Ever since this hyper-kinetic quartet first landed among us, circa 2002, direct from semi-rural New Zealand, they have been one of rock’s great live attractions. At any given summer festival, thrill-seekers of every colour will flock together from new band tent, or metal stage, or their skate arena, or indeed their own private drunken chaos, to witness Dolf, Christian, Phil and Ben putting their collective boot to the jams, generating their own riff-mangling, speaker-stack-toppling electricity.
The band took their name, rather self-deprecatingly, from the car which is emblematic of the "Jap crap" which floods the Antipodean market. As four kids from Cambridge, New Zealand (population: 12,000), they didn’t feel like their prospects warranted a name like The Cadillacs or The Rolls Royces. Jack White, inspired by a chaotic live show he saw them perform during a White Stripes tour of NZ, duly hired them as a support act in the US in early 2002.
Too metal for garage purists, but also not straight-down-the-line enough for the headbanging crowd, the band have been fighting for their own turf on the world’s stages ever since. Their fans equally defy categorization. The first song Arctic Monkeys ever played together, for instance, apparently, was ‘Harmonic Generator’ off ‘The Datsuns’.
Over the course of the last turbulent eight years the Datsuns have churned out four albums, no mean feat in this lethargic modern age. During that time they managed to circumnavigate the world countless times, playing shows in every country, city and town that had a venue that could contain their raw power. This relentless touring has been key in ensuring that the Datsuns have never strayed far from the public eye or ear.
Finally, feeling ready to commit to tape, or hard drive, the band commenced writing new material for album five during a national tour of New Zealand in the spring of 2010. The tracking is to place in Sweden again at the newly built Gutterview Recorders in Stockholm. Put together by none other than Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters) & Dolf de Borst himself.
Following the release of album five the Datsuns will embark on another of their lengthy, globe spanning tours.
Hong Kong Fury
The Datsuns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She draws closer than id wish
A little touch, a spark, and itch
Creeps into me telling me this
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
Her intentions I would rather forget
Anticipation of a deep regret
Got me soaking in a cold, cold sweat
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
Oh her love is like a ferverish disease
Oh she got me down upon my knees
Oh she got me begging please
On my knees, oh yeah
Tiny cut strawberry blood
Broken heart, my face in the mud
She hit me hard, hard as can be
Oh but I want her, I want that disease
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
Oh her love is like a ferverish disease
Oh she got me down upon my knees
Oh she got me begging please
On my knees, oh yeah
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
The Datsuns's song "Hong Kong Fury," from their self-titled debut album, is a rock tune that details the singer's encounters with a woman who he is inexplicably drawn to, despite knowing that she may bring him pain. Through the use of vivid and visceral imagery, the song portrays the singer's increasing obsession with this woman, which ultimately leads to his downfall.
The opening lines of the chorus ("Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury") may initially seem like a reference to the city, but it soon becomes clear that this is actually the name of the woman who the singer is describing. The use of her name in the chorus gives her a kind of mythical quality and makes her seem almost like a force of nature that the singer cannot resist.
The lyrics of "Hong Kong Fury" are steeped in sexual undertones, with references to "a little touch, a spark, and itch" and "her love is like a feverish disease." The singer seems to be aware that his attraction to Hong Kong Fury is dangerous, but he is unable to resist her nonetheless. The final verse, which references "tiny cut strawberry blood" and a "broken heart," suggests that the singer's involvement with Hong Kong Fury has not only physical but emotional consequences as well.
Line by Line Meaning
Step by step and inch to inch
Slowly but surely, she is getting closer to me
She draws closer than id wish
I don't want her to be this close to me
A little touch, a spark, and itch
Her touch creates a feeling in me that I can't resist
Creeps into me telling me this
I know that I shouldn't be with her but I can't help myself
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
I am entranced by this woman's fiery and unpredictable nature
Her intentions I would rather forget
I am afraid of what she might want from me
It seems my fortunes have already been set
I feel like I am destined for something bad with this woman
Anticipation of a deep regret
I know that I will regret getting involved with her
Got me soaking in a cold, cold sweat
I am nervous and afraid of what might happen
Oh her love is like a ferverish disease
Her love is intense and all-consuming
Oh she got me down upon my knees
I am submitting to her power over me
Oh she got me begging please
I am begging her to stay with me even though I know I shouldn't
On my knees, oh yeah
I am powerless to resist her charm and allure
Tiny cut strawberry blood
Even the smallest wound from her can be deadly
Broken heart, my face in the mud
She has hurt me deeply, and I feel humiliated
She hit me hard, hard as can be
Her blow was powerful and devastating
Oh but I want her, I want that disease
Despite the pain, I can't resist her pull on me
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Fury
I am still under her spell, and can't resist her unpredictable ways
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christian Livingstone, Matthew Terrence Osment, Philip Buscke Somervell, Rudolf Christian DeBorst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Martín Schaab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnWj2Hza8bI
El pibe de los astilleros - Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota (1991)