Their quirky song lyrics often deal with monsters and the supernatural (especially as influenced by campy "creature feature" and scifi movies), in addition to more conventional themes, such as the visceral thrills of crushes and infatuations. They have stated that all their songs are either "love songs or monster songs."
Fans of Half Japanese include Penn Jillette, who helped the band release some of their albums on his ad hoc 50 Skidillion Watts label, and the late Kurt Cobain, who had them open for Nirvana's 1993 tour. Over time David Fair became less involved, ultimately quitting the band in favor of married life, and Jad brought in more outside musicians who have contributed to an increasingly coherent and organized sound.
They have worked with the Orthotonics, Moe Tucker, Teenage Fanclub, Daniel Johnston and John Zorn, among others.
The band's history and influence was chronicled in the 1993 fan documentary Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King by Jeff Feuerzeig.
A Night Like This
Half Japanese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He had these piercing blue eyes, pierce you right down to the bone.
She took out a pen and paper, and the words took a life of their own.
And that's the problem right there, it took on a life of its own.
I knew it would come to this, and now it has and I'm so sad.
My life before was heaven and bliss.
Mary Shelley had a night like this.
He had these piercing blue eyes, pierce you right down to the bone.
He had these piercing blue eyes, as he broke bone after bone after bone after bone.
I'd often wondered what would happen if he took it as far as he could,
And just gave it one little push.
Take it to the limit, take it as far as you can, and just give it one little push.
I knew it would come to this, and now it has and I'm so sad.
My life before was heaven and bliss.
Mary Shelley had a night like this.
Well, she was out to rearrange things, but she took it a little bit too far I guess.
Well, she had the best of intentions. I mean, she meant well.
But sometimes good people do bad things.
Sometimes they just can't help it.
Sometimes it's beyond their control, but at least she meant well.
I knew it would come to this, and now it has and I'm so sad.
My life before was heaven and bliss.
Mary Shelley had a night like this.
The lyrics of Half Japanese's song "A Night Like This" tell the story of a person who is grappling with the consequences of their actions. The opening lines, "Little did I know when I was digging his grave, I was also digging my own," create a sense of foreboding and suggest that the singer has done something grave. The song then introduces a character with piercing blue eyes who seems to have a powerful effect on those around him. The singer reflects on the power of words, how they take on a life of their own, and the dangers of letting them spiral out of control.
The song is about the aftermath of a destructive event, one that has left the singer feeling lost and sad, mourning the loss of a life that was once full of joy and happiness. The repeated line "Mary Shelley had a night like this" suggests that the events described in the song are reminiscent of the plot of Shelley's novel "Frankenstein," in which the singer creates a monster that ultimately destroys him. The song's lyrics paint a picture of a person who is struggling to come to terms with the repercussions of their actions and the way that they have impacted the people around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Little did I know when I was digging his grave, I was also digging my own.
I didn't realize that seeking revenge would ultimately harm myself as well.
He had these piercing blue eyes, pierce you right down to the bone.
His gaze was intense and unsettling, with the power to deeply affect you.
She took out a pen and paper, and the words took a life of their own.
The words she wrote became more powerful and meaningful than she expected.
And that's the problem right there, it took on a life of its own.
The situation developed its own momentum and became uncontrollable.
I knew it would come to this, and now it has and I'm so sad.
I had a feeling this would happen and now that it has, I feel deep regret and sorrow.
My life before was heaven and bliss.
My life was perfect before this situation arose.
Mary Shelley had a night like this.
Mary Shelley experienced a similar overwhelming and distressing situation.
He had these piercing blue eyes, as he broke bone after bone after bone after bone.
He had an intense and ruthless manner of pursuing his goals, causing endless harm.
I'd often wondered what would happen if he took it as far as he could, And just gave it one little push.
I had always questioned how far he would go, and it turns out he went too far.
Take it to the limit, take it as far as you can, and just give it one little push.
Push the boundaries as much as possible, but be cautious not to go too far.
Well, she was out to rearrange things, but she took it a little bit too far I guess.
She had good intentions to bring about change, but ended up taking it too far.
Well, she had the best of intentions. I mean, she meant well.
Even though her actions may have had negative consequences, her heart was in the right place.
But sometimes good people do bad things.
Even the most well-meaning individuals may make mistakes and act in harmful ways.
Sometimes they just can't help it.
At times, people may be unable to control their actions or emotions.
Sometimes it's beyond their control, but at least she meant well.
While the situation may have been out of her control, at least she had good intentions.
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zvezda1981
I always enjoy your uploads, great one as always!
savannah
Yay you still upload.
jfjgkgkj
sumetimes ;~)
usure?
what a channel