Bob Seger – Katmandu

This song is rocking and raw…it reminds me a little of his song Ramblin’, Gamblin’, Man because of his voice and sound. I remember this song vividly from the 1985 movie Mask with Eric Stoltz, Cher, and Sam Elliott.

In the 1960s Kathmandu (the correct spelling) was a place where people traveled to find themselves and to get enlightenment from life…or just to go where no one could find or bother them. It’s the capital of Nepal and a remote location. Seger used an alternate spelling of the song (Katmandu) so it would be easier for people to recognize. Cat Stevens wrote a song with the same name years before and used this spelling. 

This song was more popular in Michigan (Seger’s home state) than the rest of the country but it did chart at #43 on the Billboard 100 and #57 in Canada. Now it’s one of those songs that live on with classic radio. The album Beautiful Loser peaked at #131 but it sold two million copies since it was released. Three songs charted off of the album…Beautiful Loser, Nutbush City Limits, and Katmandu. 

On his albums, he would record sometimes half with The Silver Bullet Band and half with the Muscle Shoals musicians. This song came off of the Beautiful Loser album which was his breakthrough album. It set him up for his next album that made him a household name…Night Moves. 

On this album, he recorded 7 out of 9 tracks in Muscle Shoals including this song. The owners of the studio were also the musicians: Jimmy Johnson (guitar), Barry Beckett (keyboards), David Hood (bass), and Roger Hawkins (drums), and were much more affordable than big studios plus you got that Muscle Shoals sound. 

Katmandu

I think I’m going to Katmandu
That’s really, really where I’m going to
If I ever get out of here
That’s what I’m gonna do
K-k-k-k-k-k Katmandu
I think that’s really where I’m going to
If I ever get out of here
I’m going to Katmandu

I got no kick against the west coast
Warner brothers are such good hosts
I raise my whiskey glass and give them a toast
I’m sure they know it’s true
I got no rap against the southern states
Every time I’ve been there it’s been great
But now I’m leaving and I can’t be late
And to myself be true

That’s why I’m going to Katmandu
Up to the mountain’s where I’m going to
And if I ever get out of here
That’s what I’m gonna do
Aw, k-k-k-k-k-k Katmandu
Really, really where I’m going to
If I ever get out of here
I’m going to Katmandu

Oh
Take it away
I ain’t got nothin’ ‘gainst the east coast
You want some people where they got the most
And New York City’s like a friendly ghost
You seem to pass right through
I know I’m gonna miss the USA
I guess I’ll miss it every single day
But no one loves me here anyway
I know my plane is due

The one that’s going to Katmandu
Up to the mountain’s where I’m going to
If I ever get out of here
That’s what I’m gonna do
K-k-k-k-k-k Katmandu
Really, really, really, going to
If I ever get out of here
If I ever get out of here
If I ever get out of here
I’m going to Katmandu, oh
Ooh huh huh
Ooh huh huh ooh yeah

Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu
Katmandu

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

30 thoughts on “Bob Seger – Katmandu”

  2. Detroit is only two hours away from where I grew up so we’re pretty big Seger fans! Our grad performance theme song was Old Time Rock and Roll. Thanks for sharing this song today!

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    1. That is great…I always liked Seger. A few of his songs got the Steve Miller treatment here…played way too much but some like this one…you don’t hear.

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  4. Good basic rocker from Bob. It might have been the first song of his I heard, though I can’t say for certain.
    Coincidentally we both looked at Detroit acts from the ’70s today.

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      1. ‘Night Moves’ was the first one I heard that I really remember and liked, but I think I heard this one before , maybe the ‘Main street’ one as well.

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      2. The first song I heard by him remains one of my favorites…Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. I liked Main Street a lot

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    1. I think my first Seger song was Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man which is just killer also. In the south…they treated Seger as one of their own.

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    1. Oh I love his voice! Sorry….I’ll do the Star Trek tomorrow to start the 3rd season… I had my Max Picks today instead for a one day break.

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      1. He gets on it, that’s for sure. No worries. I was gone all day on a garden tour. Lots of pics to go through. I’m going to try and use “gallery” block this time and see if all of the caption shows up. I am already on disc 2 of S3. These are not familiar and they are good. The one with Medusa in a box was awesome!

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      2. Oh yes! I love the Medusa story period and I want to re-read it…and I love their version of it. Hope you had a good day! We went to yard sales but didn’t see many because of the 4th of July weekend.

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  11. Is it me or do the verses owe a lot to Chuck Berry’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Music? – “I got no kick against modern jazz….”/ “I got no kick against the West Coast…”

    Did you get to this subliminally, after reading about Janis Joplin “going all the way to Kathmand-uh”?

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    1. I can see that! I never thought about it before but yea I agree.
      Well yes and no…I am around 66 posts ahead and this one was scheduled to post in August…so I moved it up to yesterday after reading that about Janis! So yes it was…

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