Zauner released a tape in June 2013 under the solo moniker Japanese Breakfast. The tape was titled June and boasted thirty tracks written and recorded every day of the month. A stark deviation from Little Big League's guitar-based indie rock, it showcased Zauner's dark lyrics, unique vocals and inherent knack for pop melody.
Two bedroom pop cassettes later, Japanese Breakfast returns with a first full-fledged LP and vinyl release, Psychopomp. The album explores Zauner's experimental interests and hosts a wide range of sound: jarring anime samples, minimalist ballads, rhythms and synths reminiscent of Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac paired with the moody intimacy of Mount Eerie. Psychopomp revisits and revamps lo-fi tracks and adds chilling new songs to fall in love with.
In 2019, Japanese Breakfast released two singles under the W Hotels music label, "Essentially" and a cover of the Tears for Fears song, Head Over Heels.
In 2021, Zauner returns, having released three singles to her upcoming album, Jubilee, which will be out on the 4th of June. The singles are Be Sweet, Posing in Bondage, and Savage Good Boy; they were released in this order.
Kokomo IN
Japanese Breakfast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For just another day
Maybe it'd feel like the first time
Now that you're away
I'll just spend my life not knowing
How it'd feel to
These days I can't shake the awful feeling
Is that you?
Manifesting like the fear of an oven left on
God, I felt so much back then
I was soft as a dune
If ever you come back
Wherever you find your way to
And though it may not last
Just know that I'll be here longing
I'll wait, passing time just popping wheelies
And kicking 'round this flyover state
Watching you show off to the world the parts I fell so hard for
God I wish we could go back there
Left alone in my room
I know they deserve you too
And maybe I'm not that worthy
If ever you come back
Wherever you find your way to
And though it may not last
Just know that I'll be here longing
If ever you come back
Wherever you find your way to
And though it may not last
You know that I'll be here always
The lyrics of the song "Kokomo, IN" by Japanese Breakfast seem to be a lamentation over losing something that was once loved dearly. The singer longs for the return of a loved one, someone who inspired strong feelings of passion but has now left her. She expresses uncertainty and regret over not being able to fully appreciate that love while it was present in her life, and she is unsure how to fill the void that it has left behind. The singer then expresses a desire to be reunited with her lost love and to relive the moments they shared together. Even though it might not last, she wants the person to know that she will always be longing for them.
As the song progresses, the singer admits to feeling incomplete and unsatisfied, as if something crucial is missing from her life. This sense of dissatisfaction continues to build until it becomes an almost physical sensation, like the fear of an oven left on. The singer recalls a time when she was soft and vulnerable, easily moved by the world around her, and longs to recapture that feeling of innocence and pure passion. She discusses the parts of the lost love that she fell for the most and how she would watch them show off to the world. She wishes for the chance to go back to that time when she was alone in her room, yearning for their return, even though she knows that they might not be worthy of their love, she just wants them to come back.
Overall, this song captures the feelings of longing and regret that often come with loss. The singer remembers the good times and wishes that they could have lasted forever. The song seems to be a bittersweet reminder of the importance of cherishing the relationships we have while we still have them.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could throw my arms around you
Expressing the desire to embrace the person, if given another chance
For just another day
Wishing for a new opportunity to spend time together
Maybe it'd feel like the first time
Hopeful that the experience will be as exciting and fresh as the first encounter
Now that you're away
Reflecting on the fact that the person is no longer around
I'll just spend my life not knowing
Resigned to the fact that the feeling will persist indefinitely and never be resolved
How it'd feel to
Continuation of the previous line, expressing uncertainty about the future
These days I can't shake the awful feeling
Describing an ongoing sense of dissatisfaction or unease
I'm missing something I can't place
Unable to identify the cause of the feeling or what is missing
Is that you?
Questions whether the person they long for is the source of the feeling
Manifesting like the fear of an oven left on
Using an analogy to express the idea that the feeling is persistent and uncomfortable
God, I felt so much back then
Reminiscing about the intense feelings they had in the past
I was soft as a dune
Describing how vulnerable and open they were in the past
If ever you come back
Expressing hope that the person will return
Wherever you find your way to
Accepting that they may not know where the person is or where life has taken them
And though it may not last
Acknowledging that any reunion might be temporary
Just know that I'll be here longing
Declaring that they will always yearn for the person's return
I'll wait, passing time just popping wheelies
Using a casual activity to pass the time while they wait for the person's return
And kicking 'round this flyover state
Describing how they feel stuck or trapped in their current location
Watching you show off to the world the parts I fell so hard for
Imagining the person succeeding and feeling pride in their accomplishments while still harboring feelings for them
God I wish we could go back there
Expressing a longing for the past, when things were different and more hopeful
Left alone in my room
Emphasizing the isolation and loneliness they feel without the person
I know they deserve you too
Acknowledging that the person might be better off with someone else
And maybe I'm not that worthy
Questioning their own value and whether they deserve to be with the person
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Michelle Chongmi Zauner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind