geelen, and the music composed by Joop Stokkermans.

The Japanese version of the series, as aired on TV Asahi, features an entirely different theme song from the original series, composed by Chuuji Kinoshita with lyrics by Zenzo Matsuyama. The Italian version's song was sung by singer-songwriter Roberto Vecchioni.

The Spanish kids' group Parchis made a song about the characters of the cartoon, named "Barbapapá".

An Israeli song named "Barba'aba" (ברבאבא) was written by Yoram Taharlev and performed by Tzipi Shavit in 1978. It talks about Barbapapa being shunned by everyone for looking weird until he met Barbamama. The song became a kids' classic.

Comic book

A comic book version was also created. Both cartoons and comics sometimes show concerns about the environment and contain environmental messages.

Legacy

The Barbapapa cartoon is popular in many countries worldwide and has been dubbed into a wide variety of languages, including five separate English dubs. In the United States, it was syndicated on various networks throughout the 1970s with a dub by Magno Sound and Video in New York. The original series continues to air to this day on television in France, Italy and El Salvador and Barbapapa merchandise is still produced in France and Japan.

Google created a doodle celebrating the 45th anniversary of the publishing of Barbapapa on May 19, 2015. It also served as a tribute to Talus Taylor.

The song 'Ce matin là' by the French electronic music duo Air (from their album Moon Safari) was inspired by the horn sounds on the Barbapapa show, per the band.

The 1994 song 'It's a Kid's World' by British post-rock/experimental rock trio Disco Inferno also samples the Barbapapa TV show theme.

The German comedians Bodo Wartke and Marti Fischer released a Tongue twister rap song called Barbaras Rhabarberbar in 2024 which immediately went viral. People from all around the world listened and created dance choreographies to it. The song mentions the so-called Rhabarberbar-Barbaren, which the title-giving Barbara finds almost as likable as Barbapapa, a nod to the old show that is still well known in Germany.

References

References

1. "Barbapapa books". The official Barbapapa web site.
2. [https://www.lefigaro.fr/bd/2015/03/01/03014-20150301ARTFIG00173-barbapapa-pleure-la-mort-de-l-un-de-ses-createurs.php Les Barbapapa pleurent la mort de l'un de leurs créateurs], Le Figaro, 2 March 2015.
3. de Voogt, Sam. (2 March 2015). "De geestelijk vader van Barbapapa is overleden, maar het liedje beklijft nog".
4. "Barbapapa family". The official Barbapapa web site.
5. (2005). "Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003". McFarland & Co.
6. (9 July 2018). "Le dessin animé franco-américain Les Barbapapa de retour aux Etats-Unis!".
7. "Barbapapa".
8. Foster, Elizabeth. (11 June 2018). "Barbapapa goes global with Nick Jr.".
9. "Barbapapa Rock".
10. "山野さと子/橋本潮/瀧本瞳/林アキラ/中尾隆聖/くまいもとこ バーバファミリーのうた 歌詞".
11. "Barbapapà".
12. (11 September 1975). "Roberto Vecchioni E Le Mele Verdi*, Roberto Vecchioni, Le Mele Verdi – Barbapapà".
13. "Barbapapa Rock by Parchis".
14. Crespo, Jota. (2007-01-27). "Parchis . Barbapapa.".
15. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqZMHUEE3uA ציפי שביט - ברבאבא]
16. [https://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=848&wrkid=4045 ברבאבא - שירונט]
17. (19 May 2015). "45th Anniversary of the creation of Barbapapa". Google.