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.
Still Life In Mobile Homes
Japan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I'm quite alone
I pack to leave a foreign town
It seems I'll never know
But I'll rent new accommodation
We'll make plans from mobile homes
The slow boat's moving with the tide
It's the nature of this country life
I've never known before
Still we'll make plans for buildings and houses
From mobile homes
Plant life
My life
Still life in mobile homes
The sound of wildlife fills the air
So warm and dry
The bushland burns in this southern heat
Like an open fire
Still we'll make plans for buildings and houses
From mobile homes
In mobile homes
Plant life
My life
Still life in mobile homes
A voice screams from heaven
As we start to sail
It's the going of the fatherland I used to know so well
Still I'll find new accommodation
We'll make plans from mobile homes
Plant life
My life
Still life in mobile homes
The lyrics of Japan's song "Still Life in Mobile Homes" seem to evoke a sense of nostalgia for a home or a life that used to be, while also acknowledging the transient nature of contemporary existence. The opening lines suggest a feeling of both comfort and loneliness that can come with being in a room, while also expressing a sense of rootlessness and uncertainty about the future. The singer is frequently moving from place to place, never quite feeling settled or at home in any one location.
The repeated refrain, "We'll make plans from mobile homes," suggests a coping mechanism for this sense of displacement. Instead of trying to build something permanent in a place where they may not stay for long, the singer is making do with a mobile home - a temporary structure that can be easily moved. This allows them to still make plans for the future, even if those plans are not grounded in a permanent physical location.
Throughout the song, there are also references to nature, with descriptions of wildlife and bushland burning in the heat. This serves to highlight the natural world's constant presence and influence, no matter where the singer goes. It also creates a sense of tension between this seemingly idyllic natural environment, which is warm and full of life, and the transience and instability of contemporary existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes the comfort of a room
Occasionally, I am able to take solace in a room
Sometimes I'm quite alone
Other times, I am quite isolated
I pack to leave a foreign town
I am preparing to depart from a foreign place
It seems I'll never know
I feel like I will never fully understand the situation
But I'll rent new accommodation
Despite this uncertainty, I will find new lodging
We'll make plans from mobile homes
We will continue to make plans and find comfort in our mobile homes
The slow boat's moving with the tide
We are moving slowly with the natural flow of our journey
Drifting far from shore
We are going further and further from familiar ground
It's the nature of this country life
This is the nature of country living
I've never known before
I have not experienced this before
Still we'll make plans for buildings and houses
Despite this new experience, we will continue to plan for our future
From mobile homes
Finding comfort in our mobile homes
Plant life
The plant life that surrounds us
My life
My existence and experiences
Still life in mobile homes
We continue to find a sense of stillness in our mobile homes
The sound of wildlife fills the air
We are surrounded by the sounds of nature
So warm and dry
The climate is hot and dry
The bushland burns in this southern heat
The heat of the southern climate is causing the bushland to catch on fire
Like an open fire
The intensity of the heat is comparable to an open flame
In mobile homes
Despite the harsh environment, we find solace in our mobile homes
A voice screams from heaven
A voice from the heavens can be heard
As we start to sail
As we begin our journey
It's the going of the fatherland I used to know so well
We are leaving behind the country I once knew so well
Still I'll find new accommodation
But I will always find new lodging
We'll make plans from mobile homes
And continue to plan for our future from our mobile homes
Plant life
The plants that surround us
My life
My existence and experiences
Still life in mobile homes
We continue to find a sense of stillness in our mobile homes, despite the changes and uncertainty in our lives
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
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.