They released their first self-titled album, and played several major European festivals; namely the Aardschock Festival (with Venom & Metallica) and headlining the Earthquake Festival. They started writing and recording a new album, what was to become their most popular, Night of the Blade, but after it was finished, Alan Marsh was forced out of the band by the Management and Record Company, who wanted a more commercially viable vocalist.
Vic Wright was recruited, and re-recorded Alan's vocals on the new album. This was released, and followed by another string of festivals, in which they released a third album, Blackhearts and Jaded Spades. This album was more Americanised than their previous offerings, possibly due to the vocalist switch. Many fans disliked the album, and Vic soon left. The band then split up, with several members joining Alan Marsh in his other project, Shogun, and Andy Boulton continuing with the Tokyo Blade name, but not in the Tokyo Blade style.
In the early 1990's, many of the band found themselves together in Mr. Ice, and, due to the strong European support for Tokyo Blade, the management felt as if the band should revert back to the Tokyo Blade moniker. Boulton left the band, however, after more disagreements with the management.
The remainder of the band hooked up with Jez Lee and formed Pumphouse, and recorded an album, but, due to record company politics, it was not released for six years, and, when it was released, it was released under the Tokyo Blade name in order to cash in.
Eventually, the "true" Tokyo Blade put out another album, true in that they were called Tokyo Blade, and didn't have the name forced upon it. The album was Burning Down Paradise, released in 1995.
Discography
Tokyo Blade - 1983
Night Of The Blade- 1984
Midnight Rendezvous- 1984
Madame Guillotine- 1985
Blackhearts & Jaded Spades- 1985
Ain't Misbehavin'- 1987
No Remorse- 1989
Burning Down Paradise- 1995
Night Of The Blade - The Night Before- 1997
Mr Ice- 1998
Pumphouse- 1998
Live In Germany- 2009
Thousand Men Strong- 2011
Genghis Khan Killers- 2011
Unbroken- 2018
Dark Revolution- 2020
Fury- 2022
Like You
Tokyo Blade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tired of this head load, pressure in the red
Ain't gonna fall into the trap set by the company yes man
Oh man, surely the clock is running slow
Teasing me, letting me know
[Bridge]
Oh my feet are set in concrete, ain't enough time to get it on
Got to cut loose, gotta kickback
[Chorus]
We want to be like you, not
I don't want to be like you
We want to live like you, not
I don't want to be like you
Working on the ground floor, monkey on my back
Shot myself in the foot
Oh man, but I ain't alone
Oh pretty lady working out the back streets
Teasing me, says I gotta let go
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
[Solo]
[Chorus]
The song "Like You" by Tokyo Blade speaks to the feeling of being trapped in a monotonous mundane routine that leaves you feeling tired and uninspired. The singer is under pressure and feels that they are in danger of conforming to the norms of their company and becoming a "yes-man". The clock is ticking by teasingly slowly as they long to escape the corporate day job and get out into the world. The first stanza speaks to the singer's exhaustion and determination not to fall into the role that they are expected to play.
The chorus is a repeated phrase "We don't want to be like you, not I don't want to be like you. We want to live like you, not I don't want to be like you." This is a powerful sentiment in which the singer longs for a life that is a departure from conformity and the daily grind. The second and final stanzas speak to working on the ground floor with a proverbial monkey on their back, and a temptation to break free to pursue something different. The "pretty lady working out the back streets" in the second stanza is a metaphor for the singer's desire to break away from the corporate world and live a life that is more fulfilling. The music of Tokyo Blade showcases the raw energy and power of rock and roll with this song delivering a powerful message about individualism and the desire to break free from societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Tired of this head load, pressure in the red
Feeling exhausted and stressed from the constant workload and pressure
Ain't gonna fall into the trap set by the company yes man
Refusing to conform to the expectations of the company's conformists
Oh man, surely the clock is running slow
Expressing frustration over the slow-paced work environment
Teasing me, letting me know
Being mocked by the lack of progress and development in the workplace
9 o'clock on a Monday morning getting those downtown flashbacks
Remembering the rush of the city on a Monday morning
Oh my feet are set in concrete, ain't enough time to get it on
Feeling stuck in a rut with not enough time to break free from the monotony
Got to cut loose, gotta kickback
Needing to relax and let go of the work-related stress and pressure
We want to be like you, not
Not aspiring to become like the conformists and yes-men in the workplace
I don't want to be like you
Rejecting the expectations of the company and refusing to conform
We want to live like you, not
Desiring to live differently and break free from the constraints of the workplace
Working on the ground floor, monkey on my back
Struggling with a difficult workload and feeling like a mere cog in the system
Shot myself in the foot
Making a mistake or error that has led to negative consequences
Oh man, but I ain't alone
Recognizing that others also share the same struggles and hardships in the workplace
Oh pretty lady working out the back streets
Noticing a woman who is perhaps a symbol of escape from the repetitive work routine
Teasing me, says I gotta let go
Taunting and encouraging the singer to break free and let go of their worries
Contributed by Kaylee E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.