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."
Softly I Fall
Buddaheads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was too afraid to be saved by the hands that held me.
I waited without hope.
Without you I lose myself.
I find it hard in cheap hotel with bleary eyes
And no one knows it.
You're the one I call.
When I fall, When I bleed,
The one I need,
You're the one I want,
The one I call.
Can't you hear the voices humming madly
Somewhere in my head?
But instead of trying I'm just hiding.
Lost in my regret.
Without you I lose myself.
I find it hard in cheap hotel with bleary eyes
And no one knows it.
When I fall, When I lose my head,
You're the one I call.
When I fall, When I bleed,
The one I need,
You're the one I want,
The one I call.
I've dragged the past into the light.
I want to leave it here.
I've dragged the past into the light.
Come take me away from here.
The lyrics of "Softly I Fall" by Buddaheads reveal a person's struggle with their inner emotions and their reliance on someone else to find solace. The lines "Don't you know that I cried in silence. I was too afraid to be saved by the hands that held me. I waited without hope" exemplify the individual's inability to communicate their pain and their fear of seeking help. They feel lost and alone, waiting for someone to come to their rescue but unsure if anyone will.
The individual finds it difficult to cope without the person they love, as the lyrics "Without you I lose myself. I find it hard in cheap hotel with bleary eyes and no one knows it" convey. The person they love seems to be their anchor, pulling them back up when they fall. The lines "When I fall, When I lose my head, You're the one I call. When I fall, When I bleed, The one I need, You're the one I want, The one I call" illustrate the immense emotional support that the person provides the individual.
The lyrics also reveal the individual's inability to conquer their demons despite their efforts. They hear the voices in their head, but instead of facing them, they hide from them, as the line "Can't you hear the voices humming madly, Somewhere in my head? But instead of trying I'm just hiding. Lost in my regret" indicates. However, they also express their desire to let go of their past and start afresh, as heard in the lines, "I've dragged the past into the light. I want to leave it here. I've dragged the past into the light. Come take me away from here."
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you know that I cried in silence.
I suffered alone and never let anyone see me cry.
I was too afraid to be saved by the hands that held me.
I was afraid to accept help from someone I trusted.
I waited without hope.
I had no expectation of anything positive happening to me.
Without you I lose myself.
I don't feel complete without your presence in my life.
I find it hard in cheap hotel with bleary eyes And no one knows it.
I struggle to cope alone in a dingy place and no one is aware of my pain.
When I fall, When I lose my head, You're the one I call.
In times of difficulty and confusion, you're the person I turn to for guidance.
When I fall, When I bleed, The one I need, You're the one I want, The one I call.
When I'm hurt or in trouble, you're the one I need and want to be with.
Can't you hear the voices humming madly Somewhere in my head?
I am tormented by the voices in my mind, and they won't stop.
But instead of trying I'm just hiding.
I'm not actively looking for a solution to my problems, instead, I'm avoiding them.
Lost in my regret.
I'm consumed by my feelings of remorse and guilt for past mistakes.
I've dragged the past into the light.
I've brought all my past mistakes and regrets into the open.
I want to leave it here.
I wish to move on from my past and not let it continue to weigh me down.
Come take me away from here.
Please help me escape from this place and start anew.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GERRY MOSBY, GERALD NEIL O'BRIEN, ALFIE ZAPPACOSTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elephanteyemusic
It's hard to say there are really love you 'Cause I gambled at love before I took my chances lost too many wars And i grew tired of all the pain I'm reachin' out on the inside And it's getting easier with you Now cry with you I'll sing to you hidden behind these walls A leap of faith a trust in you Softly I Fall I remember when we first said hello Your eyes saw thru me Your smile to say no need run Take your time take it slow
@elephanteyemusic
I learned hardest stone can crumble The softest words can 'cause rumble
@TheJef71
beautiful melody and all songs BUDDAH HEADS I generally love
a French singer who loves what we are not very many because I think this little known artist in Europe I think damage is very good slow blues or rock
@kiwimale1
Very albatrossie ...big winged and landing in slow motion....... a sight to behold a listening experience worth sharing ..... which I have done !!
@That1GUYJJ
this is my first time hearing this group love the bluesy feel
@elzurdo669
que pedaaaazo de temazon, excelente
@mic982
nice tune
@leewells9331
RIP Alan... this was always one of my favorites.
@That1GUYJJ
who was Allen? my first time hearing this group I want to find all I can about the band and members
@That1GUYJJ
+Jason Jordan alan