POLYSICS is a Japanese new wave/synth pop/punk/rock band, hailing from Toky… Read Full Bio ↴POLYSICS is a Japanese new wave/synth pop/punk/rock band, hailing from Tokyo. The band started in 1997, but got their big break in 1998 at a concert in Tokyo. They create high energy music, fusing conventional guitar music, with synthesized and computer generated sound to create a unique mixture of punk and electro-pop. Their song lyrics often consist of Japanese, English, or just plain gibberish. The band has been noted for their extremely energetic live performances and their wild gimmicky outfits.

Since 1999 POLYSICS have released several albums. The albums 1st P and A.D.S.R.M! were released on the independent label DECKREC Records. Just after the release of 1st P their bassist, known only as "POLY-2", left. The band dropped the "POLY-X" names, and reduced to a trio, with new member Fumi on Bass Support on some of the tracks from Neu. In 1999, Asian Man Records released their US Debut album, Hey! Bob! My Friend to rave reviews, but weak sales. The album was a compilation of tracks from their first two Japanese releases. In 2000, POLYSICS signed to Ki/oon Records (a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.) and released their first major album Neu. The album carried with it the same manic energy as their independent releases but more refined. On the 2001 album Eno, Synthesizers became more prevalent in the mix, but the songs still had an intense punk-like energy. For this album, Fumi returned to the band as a full member, returning POLYSICS to a quartet. 2002 saw the release of the album FOR YOUNG ELECTRIC POP, POLYSICS attempt at a pop album. The manic punk energy was minimized, but the band showed it had an amazing sense of harmony and style. The songs "Black Out Fall Out" and "Code 4" from this album are very emotional.

In 2003, drummer Junichi Sugai left the band after recording the Kaja Kaja Goo EP. For the 2003 album National P, Ishimaru joined on Drum Support, returning POLYSICS to a trio. Also in 2003, Neu was released on Asian Man Records in the United States to rave reviews and great sales. POLYSICS came to the US to tour, which was then captured on the PippikkippippiP In USA DVD. In 2004, POLYSICS released a Best Of compilation titled POLYSICS OR DIE!!!! which contained new versions of some early POLYSICS songs. It was also released in the United Kingdom, and was the first POLYSICS album to be released in Europe. POLYSICS toured Europe and the US for the 2005 US Release of POLYSICS OR DIE!!!!. With the recent 2006 release of "Now is the time!", they are now currently touring the US and preparing for the UK tour in April. Their most recent album is KARATE HOUSE. They also released POLYSICS OR DIE!!! VISTA, which is an updated version of POLYSICS OR DIE!!! which includes tracks from Now is the Time! and KARATE HOUSE. It also includes a bonus dvd with promotional videos and a few songs from their Now is the Live! concert dvd. They toured the US in 2007 as openers on the MySpace music tour and are currently back in Japan.

The biggest influence on POLYSICS is clearly the band Devo. From the start, POLYSICS have tried to make music in, as Hiroyuki describes it, "The spirit of Devo." Obvious references to Devo have been made in POLYSICS videos, and songs. each life each end from the album Neu borrows the riff from the Devo song "Girl U Want", and the lyrics are playfully paraphrased from the songs "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise" and "Red Eye Express", while "Plaster Caster" is a semi-cover of the song "Uglatto", one of their more obscure songs which was released on Hardcore Devo Vol.1 74-77. In a miniposter included with National P, POLYSICS members sit to eat cakes shaped like Devo's famous Energy Dome headgear. In addition, the giant robot mascot from the cover of POLYSICS' "Lo-Bits" EP (who also starred in the promo video for the song "Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto") sports a battle-helmet that resembles the same iconic dome.

While POLYSICS claim Devo as their most prevalent influence, other bands and artists that have influenced their music include Talking Heads, Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark, Sparks, The B-52's, XTC, King Crimson, Kraftwerk, P-Model, Neu!, Brian Eno, Nirvana, and David Bowie. POLYSICS have also covered songs by Styx, Suzi Quatro, The Plastics, The Ramones, The Knack, Soft Cell, and Frank Sinatra.

Announced in the official email newsletter December 23rd, 2009, keyboardist/vocalist KAYO will be performing her last show with the band at the Nippon Budokan on March 14th, 2010.

Commodoll
POLYSICS Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What is sad? What is it?
What is sad? I don't know
Uh-[S.A.D.] appeals to me
Something I understand
I'm singing sadly as well

What is crying? What is it?
What is crying? I don't know

Uh-[C.R.Y.] appeals to me
Something I understand
I'm singing sadly as well
I want to be sad..........

We have not had a single drop of rain for thirty-days
Somehow I'm not feeling well day by day, day by day everyday

Uh-[S.A.D.] appeals to me
Something I understand
I'm singing sadly as well
I want to be sad..........

We have not had a single drop of rain for thirty-days
Somehow I'm not feeling well day by day, day by day everyday

We have not had a single drop of rain for thirty-days
Somehow I'm not feeling well day by day, day by day everyday

How do you feel? I'm O.K.!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to POLYSICS's song Commodoll are rather ambiguous and open to different interpretations, however one possible reading of the lyrics is that the song is exploring the complexities of emotions, particularly the feeling of sadness. The lyrics pose a series of rhetorical questions, asking "What is sad?" and "What is crying?" The singer seems to be grappling with the concept of sadness, admitting that they do not fully understand it. However, they find comfort in the acronym S.A.D., which stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, something they claim to understand. The singer also expresses a desire to be sad, perhaps suggesting that they feel a certain comfort in wallowing in negative emotions.

This theme of sadness is further explored as the song progresses, and the repeated refrain "We have not had a single drop of rain for thirty-days, Somehow I'm not feeling well day by day, day by day everyday" creates a sense of gradual unease and despair. There is a sense that something is wrong, but it is unclear exactly what that something is. The song ends with a question "How do you feel? I'm O.K.!" which creates a feeling of uncertainty and tension.

Overall, the lyrics of Commodoll are open to interpretation, and the song might be exploring themes of mental health, emotional complexity, and the human desire to feel a range of emotions, even negative ones.

Line by Line Meaning

What is sad? What is it?
The singer is questioning the concept of sadness

What is sad? I don't know
The singer admits to not knowing what sadness is

Uh-[S.A.D.] appeals to me
The abbreviation S.A.D. resonates with the singer

Something I understand
The singer identifies with the meaning of the abbreviation

I'm singing sadly as well
The singer is expressing sadness in their singing

What is crying? What is it?
The singer is questioning the concept of crying

What is crying? I don't know
The singer admits to not knowing what crying is

Uh-[C.R.Y.] appeals to me
The abbreviation C.R.Y. resonates with the singer

Something I understand
The singer identifies with the meaning of the abbreviation

I'm singing sadly as well
The singer is expressing sadness in their singing

I want to be sad..........
The singer desires to feel sadness