Oil on Canvas is a live album by the English band Japan, released in June 1… Read Full Bio ↴Oil on Canvas is a live album by the English band Japan, released in June 1983 by Virgin Records. It was released six months after the band had broken up, and became their highest charting album in the UK, peaking at number 5. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
The live tracks on the double-album were taken from the band's performances at the Hammersmith Odeon in November 1982, during their final live concert tour. With guitarist Rob Dean having left the band in spring 1981, Japanese musician Masami Tsuchiya (then of the group Ippu-Do) was added to the touring line-up on guitar and additional keyboards. The band also used backing tracks to supply additional instrumental parts (for example, in contrast to some previous tours where a guest saxophonist was recruited, many of Karn's saxophone lines were played from tape.
Billed as a live recording, Jansen later admitted that only the drums were actually recorded live, the rest being recorded in a studio. The album also contained three new instrumental studio tracks ("Oil on Canvas", "Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer" and "Temple of Dawn"), recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively (the name of Barbieri's track is taken from the novel The Temple of Dawn by the acclaimed Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima).
The live tracks on the double-album were taken from the band's performances at the Hammersmith Odeon in November 1982, during their final live concert tour. With guitarist Rob Dean having left the band in spring 1981, Japanese musician Masami Tsuchiya (then of the group Ippu-Do) was added to the touring line-up on guitar and additional keyboards. The band also used backing tracks to supply additional instrumental parts (for example, in contrast to some previous tours where a guest saxophonist was recruited, many of Karn's saxophone lines were played from tape.
Billed as a live recording, Jansen later admitted that only the drums were actually recorded live, the rest being recorded in a studio. The album also contained three new instrumental studio tracks ("Oil on Canvas", "Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer" and "Temple of Dawn"), recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively (the name of Barbieri's track is taken from the novel The Temple of Dawn by the acclaimed Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima).
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Oil on Canvas
Japan Lyrics
Canton We're pushing through these farming towns We worked hard pl…
Cantonese Boy We're pushing through these farming towns We've worked hard…
Gentlemen Take Polaroids Now there's a girl about town I'd like to know…
Ghosts When the room is quiet The daylight almost gone It…
Methods Of Dance Here's a new design The cut and style you know…
Nightporter Could I ever explain this feeling of love? It just…
Quiet Life Boys, now the times are changing The going could get rough B…
Sons Of Pioneers Sometimes I feel I've been here forever Sometime ago Somet…
Still Life In Mobile Homes Sometimes the comfort of a room Sometimes I'm quite alone I…
Swing Tell me when the work is done Tell me when…
The Art Of Parties Once I was young Once I was smart Now I'm living on…
Visions Of China I'm walking young and strong But just a little too…
Stephen Tremm
on . . . . Rhodesia
Nazis in full attack etc. - maybe army radio communications or tv news report.
Stephen Tremm
on . . . . Rhodesia
Saluting supermarket majorettes, we understand - maybe a joke or pun on a supermarket chain called Majorette, or a big display of model cars made by the company Majorette (a real company) in a supermarket.
Bleach your body - what a black person would need to do to get equality.
Nazis in full attack etc. - Maybe army radio communications or a tv news report.