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.
Suburban Berlin
Japan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pressure for the ceiling
No vacation on immaculate times
Domestic training
A woman's intuition
A love is churning out on factory lines
Health demanding
Commuters converse in satirical signs
Know no news and no personnel crisis
With new indifferent industrial crimes
Welcome to suburban Berlin
Welcome to suburban Berlin
Love affairs
And endless strategies
I don't believe in a word they said
City limits
No more information
Go follow navigation in your head
Welcome to suburban Berlin
Welcome to suburban Berlin
The lyrics of Japan's song Suburban Berlin seem to be a critique of the monotonous and unfulfilling lifestyles of those living in suburban areas, specifically in Berlin. The first few lines of the song suggest a longing for more meaning or excitement in life, as the singer flirts with new ambition and feels pressure from the mundane daily routine that seems to keep them trapped beneath a ceiling. The mention of "immaculate times" suggests a sense of desperation to keep up appearances, perhaps to fit in with a superficial and materialistic social group.
Later in the verse, the lyrics touch on themes of gender roles, with the mention of "domestic training" and "a woman's intuition" implying a prescribed way of life for women in this suburban world. The love being "churned out on factory lines" further emphasizes the idea of conformity and lack of genuine emotional connection. The second half of the verse seems to criticize the lack of awareness and empathy among this population, as they converse in "satirical signs" and ignore the world around them, instead allowing themselves to be consumed by "indifferent industrial crimes".
The chorus of the song, with its repeating refrain of "welcome to suburban Berlin", adds a sense of bleakness to the overall meaning of the lyrics. It is as if no matter how much the singer longs for something more, this is the only reality available to them, and they are resigned to it. The reference to "endless strategies" in the second verse and the need to "follow navigation in your head" suggests a desire for escape or rebellion, but ultimately it is unclear whether such efforts would be successful or not.
Overall, the lyrics of Suburban Berlin paint a picture of a gray and lifeless world, where conformity and surface-level interactions are the norm, and true passion and connection are hard to come by.
Line by Line Meaning
Flirting new ambition
Exploring new goals and aspirations
Pressure for the ceiling
Feeling the pressure to succeed and reach higher levels
No vacation on immaculate times
No time off even during perfect times
Domestic training
Being trained to conform to societal expectations of household duties
A woman's intuition
Trusting one's instincts and inner voice
A love is churning out on factory lines
Love is often treated like a product, manufactured and produced on an assembly line
Health demanding
The need to prioritize one's health
Unfit behaviour
Engaging in unhealthy behaviors
Commuters converse in satirical signs
People on their daily commute engage in sarcastic and cynical conversation
Know no news and no personnel crisis
Being ignorant of current events and other people's struggles
With new indifferent industrial crimes
New forms of apathetic and unethical practices in the industrial sector
Welcome to suburban Berlin
The setting being presented is a metaphorical representation of the monotony of suburban life
Love affairs
Romantic relationships
And endless strategies
People use various methods and tactics to fulfill their goals
I don't believe in a word they said
The singer is skeptical of those around them and their words
City limits
The restrictions of living in a city
No more information
Lack of access to new knowledge and ideas
Go follow navigation in your head
Trusting one's internal compass and going down the path that feels right
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@singerrecords8365
The video accompanying Suburban Berlin is from a ballet conceived by one of Berlin's great artists from the Bauhaus era ; the painter, sculptor, designer and choreographer Oskar Schlemmer who died in 1943. Japan's late bass player Mick Kahn, who died in 2011, was an accomplished sculptor and painter and embraced the experimental. This video is in his honour.
@ihavenolife6718
Singer Records
so you really work with Japan and if true then how was it working with them
@singerrecords8365
Thanks for the positive feedback.
@spasmspector
Excuse me, but it is Mick Karn, not Mick Kahn. You can't spell his name correctly, what a good honouring of him. That was sarcasm, in case you didn't notice.
@singerrecords8365
Apologies for incorrect spelling of Mick's surname.
@chinard
this footage is a great match for the feel of this track, loving it
But is this really 'offical' video?
@jonbilbao2207
What a beautiful song !!! Japan´s early Hansa stuff is totally underrated
@singerrecords8365
Agree!
@mjh5437
Their best stuff I think,love their Glam Rock days of 78-79
@justinebourke2811
People are always disparaging in their comments on Japan's early music but I love a lot of it and this is an example of just how good they were back then.. as for the video; absolutely way ahead of it's time..weird and wonderful! 😊❤❤