For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.
Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.
Karin Komoto
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Androgynous hermaphrodite
You are a person made of milk
You are a person made of light
You are a lotus water flower and a crane
Your love is for a soul and not its name
Karin Komoto
Karin Komoto
Karin come on
San Fransiscan Japanese
Asexual and naive, flirtatious
You're affected and a waif
And your boyfriends are all gay
Outrageous!
A kitten sleeping on your naked breast
A perfect image of happiness
Karin Komoto
Karin Komoto
Karin Komoto
Karin come on
In Momus's song "Karin Komoto," the lyrics depict a person named Karin who is portrayed as both androgynous and hermaphroditic, dressed in looser, flowing silk. Karin is described as someone who is made of milk and light, as well as a lotus water flower and a crane. Their love is not for a person's name, but for their soul. The song describes Karin as San Francisco-Japanese, asexual, and flirtatious, with all of their boyfriends being gay. The lyrics also portray Karin as a waif who is both affected and outrageous. Finally, the song describes an image of a kitten sleeping on Karin's naked breast, which is portrayed as a perfect image of happiness.
Overall, the song seems to celebrate the complexity and fluidity of identity and sexuality. Karin is portrayed as someone who defies traditional gender and sexual norms, and as a result, is able to love freely and without the constraints of social expectations. The song's depiction of Karin as a lotus water flower and a crane, both symbols of grace and beauty in Japanese culture, further reinforces the idea that Karin's identity is something to be celebrated and admired.
Line by Line Meaning
I will dress you in a looser flowing silk
I want to free you from societal constraints and let you wear flowing clothes that feel comfortable to you
Androgynous hermaphrodite
Your gender doesn't conform to binary standards and that's okay
You are a person made of milk
You possess a nurturing quality that brings comfort to others
You are a person made of light
You possess a positive energy that illuminates the people around you
You are a lotus water flower and a crane
You embody grace and delicacy, like a lotus flower floating on serene waters, and also have the strength and power of a crane
Your love is for a soul and not its name
You don't care about someone's societal label or gender identity as long as you connect with their soul and their essence
Karin Komoto
This is a refrain repeating your name, as if its repetition reinforces the idea of you as an individual
San Fransiscan Japanese
Your identity is complex and multi-faceted, with influences from San Francisco and Japan
Asexual and naive, flirtatious
You may not engage in traditional sexuality, but you still have a playful and flirtatious personality
You're affected and a waif
You may seem vulnerable and fragile, but you have a strong and unique presence that leaves an impression on others
And your boyfriends are all gay
You may have had romantic relationships with men in the past, but they all happened to identify as gay
Outrageous!
This is an expression of admiration, as if to say that you are unabashedly yourself and that is awesome
A kitten sleeping on your naked breast
You have a nurturing quality that even the most vulnerable creatures feel comfortable around
A perfect image of happiness
This is an image of pure contentment and joy as you are in a state of peace with yourself
Karin come on
A final plea, as if to say 'be yourself and keep being amazing'
Contributed by Lucy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aldo Charles
on Morality Is Vanity
I’ve been listening to this song last two weeks.