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.
Put Some Sugar on It
Half Japanese Lyrics
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She said seek and ye shall find it
But from where I saw it, I couldn't see it
Come over here where the light's better
Come over here to my side
Put some sugar on it honey
Put some honey on it sugar
I like it sweet
And I want to eat
I knew exactly what I was doing
But I didn't know what I had done
I know one thing and one thing only
That I need you and want you
Right over here
Put some sugar on it honey
Put some honey on it sugar
I like it sweet
And baby, oh baby, oh baby, oh
The moon came out at night
And it lit two silhouettes on the sand
One was a woman and one was a man
Two silhouettes on the sand
Put some sugar on it honey
Put some honey on it sugar
I like to eat
And baby I like it sweet
Oh baby, oh
I'm looking over my left shoulder
And I'm throwing something over my right shoulder
And I'm throwing caution to the wind
Caution to the wind
Put some sugar on it honey
Put some honey on it sugar
I like it sweet baby
I really do
Oh baby
Oh
These lyrics seem to be about a romantic encounter between two people who are attracted to each other. The first verse features a woman telling the male singer to come closer and join her on her side where the light is better. The chorus repeats the phrase "put some sugar on it, honey" as a metaphor for adding sweetness to their connection. The singer then admits that he knew what he was doing, but didn't know the extent of his feelings until now. He only knows that he needs and wants the woman in question. The second verse paints a picture of two silhouettes on the sand, likely referencing a romantic, moonlit beach setting. The singer throws caution to the wind and indulges in this sweet attraction.
These lyrics are quite straightforward in their approach, using sugar as a metaphor for sweet romance. The repetition of the phrase "put some sugar on it, honey" reinforces the sweetness of the sentiment. The use of imagery such as the silhouettes on the sand and throwing caution to the wind add to the romantic nature of the song. Overall, Put Some Sugar on It seems to be a song about diving headfirst into a romantic attraction and indulging in the sweetness of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
She said seek and ye shall find it
I was told that if I look for something, I will find it.
But from where I saw it, I couldn't see it
But the place where I was looking from didn't let me see it.
Come over here where the light's better
Come to this side where the light is brighter, it's easier to see things here.
Come over here to my side
Come where I am, join me here on my side.
Put some sugar on it honey
Add some sweetness to it, my dear.
Put some honey on it sugar
Add some sugariness to it, my dear.
I like it sweet
I prefer things that are sweet.
And I want to eat
And I want to consume it or have it.
I knew exactly what I was doing
I had a clear idea of what I was doing.
But I didn't know what I had done
But I couldn't imagine or understand what result or outcome my action would have.
I know one thing and one thing only
I only know one fact for sure.
That I need you and want you
That I require and desire your presence.
Right over here
At this very spot where I am standing.
The moon came out at night
The moon became visible in the sky after sunset.
And it lit two silhouettes on the sand
And it illuminated two dark human shapes or outlines that were cast upon the beach by the moon's light.
One was a woman and one was a man
One of the shapes was that of a woman and the other was of a man.
Two silhouettes on the sand
Two shadowy figures in the sand.
I'm looking over my left shoulder
I'm turning my head or looking behind me to my left side.
And I'm throwing something over my right shoulder
I'm tossing or flinging an object to my right side or behind me.
And I'm throwing caution to the wind
And I'm behaving recklessly or without thinking about the future consequences.
I like it sweet baby
I really enjoy it when things are sugary, my dear.
I really do
I truly mean it, I really do like sweetness.
Oh baby
An expression of affection or attraction.
Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@deathhzrd
RIP to Daniel Johnston, you were to fucking pure I swear
@GeorgiaGrowGuy
DJ was not in this band.
@Jasmine-qk8sd
this song always calms me down
@jonathant1269
me too
@yovivonavegando2278
love this tune
@snowhitedyke
This song gives me a strange sense of nostalgia, but it's beautiful :)
@imdoneplus
Hell yeah. Thanks for putting this up.
@StefanieFournier1978
Nice little jam. Sounds like Lou Reed + the Violent Femmes
@streetteams
I hear Lou in there all the time, so on. Now the Femmes, since you said it, lol. Yes.
@jameythomson8875
This is my favourite band