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.
Visions Of China
Japan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But just a little too thin
I may be happy,
But I don't have a clue to this life
In my mind
Stay with me
We could learn to fight
Cling to me
We are blacked-out
In visions of China tonight
I'm building heroes again
I never thought of before
I remember the fashion
But don't have a clue
To this life
In my mind
Stay with me
We could learn to fight
Like every good boy should
Cling to me
We are blacked-out
In visions of China tonight
We walk backwards, say nothing
My visions of China
We're young and strong in this party
We're building/ living our visions of China
The song "Visions Of China" by Japan is a reflective piece about the confusion and uncertainty that comes with young adulthood. The lyrics begin with the singer walking feeling "young and strong" but acknowledging they are "just a little too thin," a subtle reference to their emotional weight. The following lines remark on the character's general happiness without a real understanding of the trajectory of their life, admitting that they "don't have a clue to this life in my mind."
The chorus of the song shifts to a request for someone to "Stay with me," an invitation to find camaraderie in the struggle of coming of age. The phrase "We could learn to fight, like every good boy should," reveals the expectation that being male should involve some level of conflict or struggle, which may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to toxic masculinity. The song continues to focus on the singer's internal struggle, describing turning to building heroes and nostalgia for the past. The song concludes with the acknowledgement that the singer and their peers are "young and strong in this party" as they continue to Imagine and build versions of their future selves.
Overall, the lyrics of "Visions Of China" speak to the universal experience of entering adulthood, the confusion that comes with exploring identity and meaning, and the importance of finding a community to work through these challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm walking young and strong
But just a little too thin
I am physically vibrant, but perhaps lacking in vitality.
I may be happy,
But I don't have a clue to this life
In my mind
I may outwardly seem content, but internally lack understanding.
Stay with me
We could learn to fight
Like every good boy should
Cling to me
We are blacked-out
In visions of China tonight
Let us stay united and fight as we should, in a state of rapture, and embrace the unknown with abandon.
I'm building heroes again
I never thought of before
I remember the fashion
But don't have a clue
To this life
In my mind
I am conceptualizing new leaders and yet I have forgotten my sense of style and direction.
We walk backwards, say nothing
My visions of China
We're young and strong in this party
We're building/ living our visions of China
We move in silence, with purpose towards alternate reality, manifesting our aspirations of a new world.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN, STEVEN JANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brian Damage
Imagine hearing a fresh, innovative young band like this on the radio nowadays.
Tim Turpin-Fleck aka The Curator
Never going to happen unfortunately
C W
Steve Jansens drumming doesn’t get enough credit. Karn and Jansen - pure rhythm.
Moji 311
Agreed.
jasonpfinch
Jansen is an absolute monster. He and Karn are the tightest rhythm section outside of blues and jazz.
Henk de Groot
Het zoveelste fantastische nummer van deze nog altijd zwaar onderschatte band.
Nogmaals doodzonde dat deze band allang niet meer bestaat, want ik mis ze nog altijd!
Gezien de reacties hebben ze in Nederland nog steeds nooit gehoord van deze band....??
Of hoe zit dat??
The Lady Meed
This is beyond brilliant. I loved it when it first came out, and it has more than stood the test of time. I really miss the creativity of the 1980s - I really took it all for granted. Thanks for posting.
Tina Jones
Still a fabulous song. Their best, alongside "Gentlemen take polaroids".
Andrew JS
Tin Drum is the greatest album of all time, which means that nothing since 1981 has been as good.
Stephen Trudgeon
They don't play music like this anymore even on 80s stations,great tune play it more!