Tomoyuki Tanaka (田中知之, tanaka tomoyuki) is a J-pop artist/DJ, better known … Read Full Bio ↴Tomoyuki Tanaka (田中知之, tanaka tomoyuki) is a J-pop artist/DJ, better known by his stage name of Fantastic Plastic Machine. He is considered to be part of the Shibuya-kei movement, drawing heavily from bossa nova, lounge music, house music, and '60s movie soundtracks, but he also incorporates many other types of music. Tanaka was born in Kyoto, Japan.

In the late 1980s, Tanaka played as the bassist in a rock band called Margarine Strikes Back. Then in the early 1990s, Tanaka became a regular club DJ in the Kansai area, working as part of a DJ team known as Sound Impossible. While playing with Sound Impossible, fellow artist and friend Towa Tei convinced Tanaka to go back to recording music, and in 1997 Tanaka created his solo project Fantastic Plastic Machine under the Readymade Records label in Japan. His first two albums, The Fantastic Plastic Machine (1997) and Luxury (1998), were critically acclaimed and gained him international recognition. The albums were distributed in the United States under the Emperor Norton label, and in Europe on the Bungalow label. In Japan, he is currently under the cutting edge label.

At one point, Tanaka hosted a pop culture show on national radio, and in 2004 he hosted another radio show called "Sound Concierge." He also once served as the editor for the Japanese fashion magazine Brutus.

He made music for the awesome Uniqlock http://www.uniqlo.jp/uniqlock/

Paparuwa
Fantastic Plastic Machine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

pa, pa, paparuwa, pa, pa, pa, paparuwa, paparuwa
pa, pa, paparuwa, pa, pa, pa, paparuwa, paparuwa

woo, woo, woo...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Fantastic Plastic Machine's Paparuwa are very minimalistic, consisting mostly of the repeated word "paparuwa" and some occasional "woo"s. However, they create an infectious, danceable rhythm that embodies the song's upbeat, fun-loving spirit. The word "paparuwa" itself appears to be nonsensical and meaningless, but it serves to convey the idea of carefree, lightheartedness and the joy of simply moving to the beat. The song's sparse lyrics also leave plenty of room for listeners to get lost in the music and focus on the vibrant instrumentals and catchy melody.

While there may not be much to analyze or interpret in the lyrics of Paparuwa, the song's cultural significance in Japan is worth noting. Fantastic Plastic Machine - the moniker of musician Tomoyuki Tanaka - emerged in the late 1990s as one of the pioneers of the Shibuya-kei movement, a genre of J-pop that incorporated elements of bossa nova, jazz, funk, and retro pop. Paparuwa, released in 1999, became one of FPM's biggest hits and helped cement the group's iconic status. The song's upbeat, playful sound and infectious energy made it a popular soundtrack for fashion shows, commercials, and TV dramas in Japan, as well as a staple at clubs and parties.

Line by Line Meaning

pa, pa, paparuwa, pa, pa, pa, paparuwa, paparuwa
The repetition of 'pa, pa, paparuwa' symbolizes the rhythm of the music and adds to the catchy nature of the song.

pa, pa, paparuwa, pa, pa, pa, paparuwa, paparuwa
The repetition of 'pa, pa, paparuwa' is also used as a way to encourage listeners to dance along to the beat of the music.

woo, woo, woo...
The 'woo, woo, woo' sound is another element of the musical rhythm that Fantastic Plastic Machine adds to enhance the overall sound of the song.

Contributed by Blake S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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