Formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, the original group comprised singer-musician-composer and bandleader Brian Wilson, his brothers Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Wilson neighbor David Marks appeared on their first four albums and was a member from 1962 to 1963 as a temporary replacement for Jardine, who had left the group to pursue a career in dentistry.
On their first few studio albums, the group primarily played surf music, but this changed after 1964 as their songs became more sophisticated and autobiographical. The 1965 album Today! particularly represented this shift in sound. Bruce Johnston joined the group that same year. Session drummer Hal Blaine is quoted: "We all studied in conservatories; we were trained musicians. We thought it was a fluke at first, but then we realized Brian was writing these incredible songs. This was not just a young kid writing about high school and surfing."
Following their most esteemed work, Pet Sounds (1966), the band became symbols of psychedelic counterculture. The highly anticipated follow-up, Smile, was left unfinished, and Brian soon relinquished his creative hold on the group. A trilogy of lo-fi releases followed: Smiley Smile (1967), Wild Honey (1967), and Friends (1968). Brian would not be credited as a primary composer for any Beach Boys album until 1977's Love You, an album on the fringe of synth-pop, new wave, and punk.
In Brian's absence, the Beach Boys still managed to release music that was regarded favorably by fans and critics despite poor sales: Sunflower (1970) and Surf's Up (1971). South African musicians Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar played and sang with the band on the next two albums: Carl & the Passions - So Tough (1972), and Holland (1973).
Many changes in both musical style and personnel have occurred in their sometimes-stormy career: Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug addiction; the deaths of Dennis Wilson in 1983 and Carl Wilson in 1998; and continuing legal battles among surviving members of the group. With the release of 1974's Endless Summer they became a more popular touring act, playing their greatest hits. They have recorded 36 Billboard Top 40 hits (including four number-one singles), have had over 100 million sales, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Official site: http://www.thebeachboys.com
Somewhere Near Japan
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
And she said
"Rescue me"
I'm somewhere in the
China Sea
I think I'm sinkin' fast
This call is probably my last
I'm throwin' out a life line
And I'm doin' it for old time's sake
Though I know you're gonna break my heart
One more time
Late last night I got an S. O. S.
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan
And she said "thank you dear"
I think she sounded quite sincere
And when she turned to go
She said "I crave adventure don't you know"
And now she's driftin' on some Chinese junk
Her world is spinning and her hope has sunk
So I close my eyes
And somewhere near Japan
The spinning stopped and the world stood still
I broke her fall and I always will
Strung out in no man's land
Somewhere near Japan
Rescue me
The Beach Boys' song "Somewhere Near Japan" tells the story of a woman who is in distress somewhere in the China Sea near Japan, who calls out for help. The singer, who is on the other end of the line, expresses a mixture of concern, frustration, and love. He wants to help her because he still cares for her, but also knows that he is likely to be hurt again. As he listens to her plea, he realizes how much he wants to be with her and help her, even if there is a strong likelihood of the relationship shattering once again.
The song's lyrics are predominantly about reconnecting with someone who was once a significant part of someone's life. The singer wants to help his former lover, but at the same time, he acknowledges that he's likely to be hurt again. He's conflicted between his desire to help and his fear of getting hurt again, yet he still chooses to respond to her SOS call. Through the song, we can see that the singer has not entirely moved on from the relationship, despite it ending poorly.
Line by Line Meaning
Late last night I got an S. O. S.
Receiving an urgent distress signal late at night
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
The person sending the distress signal is in a desperate situation
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan
The person sending the signal is lost or uncertain of their location, but believes they are in the vicinity of Japan
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan
The person sending the distress signal is describing the dire state of their vessel and crew, and reiterating uncertainty about their location
And she said
"Rescue me"
I'm somewhere in the
China Sea
I think I'm sinkin' fast
This call is probably my last
I'm throwin' out a life line
And I'm doin' it for old time's sake
Though I know you're gonna break my heart
One more time
The person sending the signal pleads for rescue, explicates their location, and imparts a sense of finality and fatalism while still offering an olive branch to their rescuer
And she said "thank you dear"
I think she sounded quite sincere
And when she turned to go
She said "I crave adventure don't you know"
The person sending the signal expresses gratitude towards their rescuer and confides a yearning for adventure
And now she's driftin' on some Chinese junk
Her world is spinning and her hope has sunk
So I close my eyes
And somewhere near Japan
The spinning stopped and the world stood still
I broke her fall and I always will
Strung out in no man's land
Somewhere near Japan
Rescue me
The rescuer describes rushing to the person's aid and successfully saving them, though their situation is still precarious and uncertain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group
Written by: JOHN PHILLIPS, BRUCE JOHNSTON, MIKE LOVE, TERRY MELCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ecdjcl7642
Lyrics via Google:
Late last night I got an S. O. S.
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan
And she said
"Rescue me"
I'm somewhere in the
China Sea
I think I'm sinkin' fast
This call is probably my last
I'm throwin' out a life line
And I'm doin' it for old time's sake
Though I know you're gonna break my heart
One more time
Late last night I got an S. O. S.
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan
And she said "thank you dear"
I think she sounded quite sincere
And when she turned to go
She said "I crave adventure don't you know"
And now she's driftin' on some Chinese junk
Her world is spinning and her hope has sunk
So I close my eyes
And somewhere near Japan
The spinning stopped and the world stood still
I broke her fall and I always will
Strung out in no man's land
Somewhere near Japan
Rescue me
@telophasemusic
I love how most 80s beach boys songs are usually dubious in sound but then you'll get something like this or Crack At Your Love and think "goddammit that's good"
@meatwoodflacmedia
Both songs heavily feature Al Jardine. A true sign of quality
@telophasemusic
@@meatwoodflacmedia Al Jardine is deffo one of the best. I feel like he shoulda done lead vocals more often
@justinswinehart5361
Still my favorite Beach Boys song. We had this on cassette.
@brianh5044
I also owned this album on cassette. I listened to it nonstop as a kid, especially this song!
@tangomaldito
Una joya escondida solo disponible para aquellos que conocen profundamente a los Beach Boys
@danielmilo3378
This song is sooooooo underrated. I played this on repeat when i was 16, 34 years ago and truly appreciated the lyrics and melody of this cohesive band.
@pnutbutrncrackers
For some really aggravating reason this excellent Beach Boys cut is not available on Spotify, and I love it! Arrrrrgh!
@mathieunuytens7784
I know, right???
@BIGGUY0683
It’s not on iTunes either, which is odd. Several years back I bought it on iTunes and now I can’t find them anywhere.