There have been at least three artists sharing the name Camouflage;

… Read Full Bio ↴There have been at least three artists sharing the name Camouflage;

The name is used by a German synthpop band, a Japanese idol group based in Nagoya whose name is officially styled as "CAMOUFLAGE", and a Swedish new wave band (later named Tapirerna).

German: The German synthpop trio Camouflage was officially formed in 1984 by vocalist Marcus Meyn and keyboardists/programmers Heiko Maile and Oliver Kreyssig. The group took first place in a radio-sponsored song contest in 1986, and before long, their debut single, "The Great Commandment," was scaling the German charts. Their full-length debut, Voices and Images, was released in 1988, reflecting the group's classic new wave synth-pop influences, but most of all Depeche Mode. 1989's Methods of Silence began to broaden Camouflage's sonic palette, yet the Depeche Mode sound still remained at the forefront. Oliver Kreyssig then left the group, leaving Maile and Meyn as a duo augmented by several studio musicians. By the time of 1991's Meanwhile, Camouflage had garnered a not insignificant following on college radio; the album moved still farther away from synthpop and incorporated greater instrumentation. However, with the advent of grunge, synthpop lost a great deal of its footing on college radio; Camouflage soon found itself without an American record deal. 1993's Bodega Bohemia, available only as an import, moved back towards synth-oriented music and took a darker tone than much of their previous work. The mostly instrumental Spice Crackers followed in 1995, after which the future of the band was cast into doubt; a best-of compilation, We Stroke the Flames, was released in Germany in 1997.
They released their comeback "Sensor" in 2003; "Relocated" in 2006.

CAMOUFLAGE is a Japanese idol group from Nagoya. They debuted at an event in October of 2012. Member Takasaki Shouko plays guitar during their live performances, and she is also well-known for her gravure work. CAMOUFLAGE sold out their first solo concert in the space of two days. Their first single "KIMOCHI Choukousoku" was released on the 3rd of March 2013, which was produced in a limited edition of 300 copies. There are currently seven CAMOUFLAGE members: Tatematsu Asu, Sakura Mone, Shiina Azusa, Takasaki Shouko, Yamashita Moe, Kamiya Runa, and Sanjou Katsuki. Three other members were once part of the group, but have since graduated: Itou Erika, Yashino Sakura, and Kawai Miori.
Aside from music activity, the members of CAMOUFLAGE are involved in various local entertainment: they have appeared in TV dramas, variety shows (including their own regularly-scheduled internet show, BILLY CAM(e)), and they also regularly host radio programs.

Swedish: Camouflage was a new wave / goth band from Gothenburg, Sweden. They released three albums in the eighties. The first one was "Camouflage" which came in 1985. Their second album was "En Förtjusande Vän" in 1986. The third was called "La La La" in 1988.
After their third album they changed their name to Tapirerna because of the German band with same name.

http://www.camouflage-music.com/

A Place in China
Camouflage Lyrics

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Heaven's not a place in China
But there it seems to be.
Heaven's not a place in China
But there it seems to be.
Every morning on the front page.
Big type headlines seen before;
Another land locks up the free mind,
Students try to find a door.

Heaven's not a place in China
But there it seems to be.
Heaven's not a place in China
But there it seems to be.
Followed by the TV nations,
Some soft targets for the corps,
Standing in the name of freedom,
Beaten in the name of law.
Every morning we're reminded,
Just to think about ourselves.

Shocked by silence switch the channels
That's the music for the show.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Camouflage’s song “A Place in China” can be interpreted as a commentary on the political climate in China, where it appears that the freedoms and liberties that are widely regarded as “heavenly” are absent. The opening lines of the song suggest that despite being a powerful and influential nation, China is not a place where people can experience the full brilliance and wonder of heaven. However, the song goes on to suggest that there are still people who are actively trying to find a way to unlock their minds and escape the oppressive forces that are keeping them locked up.

The song seems to be referencing the stories that frequently appear in the news, where students and other individuals are being subjected to various forms of repression and are struggling to overcome the obstacles that have been put in their way. The lyrics talk about how these stories dominate the front pages of newspapers and how they are constantly being broadcast on television, yet somehow the rest of the world remains silent. The song suggests that people are so consumed with their own lives that they aren’t paying attention to the injustices that are being committed elsewhere in the world.

One of the interesting aspects of this song is that while it was initially released in 1989, during a time of political upheaval in China, the lyrics still seem relevant today, as China continues to be a nation that is highly criticized for its policies on human rights and individual freedoms. Another interesting fact is that “A Place in China” was included on Camouflage’s 1989 album “Voices & Images”, which became quite popular in Europe, but was not as well-known in the United States. Additionally, the song has been covered by several other artists over the years, including the German band Tocotronic in 1999.

Line by Line Meaning

Heaven's not a place in China
China is not a perfect or ideal place.

But there it seems to be.
China is being viewed as heaven or utopia by some people.

Heaven's not a place in China
China is not perfect nor ideal, yet people see it as such.

But there it seems to be.
People are perceiving China as a place of perfection or idealism.

Every morning on the front page.
This perception is being perpetuated by the news and media, who always report on China's progress and development.

Big type headlines seen before;
These headlines contain sensationalist information that is not always accurate or truthful.

Another land locks up the free mind,
Other countries are suppressing intellectual freedom and autonomy.

Students try to find a door.
Despite the suppression, people still seek ways to break free and think independently.

Followed by the TV nations,
The media is being controlled by powerful countries that are pushing their own agenda.

Some soft targets for the corps,
The media is being used by corporations to promote their own interests.

Standing in the name of freedom,
People are fighting for their rights and freedom.

Beaten in the name of law.
However, their efforts are being suppressed by the authorities hiding behind the guise of the law.

Every morning we're reminded,
The media keeps on reminding us of the issues and problems people face in their countries.

Just to think about ourselves.
The media is trying to make us focus on our own individual problems and needs rather than the larger issues of the world.

Shocked by silence switch the channels
People are shocked by the silence of the media on important issues and switch to other channels to find the truth.

That's the music for the show.
The media is treating important issues as a show, and not reporting on them truthfully or meaningfully.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HEIKO MAILE, MARCUS MEYN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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