The band was originally conceived as a one-off studio project by Hosono, the other two members being recruited session musicians - the idea was to produce an album fusing orientalist exotica (cf their cover version of Martin Denny's Firecracker) with modern electronics. However , the first album (with its cutting-edge production) was very popular, and the studio project grew into a fully fledged touring band and career for its three members.
Making abundant use of new synthesizers, samplers, digital and computer recording technology as it became available, their popularity and influence extended beyond Japan. Generally, the band was highly regarded as electronic pioneer and continues to be remixed and sampled by modern artists. The members have also worked with European synth/new romantic artists, such as David Sylvian of the band Japan. The single Bamboo Houses is one such example (Sylvian/Sakamoto).
The band stopped working together by 1984, the three members returning to their solo careers. They released a one-off reuinion album, Technodon, in 1993.
The early 2000s saw Hosono & Takahashi reunited in a project called Sketch Show. On the occasions when Sakamoto joined them in concerts, they called themselves Human Audio Sponge (HAS). The band played Rydeen at the 2007 Live Earth concert in Kyoto, Japan. They released two new singles that summer under the band name of HASYMO, an updated version of Rydeen and the new song Rescue.
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Pure Jam
Yellow Magic Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've ever eaten
Wrapped in a foil-like substance
It's an unidentified object
Shapelessly square
God it's so ugly
[Jam desho]
I wonder why
[Sore jam desho, dozo]
In the thickness or the size
The lyrics to Yellow Magic Orchestra's song Pure Jam describe the singer's experience of eating unappetizing bread that is wrapped in foil, which they describe as an unidentified object. The singer comments on the bread's shapeless and ugly appearance, and wonders if there's any reason or explanation behind its thickness, size or unattractive qualities. The song seems to be a quirky commentary on everyday experiences and the mundane things in life that we often overlook.
The lyrics can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the human experience. Just like the singer is trying to find meaning behind an unappealing piece of bread, humans often find themselves searching for meaning or purpose in life. The bread represents the challenges and difficulties that we encounter, the foil wrapping represents the obstacles and barriers, and the thickness and square shape represents the complexity of life. Despite the unattractive appearance, the singer continues to eat the bread and search for answers, just like how humans continue to persevere in the face of challenges that may seem insurmountable.
Overall, Pure Jam is a quirky and introspective song that offers insight into the human experience, highlighting the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
This must be the ugliest piece of bread
I find this bread visually unappealing
I've ever eaten
Out of all the bread I have consumed, this is the most unattractive
Wrapped in a foil-like substance
The bread is covered in a foil-like material
It's an unidentified object
I cannot identify what this bread is
Shapelessly square
The bread lacks a defined shape and is simply in the form of a square
God it's so ugly
I am repulsed by the appearance of this bread
[Jam desho]
I am contemplating the nature of this bread
I wonder why
I am curious as to why this bread appears the way it does
Maybe the answer lies
Perhaps the reason for the bread's unattractive appearance can be found in
[Sore jam desho, dozo]
I am requesting an explanation for this bread, if possible
In the thickness or the size
The explanation for the unattractive appearance of the bread may be due to its thickness or size
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Pete Barakan, Yukihiro Takahashi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jae
This must be the ugliest piece of bread
I've ever eaten
Wrapped in a foil-like substance
It's an unidentified object
Shapelessly square
God it's so ugly
[Jam desho]
I wonder why
Maybe the answer lies
[Sore jam desho, dozo]
In the thickness or the size
Beautiful song.
飯田潤生
以下、和訳をしてみた。
こんなおかしなパンを食ったのは、生まれてはじめてだね。
ホイルのようなものに包まれている
未確認物体だ！
形もなく四角い
ああ、醜い (It’s jam, right?)
なんでだろう？
嗚呼、醜いな。(It's jam, huh?)
なんでだろうね？
もしかしたらその答えは
(You mean that's jam, over.)
厚さや大きさにあるかもしれない
yosiuo
大好きですがどう聴いてもヘンテコな曲。
もちろんヘンテコな曲が世に存在するのも多様性でいい事なんだけど
あの80年代当時、この曲のイントロだけでワーワーキャーキャーと大騒ぎする人たちがいっぱいいた事は
今となっては奇跡というか狂気というか。。。
消えてなくなった文化などではなく、今でも熱心なファン・継承者はいるし
オリジナルメンバーも健在なんだけど、なんか地下活動みたいなんだよね。
「音楽業界」なる権力に依らない、革命的な音楽世界が確かにあった事を忘れないでいたいですね。
以上、オッサンの繰り言でした。
finemess
I've always thought of this album as what The Beatles might have sounded like a decade after Abbey Road (actual last record recorded, not released.) YMO were geniuses. I see that Sakamoto has been voted first choice by Japanese public to perform at the 2020 Olympics. How can YMO not be there? A travesty. Hopefully the organizers come to their senses. Takahashi, Hosono and Matsutake must be there with Ryuichi.
Dream States
finemess The vocals on this track sound very much like something George, John and Paul could have come up with
Rufusdos
But the Beatles were generally backward-looking, all those retro references. YMO are forward-looking.
Thibaut Zadina
@Rufusdos I feel also YMO's jazz background and being masters at their instruments each of them has a lot to do with their sound. So the Beatles really are in another category imo but some synths on this osng remind me of the indian instrument in Baby You're A Rich Man :)
Thibaut Zadina
btw one of the members of YMO, Yukihiro Takahashi, made a cover of 'It's All Too Much' worth checking out!
食卓塩
@Thibaut Zadina YMOだとDay Tripperもあります。
MGZC Media
One of the most underrated electronic albums ever released. I paid for it back in the day as an import at the DJ shop. It was worth every cent.
Joe Louis-Arena
And more I’m sure 😉
EL OSO
This has to be my favorite album of all time.
Superbustr
Excellent song for living in the UK. I play it in my head every time I pickup a Tesco readymade sandwich.