Guitarist/Singer Alan Mirikitani realized that he wanted to pursue a career in music after playing an eighth-grade dance with his first band while in junior high school in his hometown of Downey.
"After we got done, some girls came and sat in our laps," he said. "I thought, wow, this is really cool. I like this."
He's been playing ever since. The Burbank resident, who goes by the nickname "B.B. Chung King" when he fronts his band, the Buddaheads, longtime favorites on the local music scene, gravitated toward the blues at 4.
After a few releases for a Japanese label, Mirikitani and his group, which includes bassist Boyd Lefan and drummer Joe "The Bricklayer" Pafumi, released a compilation of those Japan-only recordings titled "In the Mirror" in 1998, and last year came out with a collection of new songs, "Go for Broke."
Supporting the album through numerous club and festival dates, the Buddaheads have built a fanatically loyal and large following. And, by recording it in his own studio (The Dawghouse, Burbank CA) and releasing it on his own, Mirikitani discovered another benefit of being independent.
"Actually, we're making more money on the Internet through mail-order sales than we ever did at RCA," he said. "And besides, we have control over everything this way."
Mirikitani took a year and a half off to build his state-of-the-art 24-track studio, which is busy with all sorts of outside projects.
"The Dawghouse has ProTools and everything else you might need," he said. "It's amazing what they can allow you to do, but ultimately they're just tools. We still like the magic of playing live."
Even though B.B. Chung King is Chinese and not Japanese, the name hung on Mirikitani by a friend, in reference to his hero, B.B. King, has stuck throughout the years, and he's comfortable with it. As for the band name, there is a legacy behind it.
"Buddah Head was always a derogatory term for Asians," the guitarist said, "but it was also the highest-decorated infantry unit in World War II composed of Japanese Americans who wanted to prove their loyalty to their country. We've taken it on as sort of a personal underdog theme and today we're trying to break down the term, and break down walls."
"After all," he said with a laugh, "the guys in the band are white, but as far as I'm concerned, we're all Buddaheads."
Don't Cry
Buddaheads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't cry, baby don't you cry
Daddy's here, everything's alright
Don't cry, baby don't you cry
Close your eyes and dream
Of stars made of jelly cream
And wait for the cow to jump over the moon
And the world keeps turning 'round
Tomorrow brings a brand new day
Don't cry, don't cry, baby don't you cry
Don't cry, baby don't you cry
Daddy's here, everything's alright
Don't cry, baby don't you cry
Close your eyes and dream
Of stars made of jelly cream
And wait for the cow to jump over the moon
The sun is going down
And the world keeps turning 'round
Tomorrow brings a brand new day.
Don't cry, baby don't you cry.
The lyrics of "Don't Cry" by Buddaheads speaks about a parent calming down their child who may be crying. The song begins with the repetition of the chorus where the father gently urges his child not to cry as he tries to assure them that everything is alright while comforting them. The second verse of the song suggests that the child should close their eyes and dream of stars made of jelly cream and wait for the cow to jump over the moon. The father may be using a lullaby to comfort his child and distract them from their worries. The last part of the verse mentions that the sun is going down and the world keeps turning 'round and tomorrow brings a brand new day, which is an optimistic message to the child that there is always a fresh beginning to look forward to.
The song may have been written with the intent to provide comfort to Buddaheads's audience. The lyrics’ primary focus is to offer reassurance, which is something that many people need from time to time, and this song may have been a way to do that. It may also have been written to remind people to take care of each other, to provide support, and to be an anchor in a storm.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't cry, don't cry, baby don't you cry
There's no need to cry, my dear child. Everything will be okay.
Daddy's here, everything's alright
Your father is here to protect and comfort you. You are safe and sound.
Close your eyes and dream
Let your imagination take over and transport you to a magical place of your own creation.
Of stars made of jelly cream
Think of whimsical things like stars looking and tasting like delicious jelly cream.
And wait for the cow to jump over the moon
Have a sense of wonder and believe in the impossible. Even a cow can jump over the moon in your dreams.
The sun is going down
The long day is coming to an end.
And the world keeps turning 'round
Life moves on, and tomorrow will be a new day.
Tomorrow brings a brand new day.
A fresh start awaits you, and there's always hope for a better tomorrow.
Don't cry, baby don't you cry.
You are loved and cared for, and there's no need to shed tears.
Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.