Somewhere Near Japan

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"Somewhere Near Japan"
Single by The Beach Boys
from the album Still Cruisin'
B-side"Kokomo"
ReleasedJanuary 11, 1990
Recorded1989
Genre
Length
  • 4:49 (album version)
  • 4:14 (single version)
LabelCapitol Records
Songwriter(s)
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

band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1989 album Still Cruisin'
.

Backstory

The bulk of the song was written 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

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

Beach Boys video California Dreamin'
; however, Brian Wilson's footage was filmed separately from the remaining four and was superimposed into the shot. It 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

  1. ^ Eugene Landy, 71; Psychologist Criticized for Relationship With Troubled Beach Boy Brian Wilson - Los Angeles Times
  2. ^ "Still Cruisin'".
  3. ^ "Guitar playing on later albums...Still Cruisin, Summer in Paradise".
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