Japan began playing glam rock, influenced by David Bowie, The New York Dolls and Motown. Japan debuted on record with 1978's Adolescent Sex and subsequently Obscure Alternatives, which both sold well in the nation of Japan, though nowhere else.
Their third album, 1979's Quiet Life, heralded a change in musical style from the earlier largely guitar based music to a more electronic sound, with more emphasis on Barbieri's synthesisers, Sylvian's svelte baritone style of singing, Karn's distinctive fretless bass sound, and Steve Jansen's odd-timbred percussion work.
Their following two albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981) continued to expand their audience as the band refined its new sound and unintentionally became part of the early 1980s New Romantic movement. But Tin Drum would end up being their final album, as personality conflicts drove the band apart. Nevertheless, the album's unconventional single "Ghosts" reached #5 on the UK pop charts, followed by a re-release of "I Second That Emotion" that reached #9.
The band officially split up after a farewell tour in late 1982. The tour was posthumously released as an LP, "Oil on Canvas", in mid-1983.
Most of the original members of the band went on to work on other projects.
Mick Karn and Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy formed the one-album project called Dali's Car and released the album The Waking Hour in 1984. He has released other solo works over the years.
Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri released an album in 1987 under the moniker The Dolphin Brothers which garnered a little interest.
By far the most successful is David Sylvian, who has recorded several albums with noted performers. An attempted reunion in 1991 with the Rain Tree Crow project was short lived, producing only one album.
All members have collaborated on the other's solo work; notably the trio JKB (aka Jansen, Barbieri and Karn) have released several records. Jansen has continued to tour with his brother David Sylvian.
Karn died of cancer January 4, 2011.
Adolescent Sex
Japan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As subway lights grow brighter
We're just another hype
But the pressure's getting harder
(Get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
All lover's etiquette
Make love on first impression
(Get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
Whatever gets you through the night
Just keep on dancing
Whatever gets you through the night
Just keep on dancing babe
Well the lady buys a thrill
Excitement in succession
But a heartache won't partake
In articulate obsession
Well pretty things at rest
No courtesy surprising
For love is heaven blessed
All catastrophes denying
(get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
Whatever gets you through the night
Just keep on dancing
Whatever gets you through the night
Just keep on dancing babe
Well you're out on the street
With your lover's infections
Count impossibilities by limination
And your body still damp
From your one-room apartment
And your heartache reminds me
Love's ?? any doubt
You submerge again, emerge again
Just get out the strain
The song "Adolescent Sex" by Japan deals with the themes of love, sex, and relationship in the context of the adolescent experience. The song's verses paint a picture of a city where love and sex are traded like commodities, and where the pressure to conform to the norms of society is intense. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Whatever gets you through the night, just keep on dancing babe", suggests that dancing and music are ways to escape the harsh realities of city life.
The first stanza of the song portrays the city as a place where love and sex are transactional, and where people have to conform to certain codes of behavior to be accepted. The second stanza criticizes the notion of "lover's etiquette" and portrays adolescent sex as a risky affair driven by juvenile intentions. The third stanza deals with the aftermath of sex and how it can lead to heartache and obsession. The chorus, with its emphasis on dancing, suggests that people use music and dancing as a way to forget their problems and escape the harsh realities of city life.
In summary, "Adolescent Sex" is a song that critiques the way society views love and sex, and how it can have a negative impact on the adolescent experience. It suggests that music and dancing are ways to escape the pressures of city life.
Line by Line Meaning
With the sidewalks trading love
Amidst the busy streets, people are exchanging love
As subway lights grow brighter
The city comes alive as the subway gets busier
We're just another hype
We are just another phase, a craze in this city
But the pressure's getting harder
The pressure is increasing, expectations are high
(Get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
Push yourself harder to reach the top
All lover's etiquette
There are certain social norms to follow in love
Make love on first impression
Being intimate with someone new without much forethought
And adolescent sex with juvenile intentions
Sexual acts carried out by immature people
(Get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
Repeat and intensify the previous advice
Whatever gets you through the night
It doesn't matter what you do to cope at night
Just keep on dancing
Keep moving forward and surviving no matter what
Well the lady buys a thrill
A woman tries to find excitement in life
Excitement in succession
Thrills coming one after another
But a heartache won't partake
Sadness won't get involved in the excitement
In articulate obsession
It's hard to accurately describe the obsession that drives her
Well pretty things at rest
Beautiful things are peaceful and calm
No courtesy surprising
Don't be surprised when people don't act polite
For love is heaven blessed
Love is a special and holy thing
All catastrophes denying
Love makes us ignore all the potential disasters
(get up, get up, get up take it much higher)
Keep pushing yourself to the next level
Well you're out on the street
You are outside on the street
With your lover's infections
You are carrying your lover's ailments
Count impossibilities by limination
Determine what's impossible by eliminating what's left
And your body still damp
Your body is still wet
From your one-room apartment
You live in a small apartment
And your heartache reminds me
Sadness reminds you
Love's ?? any doubt
Love erases all doubts
You submerge again, emerge again
You go underwater and surface again
Just get out the strain
Relieve the pressure
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kaikasuga
I’m 13 in the year 2023 (fri/17/Mar) and HONESTLY I LOVE THIS BAND I found them 2 days ago watching a short about one of the guys getting street interviewed about his job and I love the music soo much it is soo beautiful and makes your body move on its own!!! Can’t believe how crazy the 70s and 80s music was..wish I was born at that time but overall this band was really underrated in its 80s era.. 😖💕💗✨
@ginnib1418
Good for you!! I am just about to introduce them to my 16yo - hope she doesn't ignore me! :)
@kaikasuga
@@ginnib1418 I hope your daughter enjoys the music as much as I do 🎧✨ !!!
@ginnib1418
@@kaikasuga 🥰🥰🥰
@anoob6614
You'll love pinterest photos
@ginnib1418
@@kaikasuga Me too!! Still waiting for the right moment!! :)
@kellycol1000
David's voice here those adolescent tones sound very Bowie-esque especially hearing his London accent. 😁😊😘😍 xx
@jercruse
So underrated, so distinctive, different planet, well ahead of the game, so glad I was I introduced to this style of music..
@hekakain4108
Underrated by whom?
@grumurg
@@hekakain4108 a lot of music critics back in the day apparently didn't like them (until maybe Tin Drum)