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.
Evidence
Half Japanese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got to know if this is a dream.
Is it a dream or did you really kiss me?
I need evidence to prove that I'm awake.
I need evidence. Let me kiss you.
I need evidence. Let me touch you.
I need evidence. Kiss me real hard.
Hold me real tight.
No it can't be dream.
Not with proof like that.
The lyrics of "Evidence" by Half Japanese seem to be about a person who is unsure if they are in a dream or if their reality is actually happening. They ask their partner to kiss them, pinch them hard and hold them tight to prove to themselves that they are not dreaming. They need evidence to support the idea that their emotions and experiences are real. The repetition of the line "I need evidence" adds to the sense of urgency and desperation in the lyrics, as if the person is terrified of being caught in a never-ending dream state. The final line, "Not with proof like that," suggests that the evidence is enough to convince the person that they are, indeed, awake and experiencing reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Pinch me. Pinch me real hard.
Please pinch me with force to make sure that I'm not dreaming.
I've got to know if this is a dream.
I'm unsure if this is a real-life experience or a dream.
Is it a dream or did you really kiss me?
I cannot tell if your kiss was real or just a figment of my imagination.
I need evidence to prove that I'm awake.
I require proof that this is not a dream, to know that I am awake.
I need evidence. Let me kiss you.
If you allow me to kiss you, it will confirm that this is not a dream and that I am awake.
I need evidence. Let me touch you.
If you allow me to touch you, it will confirm that this is not a dream and that I am awake.
I need evidence. Kiss me real hard.
If you kiss me with great intensity, it will provide the evidence I need to know this is not a dream and that I am awake.
Hold me real tight.
Hold me firmly, so I can be certain that this is not a dream.
No it can't be dream.
I believe this is an actual event, not a dream.
Not with proof like that.
The evidence of your affection assures me that this is real and not a dream.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FAIR
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