Japan - Ghosts

[unterofficerfritz]

"Oil On Canvass " is a classic album , "Ghosts " is a classic song although I say "Nightporter" is as good , if not better , what do you think lovers of Japan ?

I had my hair the same as David in them days ,I remember him being named the best looking man in music back in the early 80s ! Mick Karn did a good job on base,sad at his passing .

[claws4pawsx]

Pretentious, moi?

na, I love David.... and his hair. More guys should have hair like that!

[warriorvet]

God bless Mick Karn RiP

[coldspringhq23]

RIP Mick Karn

[LinuxManUK]

RIP Mick Karn. Thankyou.

[istabberu]

An amazing and moving song that speaks to me so much... R.I.P this song is truly special..

[dockyard1979]

fantasic song gives me goose pimples and makes my hair stand up on the back of my neck.

[dockyard1979]

fantasic song an absolute classic

[Crackpot7272]

Love this now as much as I did when it first came out- a fantastic song!!

[danbo1984]

RIP Mick Karn; fretless legend

[Feisty1967]

Beautiful song.

[MrDavidpatmore]

just found out im gutted mick RIP X

[jrmetmoi]

@MrDavidpatmore I only just found out that Ari Up from The Slits died back in October 2010. John Lydon announced it back then and I saw it on the BBC website yesterday I think. 2010 took a lot of em and I think Aretha Franklin could be next!

[nicoruetters]

Ich kannte bisher nur die Trance-Version von TENTH PLANET aus dem Jahre 2001. Da auf Discogs geschrieben steht, dass das Original von JAPAN ist, habe ich es mir jetzt einmal angeschaut. Leider etwas zu langsam, ansonsten nicht schlecht.

[coldspringhq23]

RIP Mick Karn

[royseahawks]

R I P Mick love that bass sound on the albums, Japan greeaaat 8os band

[dunconian1]

this is nothing short of fantastic

[MrPsyshowbob]

passion r.i.p mick and thank you and david for all the emotions when i was young i lived this band woooooooooow i was so different then but all my ghosts have court up with me it makes sence now xxx

[pilkop2202]

brilliant

[SongBillong]

I only discovered this song last week - and I am so glad that I finally know it. Such an atmospheric song with a really unique feel to it. Truly brilliant :D

[msc1969x]

karn was the brain of everything

[NufffRespect]

Awesome vintage synth sounds =)

[toomuch108]

I used to love Japan. I miss my music on vinyl LPs.

[Kela08]

Baby!

[RukiKatiakicz]

I do like this song though... it's.... different than other videos I've seen (I second that emotion, gentlemen take polaroids, quiet life, ETC. and their "sleazy" raw early sound though I prefer the moody Japan sound more :P ) but I dig the electronic sound, maybe because of all of that electronic dance music/new wave with synthesizers I like..

[RukiKatiakicz]

I own none of their albums (yet) but a few comments:

David from 2:11 to 2:33 as he looks into the camera... the certain look on his face... I'm not sure what emotion he's showing but he looks particularly stunning - and in all Japan videos he looks this way!

also on tin drum, I read on the wiki, David replaced Rob Dean? I read this on other videos too, but does this mean the guitar is scarce in the album, such as this song with no guitar at all (unless I'm missing something)?

[getuzachoppa]

This is devastating news..this is one great loss to the musical world. RIP Mick

[klepska]

Boys from Hurts like theye are...:)

I hate when someone said that Hurts like Pet Shop Boys...

don't you?

[oden2006]

RIP Mick. Really miss you...

[harrysfunzone]

RIP Mick.

[vanderrhuc]

Back when people played live - even electronica. When fashion was dictated by creative people not corporation and songs were full of reason not marketing. RIP Mick Karn - a true pioneer.

[wdh47211]

RIP Mick Karn

[strontium99]

RIP Mick. This is one of my all time fave songs..!!! A true classic, unlike the crap these days.

[eiffe]

RIP Mick, your music lives on. I hope there is life after death.

[FrankNFurter1000]

RIP Mick, Absolute legend and never ever forgotten <3

[MrPhilidog]

R.I.P Mick an amaziing artist (check out Dalis car) you will be sadely missed

[mirfieldman]

Too true - amazing bassist.

[TheNouveauxdecadence]

R.I.P Mick Karn. You KILL me in this performance, you were and are AMAZING :-)

[josemanuel5131]

Me acabo de enterar de la muerte de Mick Karn, tenía esperanzas de que mejorara, realmente me siento apenado por su partida. Cariños a su familia y a todos quienes estuvieron cerca de él. Su música e influencia perdurará, ¡nos encargaremos de eso!.

[VinMetal666]

Barbieri is definately one of the best keyboardists ever.

[beamergeezer]

RIP Mr Karn

[Springamatul]

I also just found out Gerry Raferty passed away now Mick from Japan. Last week it ws Bobby from Boney M a number have gone within a week.

RIP Mick Karn

[Springamatul]

I also just found out Gerry Raferty passed away now Mick from Japan. Last week it ws Bobby from Boney M a number have gone within a week.

[BOJANOWIANKA]

his voice is so similar to Theo <3

LOVE HURTS :)

[daisy291075]

@BOJANOWIANKA  I don't agree

[BOJANOWIANKA]

@daisy291075 oh, you don't have to :P

[cymeriatechnopunk]

Very sad to have heard that Mick Karn passed away today.

[YCSMusic]

R.I.P Mick, thanks for the music!

[NineTails20]

So sad......Rest In Peace Mick. :(

[starshiptrouper]

A very beautiful man indeed!

[ronaldvanderkleij]

the most festivals that time were haircut demonstrations.If it was the Cure Siouxsie or my god my hair never fits so i had a skinhead oconnor head.

[caroljoelucy]

after all these years.. i still come back to this beautiful, talented man. its true... youth is wasted on the young. by the time you appreciate it. its too late.

[liliflowerful]

I love it- Think it's coz it's a different sound and the lyrics actually mean something unlike most other songs.

[wisenatts]

From a fantastic group. A truly brilliant song and one of my all time favourite songs by this group. Does David still make music nowadays? I've never seen this clip of him singing this song but thanks to youtube I'm glad I can indulge in a bit of nostalgia. Thank you uploader for posting this one.

[triptease]

smells good

[UncleSlim64]

David Sylvian's mournful, Ferry-esque vocals do this song great justice, particularly when mingled with the haunting, rather eerie keyboards, and Steve Jansen's marimbas. One of Japan's best ever records. :)

[axaxa84]

Tenth planet - Ghosts - Amazing house version of this song

[InfiniteBlue00]

@axaxa84 Glad someone finally mentioned it.

[Interz09]

re:the synth sounds, I've owned a few Pro 5s over the years and I think it was a rev 2 that had the Ghost bleepy noises / sfx as one of it's presets(!) Sorry geek heads can't remember the number... Now of course it could have been Japan's old keyboard but I think it came via Jethro Tull and Genesis' studio. Mind you many of the other sounds are also quite stock Prophet stuff, they're always moving about so much they're never quite the same twice anyway. Of course the song is the sum of its parts

[unterofficerfritz]

What a classic album Oil On Canvass was , had exactly the same haircut as D.S.

Bollox to getting old !!!

[frements]

@unterofficerfritz dont you mean tin drum ; )

[nakedmambo]

@unterofficerfritz This is from Tin Drum. Or maybe you were just mentioning the general excellence of Oil on Canvas? which I won't dispute.

[mediaonabicycle]

@unterofficerfritz i totally agree.....getting old sucks big dodo's

[SKOTP69]

So Brilliant! How many times have I listened to this song? Hundreds. How much do I relate to this song? A Lot! Timeless. Genius. One of the greatest pieces of lyric, voice, depth, mood, sound, aesthetics and delivery... one of my favourite songs ever!

[LAnonHubbard]

Love it and love the xylophone/marimba playing on here.

[conrad152]

moodyb,thank you for uploading this great song!

[cornholio1962]

bought this on 7inch vinyl when it came out , still love it, and the years have been kind to david ,still a good looking bugger, born 1958

[MrAdammassacre]

they just dont make'em like they used to do,this track is just incredible :D

[nik1969100]

This song makes more sense to me than any other on Youtube at the moment. Sorry.

[humbucker32]

If ever a song should never have been a hit single??What a brave way to present the song,it sounds so odd,all the barmy noises chirping away..the strenght of the vocal melody carries it along,synths reached a new level in "pop" music with this and it was"Camp" David and the boys from Lewisham's finest moment-its brilliant,not many songs have a mood to it,but this song has it by the shedload.Love the OGWT clip of this as well-hit the green thumb if you agree.

[crichton13]

@skuncanxxx - you were clearly one of the rich kids of the 80's cos most other kids were being arrested and beaten by the SPG and/or unemployed and on a pittance of benefits thanks to that slag Thatcher.

You are really like they say of the people of the 60's - "if you can remember it then you were not really a part of it..."

You are probably a banker now.... 'nuff said....

[ieatorbs]

Gorgeous song.

[nino2297ify]

incredible tune &

fantastic sound!!!

it's still one of my favourite songs !

[powturbopow]

I can't get enough of this...i've been lying naked in my room, listening to this over and over and over and over...and...ahhhhh.....it makes me burn.

[powturbopow]

I can't get enough of this...i've been lying naked in my room, listening to this over and over and over and over...and...ahhhhh.....it makes me burn.

[drtune]

He does look a bit like an early Princess Di ;-)

[thekorksta]

@drtune Looks like princess Di and sounds like Bryan ferry. What a combo.

[irishcowboy42]

@thekorksta True lol but outlasted both my friend

[CHEG437]

this mans voice is devine.

[mobyboy]

very wired

[SeldomSheBoredMe]

Jeez, soooo underrated or at least NOTHING TO DO WITH MJ AS PREVIOUSLY STATED!

[1980Grafik]

The xx take note. This is the good stuff!

[TheMariaMichelle]

Now I`m totaly in a trance.

THIS is real music, and I just love it.

I could let it go on repeat for hours, and just lay down and close my eyes.

Then I would almoast be in heaven!

[atopias]

@TheMariaMichelle

I agree

[Kaleid7]

Always a great song to point to when people say electronic music isn't 'real' music. There's something amazingly haunting about this; the effects, the lyrics, the sparseness. It sounds like a song called 'Ghosts' should.

[krisg6]

I found TIn Drum on Vinyl at my local record store, it was awsome. only 4 bucks too :)

[nik1969100]

Hauntingly brilliant, far more futuristic sounding than today's crap. What more can you say?

[esmikd]

I remember buying this single on record and listening to it untill' I wore it out'.

I also remember seeing the vid on TOTP on it's first live broadcast.

And my mum telling my dad to be quiet, as I sat on the floor watching the the bw telly because I liked it (which meant she liked it)...

[G0IMB]

I regarded Japan as the most Avant Garde of the 1980s musicians. It brought back the Best of the 1980s: a bad time in my life but consoled by the fact that the music from the UK was at it's peak as regards creativity.

[ALPQZM654]

Tin Drum is an incredible album. It broke new ground on many levels.

[SOHASDEAD]

I absolutely love this song, I'm so happy I found it again on youtube.

[berlinmitte10117]

the zenith of electronic music in my opinion

[humbucker32]

@berlinmitte10117

that is fair comment to me,I would chuck in "UNDERPANTS" John Foxx as a forerunner to this.

This song should of never have been a hit single,it had everything going against it really-no real musical structure to it except the chorus,but it works brilliantly.well dodone Lewisham's finest,I still have this single,after nearly 30 years its originality is still shines through.

[berlinmitte10117]

@humbucker32 Wow - yes, John Foxx, of course! Had totally forgotten - thanks for reminding me. Wonder what happened to my copy of that classic. Cheers!

[godfishgod]

I want Prophet V

[goodanswergoodanswer]

I was 16 when this charted. Brings back so many memories. I had forgotten what a great band they were; shame on me!

[teletropolis]

the cult attraction of this song is the fact that this song is not about romance and the niceties of life... it celebrate gothism about the fear of living each day, past sins... i guess in our urban life, we share the same fears of living & passing each day and be haunted by our past ....

[thesandband]

ooohhh God this is wonderful! Thanks so much for posting it! I've never seen Mick Karn on Keyboards... I've been growing listening to Japan in the 80's, and they became a part of my soul.

Rob.

[Whitelight786]

How did this record get to number 5 in the UK charts when other Japan Classics like Quiet Life only got to No 19 and Gentlemen Take Polariods No 60 ?

When you have listened to this record Paula, who you gonna call... GHOST BUSTERS ?

[dulley1968]

@Whitelight786 Tin Drum's in my LP collection. Know it backwards. Dave Sylvian, a complete legend. Riuichi Sakamoto, v weird but also did some good stuff. Doin other tomo...gotta go for today. Ta ta!!

[Whitelight786]

@dulley1968 Surprised at the success of the Tin Drum album, it is not what you would call commercial, prefer the singles Quiet Life, Life in Tokyo, GTPolaroids, myself.

[anniechristien]

Great song! David is a gorgeous, handsome man. And of course, incredibly talented.

[teletropolis]

i think is his nasal almost wailing pleading low voice that is full of cold emotions that makes ghost a cult success.

david puts do much artful emotional voice no other artiste has done. most singer rather sing emotional songs on love.

[treezy66]

this is amazing, David's voice is so unique and no wonder he was voted the worlds most beautful man

[Stanters1967]

Anyone else waste about £400 on hairspray trying (and failing) to get their hair like his?

Or was it just me? ;o(

[magus1805]

It has to be said of 'Ghosts' that a huge part of the songs strenght lies in the truly unique keyboard parts. Granted, the song can be pared down and played on an acoustic guitar and still be amazing, but as it appears on 'Tin Drum' so much of the allure comes from those delicately haunting chimes and sci-fi bleeps. One wonders how much input David Sylvian had as regards programming these sounds. We have to assume that Barbieri, being the keyboard player, is responsible...so well done Richard.

[moodyb]

@magus1805

I asked Richard about the synths on Tin Drum some years ago and as I recall, he said that both David and himself programmed the sounds...

[Ashphodelic]

@magus1805 You're obviously not a musician in any shape or form, otherwise you'd realise that your statement of praise is meaningless, each plays an integral part of ANY band... if not so, it's not a band! Japan wouldn't have been Japan without any one of it's members.

[magus1805]

@Ashphodelic My post was concerning this one track. Can it really be said that every single Japan track was made up from equal contributions from each band-member? Surely in any band there are songs which certain members have more input than others? For instance Mick Karn does not play on 'Ghosts' even though he made up a large part of Japan's unique sound. As far as I know the track 'Taking Islands in Africa' features no contributions from Karn, Jansen and perhaps eveb Barbieri.

[magus1805]

@Ashphodelic Where does Rob Dean fit into your theory? He left the band and the band was still Japan. My comment concerned the one song - 'Ghosts'. I was'nt making any general blanket statements about Japan. Just kudos to Barbieri as well as Sylvian concerning this track.

[tarsusfellowship]

@magus1805 Prophet-5 cross-mod and poly-mod is what is behind a lot of those sounds. Barbieri still has a couple of Prophets and he swears by them...

[damedavid]

Wasn't David once called "The Most Beautiful Man In The World" by one UK music mag?

[moodyb]

@damedavid

Dave was indeed deemed "The most beautiful man in the world" by the papers back in the day...He was none too happy about it! ;-)

[FrancoDamn]

@moodyb Weren't they only japanese? They tend to love "beatiful" men. See the anime and manga from that country. The white version of Michael Jackson was beloved while the western countries condemned him for pedophilia.

[moodyb]

@FrancoDamn No, it was in the UK press...This was really an unfortunate thing to happen as it furthered the silly notion of him being a "pretty boy', rather than a serious musician...

[jrmetmoi]

@moodyb He wasn't the only pretty boy at the time though, look at Nick Rhodes and a lot more of them!

[CarlyMorg]

@damedavid yes

[jude1224]

no

[maecoragem888]

Great group and pretty voice of the vocalist!

My fav.

Kisses Maria Inês.

[tompom89]

Pleaseeeee get well soon Mick Karn :'( We love you very much <3 <3

[ruffian1868]

Mick is extremely ill battling cancer at the moment. Please visit his website for information in regards to making a donation.

[moodyb]

Mick Karn is seriously ill, please donate to his appeal here:

mickkarn.net

[magus1805]

@moodyb .......thats terrible to hear. what kind of illness?

[moodyb]

@magus1805 ...He has stage 4 cancer... :-(

Details at  mickkarn.net

[rileypupboo]

Shit hot

[XenomorphLV426]

I could see why deftones covered this song. It has a very unique sound and the vocalist's voice only helps elevate this effect.

[williamofockam]

Simply put, one of the best pieces of popular music in the last thirty years! One of the best pieces of art in the last thirty years! As Mark Fisher succinctly states, 'Freud meets Stockhausen.

[conrad152]

Thank you Mooyb for up loading this song and video,brilliant! It brings back so many memories of my adolescence.

[smurfxxx]

@ariesscorpiorising check it out, chino kills it

[moneypenny688]

god he woz so fit back in the day!

[wan2bhswife1]

Unnervingly beautiful is a very apt description of this man.....could anyone be more perfect and amazing????

[despoolkop]

@wan2bhswife1 i agree he my was my 1 number guy early 80s,i was only 13,still love his voice and music,iam marred now have a daughter 17 she likes him too.iam not gay.

[smurfxxx]

the deftones covered this song on their new album and its f---ing hot.

[ashbanger]

@smurfxxx yes they did a good version of duran duran s "the chauffer" as well-it is a suprise an american band should do a cover of a Japan song becoz they are largely unheard of over there-they should have been alot bigger than was the case

[realitylicker]

skuncanxxx, lovely comment, and i couldn't agree more. life was so much better then less is defo more. great song to.

[ConorGM]

This song freaks me out...but in a good way.

[14hcap]

a pair of tucks and sandles,a shirt with a small collar,,,,dressed to kill.

[anthonynewsome]

it's just that there was something amazing happening back then, youth culture & music today is bland/boring/uptight/homophobi­c/conservative

[IAmTheMisguidedGhost]

i was born in the 90s but my dad got me into Japan when i was about 6 and they are now one of my favourite bands!

[mrshef666]

awesome track...incredibly dark just flaweless:D

[alextyler95]

I am a teen slightly obssesed with the 80's, okay a lot obessesed but oh well. I would love for the 80's to come back, I have the big hair, love the fashion and love the music. Mam always said I should I have lived in the 80's!

[chrisnoaro1]

@alextyler95 keep it up! there's loads of great stuff to keep delving into from that period, though i'm biased , i lived through it.

[MrUltranuman]

Classic

[intothewild78]

i love it

[intothewild78]

i love it!

[LAnonHubbard]

Brave song to bring out. Glad they did!

[swanseaanorak]

This is a phenomenal song by a great band. Ghosts is on a pub jukebox in the novel The History of Us which I've just read. The early eighties must've been great times.

[MarkySpark001]

@swanseaanorak They were my friend, they were. Take me back someone please.

[oddapija]

Great song :D

I sadly wasn't born when this was made X)

[TheBeatlesboy1]

me too i wish i was though

[slowdownsundown]

So atmospheric that Prophet Synth is great, Mick Karn is amazing

[lazzarinistefano]

giant...

[TheBeatlesboy1]

brilliant

[yrcolossous]

one of the Eighties finest :-)

[compulsivecollector]

it only makes me glad that this song hasnt entered the canon of 80`s hits collection... its too unique in its gloomy beauty to be vulgarized by the crowd

[spinsterrr]

@compulsivecollector couldn't agree more!

[jax6290]

i miss this time of my life......every time i walked into my local club the dj would play japan 4 me ...

[Chamindo7]

i miss this time of my life... there was a croatian girl who showed me japan

[WiTtochannel]

Fantastica canzone.

[SimplySeanATX]

I know David's daughter. Bragging rights, initiated.:D

[dinmolle]

awesoooome:D:D!!

[superstaticgirl]

I wonder what the next band on TOTP was... Must have been jarring.

[markflack]

I'm with you Scuncan... it was a great time in my life also. The fashion & music was great & i loved it!!!

[skuncanxxx]

its amazing.. how the much the people who were lucky be in the 80s (me included) want it back so much.. I miss the music and clubbing was great.. Saturday night out in my home town of Bath (uk) with my mates.. over dressed..but loving it.

[berlinmitte10117]

great days!

[smurfxxx]

@skuncanxxx whatup. i know what u mean but things can seem greater than they were in hindsight and it's a great time to be alive right now. the 80's spirit is all the rage. loves it

[mfactor88]

@skuncanxxx amen brother take me back to the 80s and leave me there in peace :)

[ParisSpleen74]

@skuncanxxx

you can never be overdressed.

[PeteGeeza86]

Very original and very good.

[OssettChick]

thank you - I have just been reminded of how much I loved David Sylvian. Saw them loads back in the early 80's - soooo cool - great music and a great look

[sisulart]

Now this is what I call music unlike the pap we have today. Sylvians solo stuff is great too.

[stellaviolens]

I don't know why I thought it was live. it's clearly not.

First time I saw Japan on TOTP and it was a very memorable performance, I love the way he was sat down as were the rest of the group. The song remains a great one .

[silmalila]

He is in a league of his own.

There is nobody like David!

[samerkand15]

love David Sylvian and Japan x

i love this song <3

his voice is simply amazing :D