PUNK band called Abwärts (in german for Downwards) is among the oldest exis… Read Full Bio ↴PUNK band called Abwärts (in german for Downwards) is among the oldest existing West German punk bands, led by singer/guitarist Frank Z., and founded in 1979 in Hamburg. Abwärts first achieved popularity within the punk and new wave scene with the "computerstaat" EP and the album "Amok Koma" both released in 1980 by "ZickZack Records". Soon Abwärts got fans in the faster hardcore as well as in the NDW Neue Deutsche Welle - New German Wave scene, with their second album, the dark and mysteriou "Der Westen Ist Einsam". After this album bassist Marc Chung and keyboardist FM Einheit left the band to join the Industrial legend band Einstürzende Neubauten. Abwärts recorded sporadically throughout the rest of the 1980s, before a shift in a more "crossover / thrash-metal" oriented direction led to a flurry of albums (5 in 5 years) in the early 1990s, before Frank Z. started a solo career. Today, Die Ärzte bassist Rod Gonzalez is member of Abwärts.

Japan
Abwärts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Japan Japan, Radio
Radio aus Tokyo

Japan Japan, Motorrad
Motorrad aus Fujiland

Japan Japan, Kamera
Kamera aus Hiroshima

Japan Japan, Curryhuhn
Bruce Lee kämpft mit dem Curryhuhn

Japan Japan, Samurai
Und schon kommt der Tod herbei

Und schon kommt der Tod herbei

Und schon kommt der Tod herbei
Und schon kommt der Tod herbei

Overall Meaning

The song "Japan" by Abwärts is a brief ode to Japanese culture through various elements that make up the country including radio, motorcycles, cameras, curry chicken, and samurais. Each line starts with "Japan Japan" followed by the specific object, and then the location it is from such as "Radio aus Tokyo" or "Motorrad aus Fujiland." The last two lines, however, take a more ominous turn with the phrase "Und schon kommt der Tod herbei" which translates to "and then death comes." This could be interpreted in various ways such as the idea that even in a country as beautiful and fascinating as Japan, death is inevitable, or perhaps a commentary on the fatalistic and violent tendencies that may be associated with samurais and martial arts.

The lyrics may also touch upon the exoticization and fetishization of Japanese culture by Western audiences. From the use of typical Japanese objects such as cameras and samurais to the seemingly random addition of Bruce Lee fighting a curry chicken, it almost feels like a checklist of stereotypical elements typically associated with Japan. However, despite this, the song still manages to convey a sense of attraction and intrigue towards the culture, despite any problematic trends that the lyrics may also embody.

Line by Line Meaning

Japan Japan, Radio
Japan, the land of radio broadcasting, with Tokyo being the hub of it all.

Radio aus Tokyo
The radio transmissions are originating from Tokyo.

Japan Japan, Motorrad
Japan, the country of the finest motorcycles, with Fujiland being a renowned manufacturer.

Motorrad aus Fujiland
The motorcycle mentioned is made by a reputable company in Fujiland.

Japan Japan, Kamera
Japan, the home of high-quality camera manufacturing, with Hiroshima being a hub for it all.

Kamera aus Hiroshima
The camera in question is manufactured in Hiroshima, a place known for camera production.

Japan Japan, Curryhuhn
Japan, a place where exotic dishes are available, including Curryhuhn, the dish that is fought over by Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee kämpft mit dem Curryhuhn
Bruce Lee engages in a fight with someone over the dish of Curryhuhn.

Japan Japan, Samurai
Japan, the land of the Samurai warriors who are trained in martial arts and known for their legendary valor.

Und schon kommt der Tod herbei
The ultimate consequence of conflict and violence, death, comes along as a result of the Samurai's actions.

Und schon kommt der Tod herbei
The cycle of violence and death continues to persist, and it doesn't end with the passing of the Samurai.