Singer/ guitarist Boyer and bassist Resende formed the pop combo as students at the University of Rouen, sharing an affinity for indie music, new wave and sixties pop. Taking their name from a souvenir t-shirt given to Boyer's father in 1980, the duo recruited guitarist Mederic Gontier, and with the addition of drummer Sylvain Marchand a year later, the lineup was complete. The foursome released a self-produced and self-financed EP, "20 Minutes" (Bobby Records 1996) which resulted in them signing a deal with French label Atmospheriques.
In 1998, the band flew to NYC to record their first album “Puzzle” with Andy Chase. Featuring contributions from Eric Matthews and Adam Schlesinger, "Puzzle" was mixed in Sweden with Tore Johansson. The record, released between the end of 1999 & early 2000 received much praise from the press (band of the week in Melody Maker in Spring 1999), and saw the band touring the world to promote it. “Puzzle” eventually went gold in Japan. Of all the singles taken from the album, "Heartbeat" was the most successful. Tahiti 80's US label, Minty Fresh, released a mini LP called "Extra Pieces", which included B-sides, remixes & other rarities.
In 2001, the band re-united with Andy Chase to record a more experimental follow up album: “Wallpaper For The Soul”. The sessions took place in Rouen, NYC, Etretat, London & Portland (Oregon). Collaborators on this effort include mixer Tony Lash and Let It Be arranger Richard Hewson. “Wallpaper For The Soul” was released in 2002, garnered good reviews (it was selected as one of Uncut’s top 10 albums of the year) and was followed by another mini album "A piece of Sunshine" made up of out-takes from the prolific album sessions.
Following that, Xavier Boyer selected songs for a compilation called "A Piece of Gold” on behalf of the band. Featuring various artists such as Todd Rundgren, The Small Faces, Donald Byrd....) it was only released in Japan for copywrite reasons.
For their third album, from 2003 – 2004, Tahiti 80 spent several months at their own recording studio, the Tahitilab. The way of working was different this time: as opposed to "Puzzle" & "WFTS", the songs were mostly improvised and written in the studio. The soul journey which began on songs like "Heartbeat" and "1,000 Times" matured on "Fosbury". They collaborated with Neal Pogue (co-production & mix) and Serban Ghenea (mix), respectively Outkast’s and NERD’s sound engineers, with British singer Linda Lewis duetting on "Your Love Shines". And "Better Days Will Come" was featured in the first episode of the fourth season of Smallville (an American television series) in September, 2004.
Between tours, Boyer & Resende produced a couple of albums by friends (Fugu, Calc) whilst Xavier Boyer - under the anagram pseudonym Axe Riverboy - recorded the somewhat folk-influenced solo album "Tutu To Tango".
In 2007, the band transferred to Universal's Barclay label and in 2008, they went back to the Tahitilab to record "Activity Center". It was described by the critics as a back to basics album, with a rawer sound and a rock production style. Sylvain Marchand wasn't involved as a drummer as ear problems which had plagued him for years, prevented him from recording his drum parts. Drums were subsequently played by Julien Barbagallo with percussion by Raphael Leger (respectively Tahiti 80's live keyboardist/percussionist and drummer). To promote the album, the band explored new territories (Taiwan, South America) and they even licensed the album for release in the US on their own imprint "Human Sounds" (a reference to "Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys).
In 2010, Tahiti 80 will record their 5th album for release on their own label.
King Kong
Tahiti 80 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what can I do with it
Tell me what can I do with it
Tell me what can I do with it
It started when I was young
Tell me what can I do with it
Then stopped for a while
Baby, baby it's not a crime
Baby, baby it's not a crime
Baby, baby it's not a crime
Baby, baby it's not a crime
It's always a different story, you know?
So weird, so weird
This place doesn't look
Like anything else
You hold me for a little [unverified]
If you stay in the middle
Learn the lesson of time
For once in your life
You should say the things you like
Learn the lesson of time
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
Welcome to paradise
The lesson of time
The lesson of time
The lesson of life
The song "King Kong" by Tahiti 80 might seem like a random assortment of phrases and lines at first, but upon closer examination, it reveals a deeper theme about the struggles of growing up and finding oneself. The repeated questioning of "Tell me what can I do with it" could represent the feeling of being lost and unsure of how to proceed with life. The reference to starting something young and then stopping implies a lack of direction or motivation. However, the repetition of "Baby, baby it's not a crime" suggests that it's okay to feel this way and that there's no need to feel guilty or ashamed for not having everything figured out.
The later verses of the song introduce the idea of a "lesson of time," which could be interpreted as the realization that everyone has their own path and that it's important to take the time to figure out what that is. The line "You hold me for a little" introduces a sense of comfort or guidance, perhaps representing the support of friends or loved ones. The repeated refrain of "Welcome to paradise" could represent the eventual reward of finding one's place in the world after the struggles of searching and self-discovery.
Overall, "King Kong" by Tahiti 80 is a song that speaks to the universal experience of figuring out who you are and where you fit in the world. It acknowledges the confusion and uncertainty that comes with this process while also offering hope and encouragement to keep going.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what can I do with it
Asking for guidance on what to do with something
It started when I was young
This thing began at a young age
Then stopped for a while
It paused for a period of time
Baby, baby it's not a crime
Reassuring that something is not wrong or bad
It's always a different story, you know?
Things are constantly changing and unpredictable
So weird, so weird
Strange and unusual
This place doesn't look
The environment doesn't appear
Like anything else
Similar to other things in the same category
You hold me for a little [unverified]
Spending time together in close proximity
If you stay in the middle
Staying neutral or balanced
Learn the lesson of time
Understand the passage of time and its effects
For once in your life
At least try something once in life
You should say the things you like
Speak up about what makes you happy
Welcome to paradise
Welcoming to a place of happiness and contentment
The lesson of life
Understanding the greater meaning and purpose of living
Contributed by Charlie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.