Japan - Cantonese Boy

[woowoowingwang]

japan were definitely one of the better new romantic bands from the 1970's.

[gypsyola]

the originality of this sound still blows me away, and it's done for the last 25 years...

[poddel]

love the song, and everything that it reminds me about. A reverie in sound and style, exotic, and timeless romantic

[333Chrome]

you have to understand that China was superclosed to the modern world in the days, almost like a forbidden kingdom, a stark supertight poeple republic far away from western world. everybody was convinced it would never ever change, but look now....

[konked]

@333Chrome And many are scared out their pants suddenly realising the Chinese have remembered that they have magnificent history and are determined to achieve status matching it :)

[RoxasIX22]

Chinese pin pin pin

[dessertmoonface]

This band ooozed originality, sophistication, style, glamour, originality and were way way creative. They set the pace for all other New Romantics like Duran Duran to follow in their footsteps. A massive fan from the beginning. 

[801liveable]

@dessertmoonface Sounds like you're describing Roxy Music circa 1974..

[MarxxxxExpo69]

Very sad, that Japan can never regroup. Brilliant Mick Karn's passing made it impossible. Reunion would remind, that 80's was musically way better decade than its reputation - compared to unvisionary retro-recycling-copy-paste-lap­top-pop of the 00's or 10's.

[mysterywhylay]

@MarxxxxExpo69 It was all so fresh back then. Straight guys (me included) were wearing make up and blouses (cringe) and gay guys took to wearing big boots,jeans and daft moustaches lol Japan were just great :) Happy days lol

[tongchileung]

I am a guy in Hong Kong. Canton is a province in southern China. In fact, most of Hong kong people are Cantonese. Until recently, few people in Hong Kong can speak fluent Mandarin. Cantonese is our daily spoken language. Even famous Bruce Lee was one of us.

[danielairy]

where is Cantonese ?

[isleoforkney]

@danielairy Cantonese isn't a place, but Canton is, just look in your school atlas and look for China, it's a very big country so look very carefully. Why do you want to know anyway?

[ariesscorpiorising]

@angryaznman Minstrel

[colibri1]

@angryaznman These guys aren't/weren't gay, but even if they were, there's nothing wrong with being gay. And hell doesn't exist, no matter what your stupid religion says. And if you liked this so much, you might try watching a video by Visage. I predict you'll love them.

[marehtseira]

Happy birthday today to David Sylvian!

[ItachiU29]

I love this song. Especially the first few seconds, such nice sounds. And that bass....beautiful. You will be missed Mick

[boogiepop14mc]

This song will be the soundtrack of the 21st century.

[jansongs]

Methinks "angryaznman" was feeling threatened about a white guy singing about a Cantonese Boy while he himself is trying reinvent himself as one of Da Boyz in Da Hood" a la Ali G.

Sylvian's lyrical irony is wasted on such plebz. Besides, it was a different time back then. Japan the band did a lot to foster interest in E. Asia, thats got to be a positive thing.

[gumiru]

R.I.P. Mick Karn.

[eklektro68]

R.I.P. Mick Karn. There'll never be another bass player as brilliant as you ...

[eklektro68]

R.I.P. Mick Karn.

[bigfatdick5000]

Where is Japan and Where is Cantonese boy !?! LOL

All I am seeing is a David Bowie-ish white boy singing LOL

am I in the wrong video room ??????

[isleoforkney]

@bigfatdick5000 dipstick

[swanstep]

God, these guys were good...

[BoyScandals]

You would love my blog- go to my profile page

[polarsequence]

Such a shame that Mick Khan is now dying of an aggressive cancer :(

[adewolf]

Fantastic bass and drums. Of course D. Sylvian can sing too.

[angelovskifilip]

from tin drum :)

[GTAOggy]

@angelovskifilip this version is from Oil on Canvas :)

[angelovskifilip]

@GTAOggy - OK, thanks for replying, should check good old things :)

Anyway they are great, and is there something new on that level?

[Petervenkman235]

Who does the background vox on "Red Army Calls/Needs You"? Anyone know?

[videocanone]

I think 'Mr Batt' (David Sylvian) went through a rough divorce and is still a bit emotionally banged up by it, hence the 'dirge' of some of his recent work. He's 50 too, and starting to feel it no doubt ... as am I. Your metabolism slows a bit, recognize your own mortality, start experiencing more aches and groans, and get reflective and nostalgic. It depresses some people. Be patient. He has given us so much over the years. He'll recover. I would love it if he and Karn collaborated again.

[nobbilc]

Love Japan and a lot o Sylvian's solo stuff. His latest stuff is DIRGE !!!

LIghten up Mr Batt !! ; )

[lewisner]

Whatever happened to David Sylvian?

[MadamKerrington]

@lewisner He's done a lot a lot of solo stuff and collaborated with lots of different people. Will be releasing an album this summer. Check out his website, davidsylvian (dot) com, for information on his solo work.

[TilImWiser]

@lewisner You are kidding, right? OY

[virtual30]

THIS IS SO UNIQUE! Western and ASIAN!

[MadamKerrington]

The song isn't about Japan. It's about China. Is every Duran Duran song about "Duran Duran"?

[xyrules666]

u right, i know its about china, i was surprized with the quality of the film , its even hard to find it in china today.

[milo68pl]

lol

[akaken100]

I went to their first Japan tour. It was a brilliant concert!

[donboynz]

Japan where the coolest band..im glad i was a teenager in the 80s now I had most unique type of music to access and listen too in my bedroom on my stereo hehe..I have a 13 year old niece who loves the Jonas bros but they scare me!

[boardy777777]

good luck to you ,exceellent band kid

[mousef16]

Hey dude,i'm 41 now and got an elder sister who bought and made me listen to this when i was young and influential,i was stubborn and refused to accept this wierd new music,....but i still play the Tin Drum album in my car now......D'oh!...It's brilliant.

[JohnOliver82]

God, they just don't make music like this anymore. The uniqueness, the musicianship, the extension of boundaries. Well, we have the Jonas Brothers ....

[mimarob]

Hmm, my guess is that this is from China :-)

[stainedglassgenocide]

I want to be in Japan.

[CRAPCANNONS]

get in line

[stainedglassgenocide]

-=wistful sigh=-

[ariesscorpiorising]

angryaznman- you take it in th 'azz' heehee omg lol wtf imho etc.- TARDOID, go listen to Dog Shit, oh I meant Snoop Poop, oh sorry I meant Snoop Dog. You COCOA SHUNTER. Hahahaha YEEEEAAAAHHH!!! ;)

[angryaznman]

are you mentally challenged?

[GumDispencer]

It's more than one guy, and everyone in the band and everyone watching this video is well aware of all these facts. Sherlock.

[THRILLAKILLA187]

@GumDispencer he needs to change his name from angryazman to Capt.obvious! lol hahaha

[newaver64]

@GumDispencer some kids need medicine i swear.

[totomorris]

R.I.P Mick you were loved and will be missed.

[isleoforkney]

@angryaznman can't a white guy write a song about a different race? He didn't call himself Japan it was the name of the band, either you are joking or just some ignorant fuck

[oramikleepunk]

@isleoforkney You sound American with that comment.

[isleoforkney]

@oramikleepunk American old chap? Moi? I is from the South London district, isn't it

[kazuyuki0213]

LOVE　JAPAN　❤　Thank　You　❤

[GashCenobite]

Ahh...David Sylvian!

[NadScratcher]

This is my favorite Japan song.

[sensei021281]

Mine too

[artemis12061966]

David has a sexy voice .

[Stefaniexxxxxxxxxx]

Indeed!!

[trioptimumscapes]

love the bass line

[fsantef]

Mick Karn was a great fretless bass player. Very peculiar style.

[SSEanBarr]

that's why Gary Numan used him for 1 or 2 albums....

his sound on the fretless was singular and also his stage walk was 1 of a kind, (like a sideways moonwalk!)

very wild looking! check out some of the footage from '82 in UK

[LornaEGL]

Cool song! Ioved this song since I first heard it!

Love Japan 4eva XD

[johnjohnfermin]

¿existen aun grupos tan especiales, tan experimentales y de tanta calidad? me encantaria escucharlos si existen, pero no los encuentro. yo flipaba con JAPAN, aún hoy siguen sin parecerse a nadie. claro, son verdaderos artistas

[calaverasgrande]

Sure David Sylvain has some Bryan Ferry to him (so does the front man for Talk Talk and mnay other bands of this era) But musically/lyrically I think they are head and shoulders above most other bands of this generation.

Japan is much more frenetic and complex in comparison to Roxy Music , Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls, etc.

[karlosmadrid1936]

peazo de cancion de los Japan, un grupo mitico de los ochenta , una verdadera joya de cancion .. "red army ..."

[rushnerd]

Originality does NOT breed recognition

[ajittffcure]

What a remark! I'll second that sentiment.

[hassven]

The most uderatted band of the 80's. These boys could play their insrtuments. Enjoy how 80's music was meant to be

[channelogic]

Japan did not have one single thing to do with Duran Duran. They're two TOTALLY different bands. Nothing alike, at

all. Japan were a coincident of punk and naturally unique.

Inevitably, they broke up and here come copy cats.

[rushnerd]

Exactly channelogic, just exactly.

[pnnews90]

how can you say they're totally different, DD's first album sounds very influenced by them and then there's the whole Nick Rhode's look lifted from Sylvian.

[channelogic]

I'm sorry that you know nothing of music and the fundamentals of music. Because that's where they are WORLDS apart. When I listen to Japan, I hear Japan. When I listen to DD. I hear DD. It's that simple. It's like comparing Tool to A Perfect Circle, the Stones to the Beatles, etc. They were all influenced by one another sure, but they don't sound alike in terms of originality and versatility.

[pnnews90]

I think a lot of people besides myself would disagree with you on this. Isn't being an influence make their music similar? Could you really deny that Quiet Life wasn't a huge influence on Planet Earth just for a start? How is that for originality?

Influenced by each other would be very wrong to say since only DD took influence from them.

[channelogic]

No sense again. I rest my case with your dumb ass as well.

[pnnews90]

wow nice message, thanks for not even writing a point, go fuck yourself, I'm out if you want to get nasty

[ColtraneTaylor]

Could be but Quiet Life sounds like they ripped off Roxy so Japan don't get much points for originality there.

[pnnews90]

what Roxy song in particular?

[ColtraneTaylor]

No song in particular but the whole vocal melody and singing style for one is typical Bryan Ferry, as is the music.

[marehtseira]

But I think don't much of "Tin Drum" is influenced by Roxy Music, other than maybe David's singing style.

[marehtseira]

And of course, influences from musician's peers is always happening. It would be difficult for it not to happen.

Just look at Duran Duran: they first album came out about a year or two after Japan and were admittedly influenced by Japan.

[GumDispencer]

Those comparisons aren't valid. The frontman from Tool is in A Perfect Circle. And the Stones and the Beatles aren't the same style of music. And what do originality and versatility "sound" like?

[SPORTINGMUSE]

Tin drum, a classic.Japan were underground glam until this album catapulted them into the public eye.

I too was into ska and the specials et al. 

This album changed all that, Sylviam compared to certain individuals, never bettered.

Mick Karn, fretless bass ..........say no more.

superb, brilliant magnificiant and lots of superlatives come to mind Japan (sylvian) never predictable always amazing............

[ludocrat]

Mate, you'd make a bloody good music journo.

[SUPAALBION]

i was a skinhead listening to punk and ska, which is great. then this lot came along. i grew my hair and dyed it. and started to wear eye liner and strange garments. needless to say they cost me a few friends but they we're brilliant. i took a few punches on their behalf as well.

[marehtseira]

That's a good story, stay strong in what you like. :-)

[isabelle109]

sorry I pressed the wrong thumb !!!! i meant thumbs UP of course ! I love your story...and Japan !

Gomen ne !

[ajittffcure]

Ha ha, isabelle109. I like your comment.

[deaninottawa]

Good for you!!!!

[ace342006]

@SUPAALBION were you england then?

[rabidmonkey69]

This song is not only from OIL ON CANVAS, but also from TIN DRUM.

The studio version on TIN DRUM is amazing as well...

[drezone]

Come On, Scissor Sisters were definitely listening 2 this when they recorded their first album (and everything else I must add...)

[ludocrat]

Great stuff.

[yamazawanorio]

文革の映像・・・

貴重だねｗｗｗ

[LornaEGL]

I love this song and japan.

[haikousei]

japan predated the new romantic fad but broke up just when new romantic fad was in.

[oogie11]

um hmm, true, same that duran duran are more famous...oh well, japan were more avant garde than duran duran, which makes japan more unique

[Kiddiss]

I am HUGE Duran Duran fan- and I have to completely agree with you.

I'm reading a bio, "Notorious", and it states that Nick & John used to go to Japan shows and absolutely loved "Life in Tokyo". Nick even says how he wanted to play w/ Japan, though others recount that Nick & John wanted Japan to produce them- so nothing is crystal clear.

I was lucky to even get any D2 music where I lived (Texas *blech*)... didn't hear of Japan until the mid-80's.

Glad to find them on YouTube ^_^

MeOw!

[oogie11]

aww, cool :)

i like duran duran myself, although i have more of a fodness for japan

a biography called 'Notorious', interesting, interesting, 'Notorious' was a great Duran Duran song

yeah, duran duran were inspired by japan most definitely....although japan are criminally underrated...

[willwjl]

love them....

[Brownies79]

One of the first songs I learned to play on bass.

[fritredage]

what's this?

[jncook]

It should be obvious to any cognizant person....

[asdffd]

I LOVE THIS SONG!

[cas3003]

Brilliant New Romantics!

I love almost all the songs of "Tin Drum".

This one is one of my favorites.

[furyplum44]

They where the true new romantics!, although funny enough David Sylvian never liked the term..

[SPORIASIS]

MK un jeux unique , jamais égalé , pas suffisamment reconnu , hélas .

[oltreuomoplus]

Classical style ;

high-class.......

OltreuomoPlus

ITALIA

[oltreuomoplus]

Vuoi farmi morire ?

OltreuomoPlus

ITALIA

[Oggy99]

Agreed. Bass line is superb.

[MUSICOBLISS]

Mick Karn (the bassist) simply phenominal!

[furyplum44]

not to mention beautiful!!!!

[ajittffcure]

The bass from 2:48 till the end is just amazing. I love the whole bass lines on this song.

[crosspaths10]

incredible song.