The Smiley Smile Message Board

i really like this song, i think it's an overlooked gem in the catalogue.
vocally the boys are sounding top, the lyrics are interesting and it's not the usual formula.
does anyone know what it's about?
there's a video on youtube where mike explains it, but i can't make out a word he's saying.

Others can embellish on this but the quick version is that John Phillips wrote the bulk of the song and it was about his daughter MacKenzie.  As you may or may not know she had a drug problem at the time (and was recently arrested on a cocaine charge I believe).  She married her drug dealer in '79 or '80 and honeymooned in the South Pacific.  When the money and drugs ran out she phoned home asking for help.  When asked where she was she replied something like..."somewhere near Japan".

Really. 

Undoubtedly I have something wrong in there but that's the story I've always heard.

There's no need to defend Somewhere Near Japan - it pretty much stands alone as the last quality Beach Boys recording (BW/Paley sessions material not withstanding).

I agree with what you say, Tony.  I wasn't trying to defend the song...it's great.  I was just explaining its rather off-the-wall origins.

Love "Somewhere Near Japan". I  remember reading where some fans thought it should've/could've been represented on Side 4 of the boxed set. I agree.

 

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beach+Boys/+videos/+1-1LE3dpoTOvA


Hope this post works. Great song!!!!

One of my favourite BB songs in terms of sheer listening fun. The production is also quite tasteful, considering it was the 80s, and it sitting on the same record as the thuddingly awkward (but just as fun) Make It Big.

When he wanted to, John Phillips had an excellent way with a tune.

hey thanks! i've been curious about that for ages.
i always thought it was about world war II for some reason.

Absolutely. The last great song.

Heard this song for the first time on VH1 today, strange to see Brian in the video.

Pretty nice song, and Carl sounds great on it.

Might just invest in the Still Cruisin' album afterall

The version in the video is not the mix on the album.

What about "Strange Things Happen"?

7"/video mix vs. album version -- who wins?
i reckon album version. keeps a lot more of the colour.

I read that and thought I don't know that song, so I did a search and found a clip of it and realised its on SIP - which I only heard once and vowed never, never, never to own.

So I listened and now I want that 3 min 18 sec of my life back! You owe me man! You owe me!

That was cruel!

"Lahiana Aloha" (only because of Carl's vocal) and the oldies covers (except for "Surfin'" and Stamos' "Forever") are really the only somewhat tolerable songs on SIP.

Somewhere Near Japan to me represents the last "new" song with that magic of vocals.  SIP has a few moments (short as they may be) but never gets that entire group magic. That tag sung by Al still sends chills down my spine every time I hear it

It is a great song. The 45 is not as good. It's somewhat tinny and a bit too glossy. The LP sounds natural. It's really one of the only post 1980 songs worth hearing.

Aw, c'mon...it's not THAT bad!   :-D

I love that song!  :)  The live versions are great too, it proves that Ed Carter was really, really top!

It's not BAD, but it really doesn't do anything for me. Very bland power ballad in a Starship / Cetera style. The tune could have worked better with a less generic production, even Joe Thomas '98 would do. And Mike still had some voice left, he could do without all the echo and trickery added to it.

Strange Things Happen reminds me, lyrically, of Marcella, which is really weird.

I think this is one of the few post-LA songs that doesn't need defending.

Know what you mean about the effects on Strange Things Happen - they're an annoying feature of so much of the last BB stuff.

Agreed - the last worthwhile track the band recorded. No excuses required.

One of the most annoying things (not counting "Summer of Love", "Surfin'", or John Stamos) on SIP was the high pitched "remember" on "Remember (Walking In The Sand)".

BB did a fine job playin Japan live also...Not quite as long as the record..Guitar solos shorter

*Better than Soul Searchin' and Still A Mystery?




*I expect AGD to disagree with this, but  the two Paley songs were the last worthwhile tracks the band recorded.

No argument here.  :)

If you're saying  "... Japan" was the last good released (non-box set/comp) BB track, then I will agree with that.

Yup.

I just watched the video of Somewhere Near Japan provided  by the link on the previous page. I had forgotten how much I liked the song. I actually like the echo in this song. To me it adds to the "mysterious" vibe in the lyrics. I know what Smilin Ed H means though. I've always HATED the weird echo effect on Mike vocal on "Getcha Back". A simple double tracked vocal, or a vocal "doubled" with Al or Carl would have sufficed.

i'm trying to think of a way in which i could disagree with this but it's pretty much impossible XD

I can't get the video to play.  I regesitered and got HMR but no SNJ.  What is the trick?

While I think that Jardine's vocal on Strange Things is superb and that alone makes the song listenable, I also agree that Japan was their last really good one.  In terms of the 4th CD of Good Vibes, for completeness sake I think you could have added Where I Belong, Somewhere Near Japan and maybe the live version of SIP

I got out the Still Cruisin disc and blew off the dust, played  SNJ and read the lyrics as I listened.

Struck me first of all as a metaphor of the last days of the Beach Boys.  Very touching when you hear it that way.

My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan

And she said
"Rescue me"
I'm somewhere in the
China Sea
I think I'm sinkin' fast
This call is probably my last
I'm throwin' out a life line
And I'm doin' it for old time's sake
Though I know you're gonna break my heart
One more time

Listened again today.  Three times.  I love Carl's part especially.   Are there any as of yet unreleased songs with Carl vocals of this quality?   I thnk there must be some .......other than Soul Searching.

This album in general was so disappointing that I never really payed much attention to this little gem of a song.  Glad I finally found it.

I like your viewpoint of this song as posted above.

Although the album itself was sh*t, I kinda hold a softspot for it, as the day I bought it (for $1 clearance!) my wife & I, um, "hooked up" for the first time.

I still have a soft spot for Framptom Comes Alive for the same reason :-[

ooooohhhh bebbie I luv yer waaayyyy!!!  (evereyday)

"Do You Feel Like I Feel" was recorded at my university!