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.
European Son
Japan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some places I tend to forget
The air clings deep in my throat
It's so cold in this luncheonette, well
Somebody wants to know you
An ordinary boy
Somebody wants to know you
Here I am
European son
Sometimes the passenger
European son
Here I am
Suffragettes in Washington
Disposable serviettes
Searching for the quiet life
There's no love in this luncheonette, well
The song "European Son" by Japan, which appears on their 1980 album "Gentlemen Take Polaroids," is a haunting, introspective exploration of identity and belonging. The opening lines, "Scurrying across the boardwalk / Some places I tend to forget / The air clings deep in my throat / It's so cold in this luncheonette," paint a picture of a disoriented and disconnected individual, struggling to find their place in the world around them. The use of sensory details like the cold and the air in the throat add a visceral quality to the lyrics, making it feel more like a personal reflection than a simple narrative.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is searching for connection and understanding. The lines "Somebody wants to know you / An ordinary boy / Somebody wants to know you / A standard polaroid" suggest that the singer is yearning for recognition and validation, but feels trapped by the expectations placed upon them. The chorus, which repeats the lines "Here I am / European son / Sometimes the passenger / European son / Here I am," hints at a feeling of transience and impermanence, as if the singer is constantly searching for a place to belong.
The final lines of the song, "Suffragettes in Washington / Disposable serviettes / Searching for the quiet life / There's no love in this luncheonette," bring the narrative full circle, returning to the sense of alienation and disconnection established at the beginning. The reference to suffragettes and disposable serviettes add a historical and cultural dimension to the lyrics, hinting at broader themes of social justice and consumerism. Overall, "European Son" is a deeply introspective and evocative song that captures the feeling of being adrift in a world that doesn't quite fit.
Line by Line Meaning
Scurrying across the broadwalk
Moving quickly on the boardwalk
Some places I tend to forget
Forgetting some places
The air clings deep in my throat
The air is suffocating
It's so cold in this luncheonette, well
The luncheonette is uncomfortably cold
Somebody wants to know you
Someone is curious about you
An ordinary boy
Just a regular guy
A standard polaroid, well
A typical photo
Here I am
I am here
European son
A European man
Sometimes the passenger
Being a passenger sometimes
European son
European man
Here I am
I am here
Suffragettes in Washington
Women fighting for the right to vote in Washington
Disposable serviettes
Paper napkins that are thrown away after use
Searching for the quiet life
Looking for a peaceful life
There's no love in this luncheonette, well
There is no affection in the luncheonette
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen Tremm
on . . . . Rhodesia
Nazis in full attack etc. - maybe army radio communications or tv news report.
Stephen Tremm
on . . . . Rhodesia
Saluting supermarket majorettes, we understand - maybe a joke or pun on a supermarket chain called Majorette, or a big display of model cars made by the company Majorette (a real company) in a supermarket.
Bleach your body - what a black person would need to do to get equality.
Nazis in full attack etc. - Maybe army radio communications or a tv news report.