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
S.O.S.
Tokyo Blade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We do what we do
We say what we say
You don't like what we do
You know what you can do
Welcome to the party, everybody's welcome
Nice suit, nice tie, damn good haircut
Please take a number gotta, gotta get in line
We do.....
Oh you cant do that cos you haven't got this
And you cant have this cos you cant do that
Everybody seems so full of it
Crying don't help you, screaming don't relieve it
Cant please everybody so you gotta please yourself
Don't like what you see dear, you don't have to be here
The man at the back said everyone attack, we are what we are
We do.......
Oh you cant do that....
Same old story, slamming your head against a damn brick wall
Same old shit, I'm tired of it
You heard the man, you've got it made
We pay the price, no work, no play
The lyrics to Tokyo Blade's song S.O.S. convey an underlying message of defiance and self-assurance. The band acknowledges that not everyone will appreciate or approve of what they do or say, but they refuse to conform to society's expectations. The opening lines assert their independence, stating that they will create their own path regardless of any opposition. The welcoming of everyone to join the party and get on board the wagon highlights inclusivity and the spirit of camaraderie.
The lines "You can't have this cos you can't do that, and everybody seems so full of it" express frustration and perhaps resentment towards those who impose limitations and hindrances upon others. However, the following lines indicate that crying or screaming won't fix this, and one must learn to please oneself rather than trying to satisfy everyone else's expectations. The mention of the man at the back calling for an attack suggests a sense of rebellion and resistance against the status quo.
The song concludes with a critique of the system, which Tokyo Blade perceives as unfair. They assert that they pay the price, and the system only benefits those who do not work or play, highlighting a sense of injustice. Overall, the lyrics of S.O.S. embody a spirit of nonconformity, self-empowerment, and resistance.
Line by Line Meaning
We do what we do
We continue to go about our business in our own way
We say what we say
We speak our mind regardless of others' opinions
You don't like what we do
If you don't approve of our actions, that's your problem
You know what you can do
It's up to you to decide how to react to our behavior
Welcome to the party, everybody's welcome
Everyone is invited to join our way of life
Get on board the wagon, gotta, gotta get on
Come along with us, it's the way to go
Nice suit, nice tie, damn good haircut
Appearances matter, but that's not everything
Please take a number gotta, gotta get in line
Everyone eventually has to wait their turn
Oh you cant do that cos you haven't got this
Some things are not possible because of a lack of resources
And you cant have this cos you cant do that
You need to meet certain requirements to access certain things
Everybody seems so full of it
Everyone is full of themselves and their opinions
Crying don't help you, screaming don't relieve it
Emotions won't solve the problem
Cant please everybody so you gotta please yourself
It's impossible to make everyone happy, so you should prioritize your own happiness
Don't like what you see dear, you don't have to be here
If you don't like our way of life, you are free to leave
The man at the back said everyone attack, we are what we are
We will defend ourselves against those who oppose us, because we can't change who we are
Same old story, slamming your head against a damn brick wall
Frustration at repeatedly facing the same obstacles
Same old shit, I'm tired of it
Tired of dealing with the same problems
You heard the man, you've got it made
You're set up for success because you listened to someone wise
We pay the price, no work, no play
We work hard so we can enjoy life and our rewards are earned
Contributed by Mateo H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.