# Paffendorf

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**Paffendorf** is a German [electronic dance music](/source/Electronic_dance_music) project. The group consists of [Ramon Zenker](/source/Ramon_Zenker), also [producer](/source/Record_producer) of [Fragma](/source/Fragma), Gottfried Engels and Nicolas Valli. The project is represented by the Cologne [DJ](/source/Disc_jockey) Christian Schmitz, active on Tiger Records. Paffendorf is best known for their 2000 [hit](/source/Hit_record), "Where Are You", although they have had various successful hits across [Europe](/source/Europe), their best known in the [UK](/source/UK) being "Be Cool," which peaked at number 7 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) in June 2002. Their song, "Under My Skin", had become an Internet meme, featuring Momo, a character from the anime series *[Sumomomo Momomo](/source/Sumomomo_Momomo)* repetitively imitating a train engine with her hands and jumping up and down. The song had been sped up to sound similar and rival to a more popular Internet meme, [Caramelldansen](/source/Caramelldansen).

## History

[Ramon Zenker](/source/Ramon_Zenker) was involved in a number of dance music projects in the late 80's, including [Interactive](/source/Interactive_(band)) ("Who Is Elvis"). Engel's and Zenker's Samba dance project [Bellini](/source/Bellini_(German_band)), centered around three female singers, began in 1997 with the release of "[Samba de Janeiro](/source/Samba_de_Janeiro)"[1] in various versions. It became an international hit (#2 in Germany) and was followed by an album and more singles.

The techno project Paffendorf debuted with "Smile" (#22 in Germany) in 1998. "Ruf Mich An" / "Call Me Now" and "Terminator" achieved [Top 50](/source/Top_40) status. In the year 2000 they continued in that vein and made their breakthrough: "Where are You" went into the German Top 15 with "Everybody Scream" also making the Top 50. Their hit album, *Dance City* was also placed firmly in the Top 50 of the album charts. The track "Rhythm And Sex" continued the run, whilst "Be Cool" went to #7 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) in June 2002. At the same time Zenker co-founded and produced the Fragma ("Toca's Miracle").

Their thirteenth single release, "Under My Skin", was successful in [Japan](/source/Japan), particular in the [video hosting service](/source/Video_hosting_service), [NicoNico Douga](/source/NicoNico_Douga). It was first shown in a fan-vid featuring the character Momo from [Sumomomo Momomo](/source/Sumomomo_Momomo), plus the Jens O Remix version of the song that was shortened and played twice. Westerners sometimes called this the "Paffendorf Dance". Another version of this video involved characters from [Lucky Star](/source/Lucky_Star_(manga)).

## Discography

### Albums

- 2000: *Dance City*
- 2001: *Be Cool*[2]
- 2007: *Planet Dance*

### Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album AUT [3] GER [4] NED [3] SUI [3] UK [5] 1998 "Smile" — 22 — — — Dance City "Ruf Mich An" — 49 — — — "Terminator 2 Theme: Main Title" — 49 — — — 1999 "Allnight" — — — — — "Where Are You" 21 11 18 52 — 2000 "Everybody Scream" — 43 56 — — 2001 "Rhythm & Sex" — 61 — — — Be Cool 2002 "Be Cool" 41 29 — — 7 "Crazy, Sexy, Marvelous" — 33 — — 52 Planet Dance 2004 "Welcome to Africa" — — — — — 2005 "On & On" — 80 — — — "Stop That Shit!" — — — — — "Under My Skin" — — — — — 2006 "Vogue" — — — — — "La La La Girl" — — — — — "Where Are You 2007" — — — — — 2007 "It's Not Over" — — — — — Singles only 2009 "Self Control" — 59 — — — "Bring It Back" — — — — — "Discover" — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart

### Videos

- 1998: *Smile*
- 1998: *Ruf Mich An*
- 1998: *Terminator 2 Theme: Main Title*
- 2000: *Where Are You*
- 2001: *Rhythm & Sex*
- 2002: *Be Cool*
- 2002: *Crazy, Sexy, Marvellous*
- 2005: *On & On*
- 2006: *La La La Girl*
- 2006: *Where Are You 2007*

## References

1. [Discogs](/source/Discogs), [Bellini](http://www.discogs.com/artist/Bellini)

1. ["Paffendorf - be Cool"](https://www.discogs.com/release/2936163-Paffendorf-Be-Cool). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*

1. [International peaks](http://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paffendorf)

1. ["German peaks"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305045033/http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Paffendorf/single?sort=entry). Archived from [the original](http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Paffendorf/single?sort=entry) on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2012-02-02.

1. Roberts, David (2006). *British Hit Singles & Albums*. 19th ed. London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

## External links

- [Official website - doesn't work!](https://web.archive.org/web/20021014095429/http://www.paffendorf.info/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paffendorf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paffendorf) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paffendorf?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.