Al Jardine's opposition to Somewhere Near Japan

[CenturyDeprived]

I suppose I find it amusing that Al sang a song with a drug lyric subtext, and had no idea while doing so.
Does anyone know the story about how he found out?
Did someone outside of the band tell him years later that "junk" has multiple meanings?

[Marcella]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I do think Al Jardine takes the prize as Most Prudish Rock and Roll Musician

[Matt H]

Wikipedia states:

"When The Beach Boys started performing it in concert, Alan Jardine was unaware of the many drug references until someone told him about them, at which point he refused to sing it live (in later years, his stance apparently eased somewhat)."

Does anyone know where the reference of his stance easing came from?

[Mr. Wilson]

I saw the BB in 1990 and they performed the song at costa mesa ca.. So Al learned about the drug references after summer 1990.. Id like to know more about this song also.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Didn't Mike write a lot of the lyrics? Which were certainly not drug related. I think it's a stretch to say it's a drug song despite the origins and background story.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The original version, "Fairy Tale Girl", was written by Papa John Phillips about his daughter Mackenzie's honeymoon experiences on Guam. She married her dealer, and after a while both cash and drugs ran out, which is why Phillips got a frantic phone call at stupid-o-clock in the morning, begging him to send cash, or drugs, or both. When he asked where she was, the reply was "somewhere near Japan". I'm told the original version had something like 20-odd verses. Phillip's version is on the CD Many Mamas, Many Papas, along with the original version of "Kokomo".

As for the lyrics of the BB version not being drug-related... really ? Regard (emphasis mine):

Late last night I got an S. O. S.
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan

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

Late last night I got an S. O. S.
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan

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 "thank you dear"
I think she sounded quite sincere
And when she turned to go
She said "I crave adventure don't you know"

And now she's driftin' on some Chinese junk
Her world is spinning and her hope has sunk
So I close my eyes
And I'm somewhere near Japan
The spinning stopped and the world stood still
I broke her fall and I always will
Strung out in no man's land
Somewhere near Japan

Rescue me

Here's the Phillips version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRR9Za258Bw

[SonoraDick]

I saw the BB in 1990 and they performed the song at costa mesa ca.. So Al learned about the drug references after summer 1990.. Id like to know more about this song also.

On the other hand... The Beach Boys played the song in Memphis on August 25, 1990, and Alan was not present (Matt sang HMR, and, as might be expected with his genes, messed up the lyrics).  Alan's absence was probably a coincidence, but, who knows??? (There's no mention in "The Beach Boys In Concert" book.)

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Good thing Mike changed the lyrics. Referring to the BB version, if anything, it's a anti-drug song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Pro or anti, there are unquestionable drug references.

[southbay]

I saw the BB in 1990 and they performed the song at costa mesa ca.. So Al learned about the drug references after summer 1990.. Id like to know more about this song also.

According to the Bellagio site it was September 9, 1990.  The Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa and I was there as well.  They also did Island Girl with Alan taking Carl's lead vocals (although Carl was present).  I also saw them in November in Las Vegas at Ceasars Palace and both songs had been dropped from the set, not really surprising though for a casino show.

[astroray]

Love the song, one of the best later day BB songs! Al might be a bit up-tight but "He's keepin it clean"!

[Mr. Wilson]

Yea your right that was the only time I saw them play those 2 songs live.. Yea I went every summer from 1983 thru 1992 to the pacific amp to see BB,,Memories !

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Pro or anti, there are unquestionable drug references.

Thank you for delving into my mind and forming my interpretation of the lyrics.  A great example of what you are legendary for!  (I am tweeting I am on a bus)

Try and give Mike a compliment...... Mike is a lot of things but he isn't a writer of pro-drug lyrics, in MY opinion.

I love the song and great job by Mike and Bruce making this great tune. And Mike, at his best, turning Philips drug lyrics into an anti-drug, cry for help story. Wow, I am still able to think for myself. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

You stated:

Didn't Mike write a lot of the lyrics? Which were certainly not drug related. I think it's a stretch to say it's a drug song despite the origins and background story.

They are, very obviously. End of discussion. 

[SurfRiderHawaii]

You stated:

Didn't Mike write a lot of the lyrics? Which were certainly not drug related. I think it's a stretch to say it's a drug song despite the origins and background story.

They are, very obviously. End of discussion. 

Again, please do not interpret lyrics for me. One of the joys of songs and music is that lyrics resonate differently for different people. But next time I bump into Mike I will ask him if some of his his lyrics were meant to be pro-drug cause you said so.

I know that is a very hard concept for people who think they know it all. 

Like bookies don't comprehend the damage gambling does to peoples lives. 

As you recently posted, don't like mine, don't read them. Don't respond to them. Skip me please. End of discussion. Now, I have to go back to tweeting that I am on a bus. 

[Lonely Summer]

I read it/hear it as a guy whose heart is breaking over his girl's (in Phillips' case, his daughter's) problems, in this case specifically drugs. It's not condemning her, or saying "yeah, let's all get wasted, stoned, blasted, etc". I guess Al's interpretation of those lyrics must be very different from mine.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I read it/hear it as a guy whose heart is breaking over his girl's (in Phillips' case, his daughter's) problems, in this case specifically drugs. It's not condemning her, or saying "yeah, let's all get wasted, stoned, blasted, etc". I guess Al's interpretation of those lyrics must be very different from mine.

Exactly my thoughts.

[Jukka]

I read it/hear it as a guy whose heart is breaking over his girl's (in Phillips' case, his daughter's) problems, in this case specifically drugs. It's not condemning her, or saying "yeah, let's all get wasted, stoned, blasted, etc". I guess Al's interpretation of those lyrics must be very different from mine.

Yeah, but the lyrics do include some very knowing winks towards all things drugs... I mean come on, tripping on some Chinese junk. I think it is more of a love song than a drug song, but the references are loud and clear.

[Smilin Ed H]

There is an interview (Goldmine?) in which Al states that he wasn't the one who objected to the song.

As for the drug references, bearing in mind what Papa John was allegedly doing, I would've thought that was a minor issue... (so to speak).

[STE]

Some years ago I asked this exact very same question to one of the Beach Boys.
He was surprised to hear about this and confirmed that Al has no issues at all with SNJ, but one song Al really didn't want to perform was "Summer in Paradise".

Then we had ice cream.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Shoulda had a candy bar - then you could have had World Peace ! 

[Dutchie]

live 1990 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Ad2p1p388

[LostArt]

This is certainly a strange exchange...ORR says the BB lyrics are not drug related...

Didn't Mike write a lot of the lyrics? Which were certainly not drug related. I think it's a stretch to say it's a drug song despite the origins and background story.

But then he says that they are...

Good thing Mike changed the lyrics. Referring to the BB version, if anything, it's a anti-drug song.

To which AGD replies that no matter how you slice it, there are drug references...

Pro or anti, there are unquestionable drug references.

Just when I think they both agree, ORR takes offense to what AGD has stated...

Thank you for delving into my mind and forming my interpretation of the lyrics.  Mike is a lot of things but he isn't a writer of pro-drug lyrics, in MY opinion.

So, AGD tries to explain...

You stated:

Didn't Mike write a lot of the lyrics? Which were certainly not drug related. I think it's a stretch to say it's a drug song despite the origins and background story.

They are, very obviously. End of discussion.  

Once again ORR takes offense (why?), and accuses AGD of saying something that he never said, and throws in some strange comments about gambling and bookies(?)...

Again, please do not interpret lyrics for me. One of the joys of songs and music is that lyrics resonate differently for different people. But next time I bump into Mike I will ask him if some of his his lyrics were meant to be pro-drug cause you said so.

I know that is a very hard concept for people who think they know it all.  

Like bookies don't comprehend the damage gambling does to peoples lives.  

So Lonely Summer chimes in and says that he thinks the song does have drug references...

I read it/hear it as a guy whose heart is breaking over his girl's (in Phillips' case, his daughter's) problems, in this case specifically drugs.

To which ORR agrees ? ?    

Exactly my thoughts.

ORR, you make no sense here.

[HeyJude]

I suppose maybe there’s a hang-up on what constitutes a “drug reference” in the eyes of a given person. Is it any wording, metaphorical or literal, that contains wording that can be interpreted as something to do with drugs? For some, perhaps it needs to be more literal, or specifically “pro-drugs” or something.

Some of those lyrics seem to be obvious puns, like “Chinese junk.” I mean, the lyrics aren’t “she was smoking crack in Japan.” They are written as puns or whatever you want to call it so that technically you can argue each of the drug references are referring to other things.

The much more interesting question to me is the one posed at the beginning of the thread: Did Al really actually refuse to sing the song, and if so, why? Did he really sing it in the studio and at some live shows not thinking there were any drug references? That seems a bit far-fetched to me. I’m doubting that Al knew nothing of the references, and then was tipped off, and then called a band meeting where he banned the song from the setlist and/or refused to sing the lyrics. As with most “new album” material, “Somewhere Near Japan” didn’t last long in the setlist most likely because they simply refused to keep much in the setlist beyond  the meat-and-potatoes numbers, especially by the 90’s. By the 1980’s, and the 1970’s for that matter, “new” songs almost always dropped off the setlist quickly. The only time something usually survived was when it was a hit. “Come Go With Me”, if we want to call that a “new” song, was fairly regularly in the setlist after being a minor hit in 1981. “Kokomo” is obvious. But what else? “Good Timin’” was dropped after 1980, briefly returning in 1982. “Goin’ On?” Dropped during 1980, along with everything else off KTSA other than “School Days”, which lasted another year or two. All the ’85 album stuff? Dropped quickly in 1985 other than “Getcha Back”, which survived another year or two. All the “Still Cruisin’” stuff didn’t last long, other than the title track which survived for a bit. I guess the “Summer in Paradise” title track stayed around awhile.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

This is certainly a strange exchange...ORR says the BB lyrics are not drug related...

Good thing Mike changed the lyrics. Referring to the BB version, if anything, it's a anti-drug song.

Quite baffling that someone would take the time to do such a lengthy post by post analysis of my 2nd rate posts. Lost Art, I apologize that my  train of thought was"lost" on you.