Among the hundreds of artists he's worked with include Phil Ochs, Tim Buckley, Haruomi Hosono, The Byrds, Rufus Wainwright, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, U2, Joanna Newsom, Inara George, Keith Moon, Frank Zappa, Harpers Bizarre, Little Feat, Ringo Starr, Silverchair, and Skrillex.
In addition to producing, Parks has released seven studio albums of his own recordings: Song Cycle, Discover America, Clang of the Yankee Reaper, Jump!, Tokyo Rose, Songs Cycled, and with Brian Wilson, Orange Crate Art. He has also released a live album, Moonlighting: Live at the Ash Grove. His first official release was the 1966 single Number Nine, a modernized version of Beethoven's 9th backed with Do What You Wanta.
Parks has also established himself in film scores, and over the years has directed, arranged, produced, and composed soundtracks for a great number of motion pictures and television shows.
During his childhood, Parks became extremely fond of old-style American music, most notably the sounds of Tin Pan Alley. This interest in Depression-era songwriting would correlate heavily with his artistic goals and interests during the 1960s and beyond. He was also deeply affected by musicians Spike Jones and Les Paul, which led him to develop an interest with studio experimentation in the form of pop music.
Yankee Go Home
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the night life of Tokyo goes
And out on the street with a beat from Tahiti a neon moon lollipop glows
A Four ships have sailed the ocean to the bay
A chop on the water o'er waves of gray
The Commodore a notion in the spray
Where in emotion
Boy that sea is vast
What joy we're here at last
This has to be the island of Japan
Open up that door
We are ship to shore
We represent the President the sentiment of Uncle Sam
The Commodore steps forward with a sneeze
With as you were then and men at ease
To raise this once great nation from her knees
To teach her Thank you, Pardon Me Please
Might as well be Mars
Thank your stripes and stars
Show me to the bars of old Japan
Get down off this barge
Tell the man in charge
We're unafraid we come to trade
A corporation for a nation
Every man back to his station
I can hear the native call
Yankee go home
Yankee go home
You must not forget you have self-respect
I will tell you confidential
I feel downright sentimential
Like a good Yank go home
Self-respect is so essential
I say let tomorrow come
Maybe bring heartache or sonno joi
Tell your son you're a homesick boy
Don't you pick up a gun it's not a toy
Now from Rio to Rome I hear Yankee go home
Yankee go home
Parting is so sweet a sorrow
Yankee go home
May bring happiness tomorrow
One thing I have learned now that I've been burned
Is that if you should find that your hand's in the fire
You pull it back quickly and you retire like
Any good Yank go home you may have to beg and borrow
I say let tomorrow come
On the level I'm telling you to the devil you give his due
But remember that China will answer true
I say Yankee go home
I say Yankee go home
Yankee go home
Yankee go home
What resembled mirth on a trembling earth
Now just feels so economic
I feel tragic you want comic
Like a good Yank go home live in love for every neighbor
Though they're bound to disagree
That you're some kind of VIP with your gunboat democracy
You can shoot off your mouth in your own country
I say Yankee go home
I say Yankee go home
Like a good Yank go home
Self-respect is so essential
I say let tomorrow come
Till the dollar meets with the yen
And the good times return again
You recall how the dollar has fallen men
That's why we gotta go
We're Americano
The song "Yankee Go Home" was written and composed by Van Dyke Parks in 1984 as a criticism of US imperialism and foreign intervention in Japanese affairs. The lyrics convey a sense of cultural clash and frustration at the idea of American soldiers coming to Japan and imposing their values and way of life on the local population. Parks describes the scene in Tokyo's nightlife, juxtaposing it with the arrival of American ships in the bay, and using the image of the neon moon lollipop to suggest a sense of artificiality and superficiality in American culture. The lines "To raise this once great nation from her knees / To teach her Thank you, Pardon Me Please" are a reference to the idea of American exceptionalism and the belief that the US has a duty to "civilize" other nations.
The phrase "Yankee Go Home" is a common slogan in anti-American protests around the world and has been used in Japan since the end of World War II. Parks uses it as a chorus in the song to convey the resentment and defiance of the Japanese people towards American interventionism. The song also contains references to China and the falling value of the dollar, suggesting a broader critique of US foreign policy and economic dominance.
Overall, "Yankee Go Home" is a powerful and evocative protest song that captures the frustration and anger of people who feel oppressed by American hegemony. Its lyrics are a poignant reminder of the impact of foreign intervention on local cultures and the importance of respecting diversity and autonomy.
Line by Line Meaning
In sight of the lights of Roppongi
As we look at the shining lights of Roppongi, we see the busy nightlife of Tokyo
the night life of Tokyo goes
We can see the active night culture of Tokyo
And out on the street with a beat from Tahiti a neon moon lollipop glows
On the street, there's a lively beat with a Tahitian influence and a neon moon lollipop light that adds to the liveliness of the scene
A Four ships have sailed the ocean to the bay
Four ships have come across the ocean to reach the bay
A chop on the water o'er waves of gray
The water is rough and gray waves crash against the boats
The Commodore a notion in the spray
The Commodore holds a strong idea in mind while feeling the water's spray
Where in emotion
The Commodore, with strong feelings
We hear him say
speaks aloud for everyone to hear
Boy that sea is vast
Expressing the vastness of the sea and the feeling of being overwhelmed by its size
What joy we're here at last
Being happy and relieved to finally reach Japan
This has to be the island of Japan
Confirming that they have reached Japan
Open up that door
Asking for someone to open the door
We are ship to shore
Announcing their arrival
We represent the President the sentiment of Uncle Sam
Stating that they are there as representatives of the American President and government
The Commodore steps forward with a sneeze
The Commodore takes a step forward and sneezes
With as you were then and men at ease
Ordering his men to stay as they were and relax
To raise this once great nation from her knees
To help Japan return to its former glory
To teach her Thank you, Pardon Me Please
Teaching Japan's citizens to say 'thank you', 'pardon me' and 'please', polite and respectful phrases
Might as well be Mars
Describing how far away they are from home, maybe even on another planet
Thank your stripes and stars
Thanking the American flag for having a safe trip
Show me to the bars of old Japan
Asking to be taken to the old bars of Japan
Get down off this barge
Ordering them to get off the barge
Tell the man in charge
Asking someone to tell the person in charge
We're unafraid we come to trade
Not fearing to trade and do business
A corporation for a nation
Replacing one nation's corporations with another nation's corporations
Every man back to his station
Everyone should return to their position
I can hear the native call
Hearing the people of Japan calling out
Yankee go home
The people of Japan tell them to go home, calling them Yankees
You must not forget you have self-respect
Don't forget to have self-respect and dignity
I will tell you confidential
Telling them something in secret
I feel downright sentimential
Being emotional or nostalgic
Like a good Yank go home
Being a good American and returning home
Self-respect is so essential
Reiterating the importance of having self-respect
I say let tomorrow come
Let's wait for the future to come
Maybe bring heartache or sonno joi
The future may bring heartache or mixed feelings
Tell your son you're a homesick boy
Explaining that he's homesick and missing America
Don't you pick up a gun it's not a toy
Discouraging the use of guns and reminding them that guns are not toys
Now from Rio to Rome I hear Yankee go home
People all over the world are saying 'Yankee go home'
Parting is so sweet a sorrow
Saying goodbye is bittersweet
May bring happiness tomorrow
Parting may bring happiness in the future
One thing I have learned now that I've been burned
Learning from past experiences, and being wounded from those experiences
Is that if you should find that your hand's in the fire
If you put your hand in the fire, and get burned
You pull it back quickly and you retire like
You'll quickly take your hand out and withdraw
Any good Yank go home
Any good American would return home
you may have to beg and borrow
You may have to borrow money
On the level I'm telling you to the devil you give his due
Telling the truth without any lies
But remember that China will answer true
Telling them to remember that China will not lie
I say Yankee go home
Suggesting that Americans should go home
What resembled mirth on a trembling earth
What seemed to be happiness on unsteady ground of Japan
Now just feels so economic
Now just feels like a money-related question
I feel tragic you want comic
I'm feeling unhappy, but you want to hear something funny
Like a good Yank go home live in love for every neighbor
As a good American, we need to live with love for every neighbor
Though they're bound to disagree
Even if we don't agree with them
That you're some kind of VIP with your gunboat democracy
Referring to gunboat diplomacy as a way to have VIP treatment
You can shoot off your mouth in your own country
You can use words to express your opinion in your own country
I say Yankee go home
Suggesting that Americans should leave Japan
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ERROL THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind