1990 single by The Beach Boys
"Somewhere Near Japan" |
---|
Single by The Beach Boys |
---|
from the album Still Cruisin' |
---|
B-side | "Kokomo" |
---|
Released | January 11, 1990 |
---|
Recorded | 1989 |
---|
Genre | |
---|
Length | - 4:49 (album version)
- 4:14 (single version)
|
---|
Label | Capitol Records |
---|
Songwriter(s) | - John Phillips
- Terry Melcher
- Mike Love
- Bruce Johnston
|
---|
Producer(s) | Terry Melcher |
---|
The Beach Boys singles chronology |
---|
"Still Cruisin'" (1989) | "Somewhere Near Japan" (1990) | "Problem Child" (1990) | |
"Somewhere Near Japan" is a song written for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1989 album Still Cruisin'.
Backstory
The bulk of the song was written by John Phillips and concerns his daughter Mackenzie Phillips's honeymoon experiences. She and her new husband, both serious substance abusers, flew to Guam and when the money and drugs ran out, she made a late-night phone call to her father begging him to send money or drugs, preferably both; when he asked where she was, the reply was "somewhere near Japan". Phillips' original version of the song, titled "Fairy Tale Girl", allegedly ran to over 25 verses. [citation needed] A late-1980s recording by The New Mamas and The Papas (John Phillips, Mackenzie Phillips, Scott McKenzie, and Spanky McFarlane) under the title "Fairy Tale Girl (Somewhere Near Japan)" was belatedly released on the 2010 compilation Many Mamas, Many Papas from Varèse Sarabande.
The final Beach Boys release describes a protagonist agreeing to come to the rescue of his "fairy tale girl" who is "driftin' on some Chinese junk" (a double entendre for both heroin and a type of ship), despite the likelihood that she will "break [his] heart one more time"—concluding that "I broke her fall and I always will."
Recording
"Somewhere Near Japan" features the lead vocals of Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston. Brian Wilson was not included in the recording of the song, as he was involved with Eugene Landy at the time of recording and was not actively participating in many Beach Boys projects.[1] He did, however, appear in the music video. The single release is a remix of the album recording. The 12-string guitars, mandolin & solo were played by Los Angeles studio musician, Craig T. Fall. The main recording was done at Al Jardine's Red Barn Studios in Big Sur, Calif. The programming, including drums/keyboards were done by Keith Wechsler, who also was the engineer on the Still Cruisin' album, and the Summer in Paradise album. [citation needed] The song was produced by Terry Melcher, who co-wrote the song, helped arrange the background vocals.[2]
Music video
The music video features Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and Mike Love. In the closing moments, all five band members are featured together for the first time since the video for "California Dreamin'" in 1986. Brian's footage was filmed separately from the remaining four and superimposed into the shot. The video was produced by Paul Flattery and directed by Jim Yukich of FYI - Flattery Yukich Inc.
Charts
Chart | Peak position |
US Gavin Report Adult Contemporary | 34 |
Personnel
- Mike Love – lead vocals
- Carl Wilson – lead vocals
- Al Jardine – lead vocals
- Bruce Johnston – lead vocals, keyboards, bass
- Craig Trippand Fall – lead guitar,[3] mandolin
- Keith Wechsler – drums, keyboards, programming
- Terry Melcher – backing vocals
References
- ^ Eugene Landy, 71; Psychologist Criticized for Relationship With Troubled Beach Boy Brian Wilson - Los Angeles Times
- ^ "Still Cruisin'".
- ^ "Guitar playing on later albums...Still Cruisin, Summer in Paradise".
1960s | 1961 | |
---|
1962 | - "Surfin' Safari" / "409"
- "Ten Little Indians" / "County Fair"
|
---|
1963 | |
---|
1964 | |
---|
1965 | |
---|
1966 | |
---|
1967 | |
---|
1968 | |
---|
1969 | |
---|
|
---|
1970s | 1970 | |
---|
1971 | |
---|
1972 | - "You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" / "Cuddle Up"
- "Marcella" / "Hold On Dear Brother"
|
---|
1973 | |
---|
1974 | |
---|
1975 | |
---|
1976 | |
---|
1977 | |
---|
1978 | |
---|
1979 | - "Here Comes the Night" / "Baby Blue"
- "Good Timin'" / "Love Surrounds Me"
- "Lady Lynda" / "Full Sail"
- "It's a Beautiful Day" / "Sumahama"
|
---|
|
---|
1980s | 1980 | |
---|
1981 | |
---|
1985 | |
---|
1986 | |
---|
1987 | |
---|
1988 | - "Kokomo" / "Tutti Frutti" (Little Richard)
|
---|
1989 | - "Still Cruisin'" / "Kokomo"
|
---|
|
---|
1990s | 1990 | - "Somewhere Near Japan" / "Kokomo"
- "Problem Child" / "Problem Child (Instrumental)"
|
---|
1992 | |
---|
1996 | |
---|
|
---|
2010s | 2011 | |
---|
2012 | - "That's Why God Made the Radio" / "That's Why God Made the Radio" (instrumental)
- "Isn't It Time" / Live in Chicago
|
---|
|
---|
- Category
|
|
---|
|
Studio albums | |
---|
Live albums | |
---|
Selected compilations | |
---|
Unreleased | |
---|
EPs | |
---|
| - It's OK! (1976)
- An American Band (1985)
- Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (1995)
- Nashville Sounds (1996)
- Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story (1998)
- Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 (2002)
- Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile (2004)
- Doin' It Again (2012)
- Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (2021)
- The Beach Boys (2024)
|
---|
Fictionalized | - Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys (1990)
- An American Family (2000)
- Love & Mercy (2014)
|
---|
Books | |
---|
Places | |
---|
Lists | |
---|
Personnel | |
---|
Related media | |
---|
Other topics | |
---|
- Category
|
Authority control databases | |
---|