Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) was an influential Japanese electronic music b… Read Full Bio ↴Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) was an influential Japanese electronic music band, formed in 1978. They are renowned as a major influence in popular music, and for pioneering the synth-pop genre. The principal members are Haruomi Hosono (bass), Yukihiro Takahashi (1952-2023, drums) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952-2023, keyboards).
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.
Read more here.
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.
Read more here.
Tighten Up
Yellow Magic Orchestra Lyrics
Hi, everybody!
We are YMO from Tokyo, Japan
We don't sightsee, we dance!
You understand?
We are the number one dance band in Tokyo (aha!)
Now, 'Tighten Up' was very popular in Houston, Texas
With Archie Bell & the Drells
Now, we are the number one!
I think so, ha ha (yeah!)
Tighten up, Takahashi!
酒飲め, Sakamoto!
Hurry up with the bass, Papa-san!
Oh yeah, uh-huh, here we go!
Come on, everybody!
You and me
Sock it to me, Sakamoto!
Oi! Oi! Oi!
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Come on! Come on!
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up! Come on, you all!)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up, you all!)
Shall we go again?
(Tighten up)
Oh, tighten up
Tighten up
Oh, tighten up
Tighten up
Oh, tighten up
(Tighten up)
Do the tighten up
(Oh, tighten up)
Do the tighten up
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
Do the tighten up! Come on, you al!
(Oi Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up, you all!)
We are YMO from Tokyo, Japan
We don't sightsee, we dance!
You understand?
We are the number one dance band in Tokyo (aha!)
Now, 'Tighten Up' was very popular in Houston, Texas
With Archie Bell & the Drells
Now, we are the number one!
I think so, ha ha (yeah!)
Tighten up, Takahashi!
酒飲め, Sakamoto!
Hurry up with the bass, Papa-san!
Oh yeah, uh-huh, here we go!
Come on, everybody!
You and me
Sock it to me, Sakamoto!
Oi! Oi! Oi!
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Come on! Come on!
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up! Come on, you all!)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up, you all!)
Shall we go again?
(Tighten up)
Oh, tighten up
Tighten up
Oh, tighten up
Tighten up
Oh, tighten up
(Tighten up)
Do the tighten up
(Oh, tighten up)
Do the tighten up
(Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
Do the tighten up! Come on, you al!
(Oi Japanese gentlemen, stand up please)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up)
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
(Do the tighten up, you all!)
Writer(s): Archie Bell, Billy Buttier
Contributed by Caden W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
@user-pj2fk9kn1e
武漢ウイルスの吹き荒れる中で鬱々していたけど
これを聞いたらちょっと元気が出てきた
細野さんのベース もう最高
高橋さんのスネアはキレッキレだし
Sock it to me 坂本！ 酒飲め坂本！
東京オリンピックの成功にはYMOの力が必要だ❗
サキサカとモモナイの絡みで
克也のツッコミに諦めぎみの雅刀「ハイハイ」 爆笑です
@rightweaponry908
"Sock it to me Sakamoto!" randomly pops in my head and I have to say it out loud and nobody ever gets it, I swear one day someone will get it and say "Tighten up Takahashi!"
@SteveAyanami
We out here. 😉
@signifidelica2819
keep it up ill find ya
@gianlucacahun364
This is the most relatable comment ever fr
@MowgliX
Thank you! You made my day!!!! You understand? Hoyyy!!! Oh yaaa! Uh-huh!
@SpillAudio
My advice? Anime conventions. I've gotten people to talk my ear off on three separate occasions because I wander around and play YMO on my portable speaker. Talks about Hosono's solo career, the band fighting during the recording of Cue, and even this very track. It can be done, it surely will be done again
@suzusho71
小林克也さんが裏声でも流暢に英語をしゃべれるのが凄い。
@xyanide1986
Imagine them editing and mixing this shit while laughing their asses off.
@dplatt7290
This is the craziest shit I've ever heard
@beartunes
D Platt you haven't heard Mike Oldfield Sentinel Satoshi Tomiie mix yet then. Or Loop Guru "under influence (Marathon Breath Frontier)".