Noordkaap's story starts at Humo's Rock Rally. After their victory, the debut album "Feest in de stad" (Party in the City) is warmly received. Powered by their frontman and rock-journalist Stijn Meuris, the band evolves fast from slightly bombastic rock to more passionate pop music. Also the gloomy lyrics of Meuris about the "unbearable lightness of being" change to more humorous and optimistic lyrics. The album "Gigant" gets glorious reviews all over the country.
Noordkaap's big mainstream breakthrough comes with a soundtrack for the film "Manneken Pis". The nostalgic and naïve atmosphere of the waltz "Ik hou van U" (I love thee) goes straight to the hearts of the public and the song becomes a big hit.
After the album "Programma 96", Meuris seems to be tired of writing and performing. The band takes a step down, but continues touring Belgium and Holland with an acoustic show in the theater halls. Amidst rumours of a split, they record another soundtrack in 96, for the film "Alles moet weg" (Everything Must Go).
In 1997, three of the original Noordkaap-members leave the band : only Stijn Meuris and Lars Van Bambost remain. In 1999, the group resurfaces with the single "Pretentious moi" , and a new cd that carried the name "Massis" (a reference to the deceased Belgian strongman) is released. With the contributions of no less than three new musicians the album shows a "renewed" Noordkaap. It earns them a long awaited place at the Torhout-Werchter festival.
In September 1999, however, Stijn Meuris reveals the news that Noordkaap will stop playing at the end of March (2000). The reason is that Lars Van Bambost, the guitarplayer and songwriter, has decided to leave the band (to join Novastar). But the Noordkaap-story is not finished yet: in October 1999 a compilation album is released and on top of that a brand new single ("Goed nieuws voor slechte mensen") sees light.
Noordkaap went touring again a few years later.
Desperado
Noordkaap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De jongen had alles al dubbel beleefd
Hij besloot de toekomst te erven
Hij besloot met een rotsnelheid
Hij beklom z'n snelle motor
Nog één keer kijken
Met de kop in de wind
Weg van alles dat fout is
Van alles dat oud is
Niet alles dat goud is
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou...
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou...
Hij is een desperado
Hij kent helemaal geen vrees
Desperado
Vrees is er nooit geweest
(waarom zou er vrees zijn?)
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou, echt waar...
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou, geloof me...
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou...
The lyrics to Noordkaap's song "Desperado" tell the story of a young man who has lived enough and seen it all. He decides to take charge of his future and speeds off on his motorcycle. He takes one last look behind him and then rushes away from everything that is wrong and old - not everything that is gold. The repeated chorus of "Desperado, Ik hou van jou" (Desperado, I love you) shows that he is at peace with his choices and has no fear. The song embraces the theme of freedom and the ability to take control of one's own life without fear or hesitation.
The use of the term "Desperado" is interesting because it traditionally refers to a criminal on the run, but in this song, it is used to describe someone who has broken free from the constraints of society and is free to live life on their own terms. The lyrics also contain contradictions such as "everything that is wrong and old - not everything that is gold," which reflects the idea that sometimes we have to leave behind what is familiar, even if it is valuable. The line "hij kent helemaal geen vrees" (he knows no fear) highlights the theme of fearlessness and taking risks.
Line by Line Meaning
De jongen had genoeg geleefd
The young man had lived enough
De jongen had alles al dubbel beleefd
The young man had experienced everything twice
Hij besloot de toekomst te erven
He decided to inherit the future
Hij besloot met een rotsnelheid
He decided at breakneck speed
Hij beklom z'n snelle motor
He climbed aboard his fast motorcycle
Nog één keer kijken
One last glance
Met de kop in de wind
With the head in the wind
Weg van de snelweg
Away from the highway
Weg van alles dat fout is
Away from everything that is wrong
Van alles dat oud is
From everything that is old
Niet alles dat goud is
Not everything that glitters
Desperado!
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou...
I love you...
Hij is een desperado
He is a desperado
Hij kent helemaal geen vrees
He knows no fear at all
Desperado
Desperado
Vrees is er nooit geweest
There has never been any fear
Desperado!
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou, echt waar...
I love you, truly...
Desperado!
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou, geloof me...
I love you, believe me...
Desperado!
Desperado!
Ik hou van jou...
I love you...
Contributed by Eli L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Record Size Studio Amsterdam
Great video!!!
DiverHoke
Dudes, studded tyres... ;-)
Marcus Kingma
No, we also never saw it before. You can check google for it. I ask a friend in Norway to send me some. May be it works also for bicycles.
icarusswings
@Marcus Kingma Hmm, doesn't sound familiar, at least here in my country I don't know if such products exist. Do you have any brand name? Thanks anyway! :)
Marcus Kingma
@icarusswings You spray something on your tires. It makes the rubber very week so you have more grip. It helps for some time. It doesn't help when it rain or is very wet. On dry snow it is perfect. Yoy can buy it at any gasstation.
icarusswings
@Sjaak Lucassen What do you mean by "snow grip out of a spray can"? :) Can't imagine anything...
Sjaak Lucassen
@speedphreax I used 1mm studs in the R1 tyres. Good on ice but worthless on snow. We used also 5 snow clambs on the rear. Those help to give you grip to go forward but don't help for sliding. Snow grip out of a spray can was the biggest help. It gives you a little grip. Not much, but more than nothing.
Alie Apenoot
brrrrrrrr