The Go Bang's were a three-piece Japanese girl band active in the late 1980… Read Full Bio ↴The Go Bang's were a three-piece Japanese girl band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They broke up in 1994, and since then, Moriwaka Kaori (singer/songwriter) has become a solo artist, while Saito Mitsuko (drums) and Tanijima Misa (bass guitar) have dropped beneath the radar, though apparently Mitsuko has been seen drumming for a few other bands.

Initially a four-piece band, Go Bang's lost their guitarist early on, becoming popular after she left the band. They had a somewhat unusual sound, being a punk-influenced bubblegum pop band, and lacking a lead guitarist — though this wasn't always the case — on the album Samantha, for example, the Go Bang's worked with the King Gang's, a three-piece all-male band, who complemented their line up with the addition of electric guitars and keyboard.

Making cheerful, bouncy music, with a slight punk edge, the Go Bang's made an impact on the Japanese charts for a short while, but gradually faded into the background, and disappeared almost completely from the public conscious following their breakup. However, some bands, such as the Titan Go-Kings, have referred to them as influences on their music.

サマンサ
GO-BANG'S Lyrics

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街は火の海に包まれた大地震
キングコングもゴジラも大暴れ
あわてふためいて
みんな逃げてくけど
私はいつだって余裕の微笑み
チキチキマシーンで
連れていって大空高く
目指すはTVで見たウルトラの星

スーパーマンとバッドマンと
三角関係
でも日本語が通じるのはライダーV3
何万トンのハートも
片手で持ち上げてみせる
欲しいものなら何だって
手にする私の名はサマンサ

好きになった人は世界一のスターで
50億人のファンがとりまいて
50億分の1の確率があるなら
宇宙の果てまでも追いかけてみせる
彼が歌うのは20000Vの夜で
感電した私は電気じかけのバービー
アンテナを張ってテレパシー送れば
パトロール中のUFOにつかまった
何万年も昔から
あなただけを追いかけてた
地球が破壊する前に
あなたに愛されたいサマンサ

何万トンのハートも
片手で持ち上げてみせる
ほしいものなら何だって
私は手にしてきたのに
何万年も昔から
あなただけを祈っていた

地球が破壊する前に
あなたに愛されたいサマンサ

Overall Meaning

The song "サマンサ" by Go-Bang's tells a story of a girl named Samantha who is calm and collected in the midst of chaos. The lyrics describe a city engulfed in flames due to a massive earthquake, and monsters like King Kong and Godzilla wreaking havoc. Despite the commotion, Samantha keeps her cool and smiles confidently. She rides a "chiki-chiki machine" into the sky, aiming for the Ultraman star she saw on TV, and has the power to lift thousands of tons of weight with just one hand. The song then shifts to a love story, where Samantha falls for someone who she describes as the world's number one star, with 5 billion fans surrounding him. Samantha claims that if she had a one in five billion chance, she would chase him to the edge of the universe. She even once telepathically communicated with a UFO while it was on patrol. The song ends with Samantha expressing her desire to be loved by him before the world is destroyed.

The lyrics to "サマンサ" can be interpreted in a variety of ways. They could be a nod to popular Japanese superhero TV shows and movies from the '70s, such as "Ultraman" and "Kamen Rider," which Samantha seems to be a fan of. The song might also speak to the idea of maintaining a sense of calm amid chaos, and having unwavering confidence in oneself in times of crisis. The second part of the song shifts gears, focusing on Samantha's love for someone who seems unreachable, but she's determined to pursue him, even if the odds are against her.

Line by Line Meaning

街は火の海に包まれた大地震
The city was engulfed in flames due to a massive earthquake

キングコングもゴジラも大暴れ
Both King Kong and Godzilla were rampaging

あわてふためいて
Everyone was in a panic

みんな逃げてくけど
Everyone was running away

私はいつだって余裕の微笑み
But I always had a calm smile on my face

チキチキマシーンで
I hopped on a chicken-shaped machine

連れていって大空高く
And together, we soared high into the skies

目指すはTVで見たウルトラの星
Our destination was the ultra-star I saw on TV

スーパーマンとバッドマンと三角関係
Superman and Batman in a love triangle

でも日本語が通じるのはライダーV3
But only Rider V3 could understand Japanese

何万トンのハートも片手で持ち上げてみせる
I could lift anything I wanted with just one hand, including hearts weighing thousands of tonnes