Hazard was born in Compiègne, France, and grew up in Sèvres. During the 1980s, he became the singer of the band GPS, an acronym of Garage Psychiatric Suburban (the group's guitarist, Tom "Backerfix" Darnal, became Mano Negra's keyboardist). Hazard released his first solo single "Poupée psychédélique" in 1988 but it passed unnoticed. Two years after, he released "Le Jerk" which became a huge hit in summer 1990 (#2 in France). His first solo album Pop music was released in 1990 and had a great success thanks to the two titles mentioned above ("Poupée psychédélique" was re-released at the end of 1990, reaching #2 in France), but also with other songs which were much aired on radio such as "Les Brouillards de Londres", "Un Jour c'est oui, un Jour c'est non" and "Les Temps sont durs". A cover of Michel Polnareff's song, "Tout, Tout, pour ma chérie", is also included on this album. In 1994, Hazard launched his second album entitled Où sont passés les Beatniks? with the singles "Julie est trop prude" and "Où sont passés les Beatniks?" but they didn't meet with success.
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Thierry Hazard Lyrics
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Elle m'a dit: "Prends ta guitare
Et mets des fleurs dans tes cheveux
Regarde une dernière fois les usines
Les HLM et dis-leur adieu"
Elle m'a donné rendez-vous
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Elle m'a dit: "Tous les matins
Nous chant'rons en cueillant des fleurs
Au milieu des lamas tibétains
Nous nous aim'rons pendant des heures
Assis sur les eucalyptus
En position du Lotus"
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Elle m'a dit: "Le soir autour du feu
Tu verras comme les nuits sont douces
Tous les deux, la main dans la main
Nous écout'rons l'herbe qui pousse
Là-bas, tu verras, m'a-t-elle dit
Tous les hippies sont happy"
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Elle m'a dit: "Nous irons dans les champs
Pour écouter chanter les oiseaux
Nous aurons des tas d'enfants
Et nous les appell'rons tous Mao
Elle m'a dit, rejoins-moi au paradis
Rendez-vous à Katmandou"
Rendez-vous chez les gourous
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Rendez-vous chez les hindous
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Rendez-vous à Katmandou.
The song "Rendez-vous à Katmandou" by Thierry Hazard depicts a couple's yearning for escape from their mundane lives. The woman in the song wants the man to leave behind the city with its factories and HLM (low-income housing projects) and instead follow her to the distant land of Katmandu where they can be free and in love. She advises him to bring his guitar and put flowers in his hair, and together they will sing amidst the Tibetan llamas and sit in the lotus position on eucalyptus trees. The woman describes the peaceful nights they will spend together sitting by the fire and listening to the grass grow. She tells him that all the hippies are happy in Katmandu and that they will have children and name them all Mao.
The song portrays the idea of a utopian escape from urbanization and conformity. The couple craves a simple life surrounded by nature and freedom, unbound by societal rules and expectations. They dream of a place where they can love freely and express themselves through music and meditation. Katmandu represents a destination of hope and liberation, where they can start anew and live without fear or apprehension. The song's lyrics emphasize the importance of seizing the moment and following one's heart, despite the challenges and risks that may come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Elle m'a dit: "Prends ta guitare
She told me, "Grab your guitar
Et mets des fleurs dans tes cheveux
And put some flowers in your hair
Regarde une dernière fois les usines
Take one last look at the factories
Les HLM et dis-leur adieu"
And say goodbye to the high-rise buildings"
Elle m'a donné rendez-vous
She gave me a date
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Meeting in Kathmandu
Elle m'a dit: "Tous les matins
She told me, "Every morning
Nous chant'rons en cueillant des fleurs
We'll sing while picking flowers
Au milieu des lamas tibétains
In the midst of Tibetan llamas
Nous nous aim'rons pendant des heures
We'll love each other for hours
Assis sur les eucalyptus
Sitting on eucalyptus
En position du Lotus"
In the lotus position"
Elle m'a dit: "Le soir autour du feu
She told me, "In the evening around the fire
Tu verras comme les nuits sont douces
You'll see how sweet the nights are
Tous les deux, la main dans la main
Both of us, hand in hand
Nous écout'rons l'herbe qui pousse
We'll listen to the sound of growing grass
Là-bas, tu verras, m'a-t-elle dit
There, you'll see, she said to me
Tous les hippies sont happy"
All the hippies are happy"
Elle m'a dit: "Nous irons dans les champs
She told me, "We'll go to the fields
Pour écouter chanter les oiseaux
To listen to the birds singing
Nous aurons des tas d'enfants
We'll have lots of children
Et nous les appell'rons tous Mao
And we'll call them all Mao
Elle m'a dit, rejoins-moi au paradis
She told me, join me in paradise
Rendez-vous chez les gourous
Meeting with the gurus
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Meeting in Kathmandu
Rendez-vous chez les hindous
Meeting with the Hindus
Rendez-vous à Katmandou
Meeting in Kathmandu
Rendez-vous à Katmandou.
Meeting in Kathmandu.
Contributed by Audrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.