(I Miss The) Tokyo Skyline

Album: Rewind The Film (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Nicky Wire's lyrics for this song are about the band being completely seduced by Tokyo. He told The Quietus: "I think we all were when we first went there and we did the 'Motorcycle Emptiness' video, it's the first place we ever got a gold disc. I'll never forget, we turned up at the airport at six in the morning and there were hundreds of people, we all looked behind us because we thought The Black Crowes were there or something. We realised they were all waiting for us, and thought, 'Fu--ing hell!' It was such an indelible scar. It's the most alien culture I've ever been to, in a good way, and I've loved the feeling of safety. Whenever we go back there's a special bond."
  • Vocalist James Dean Bradfield described this track to NME as having a "fragility, but it's not mournful or dampened."
  • Here are three more songs that were inspired by the Japanese city:

    "Tokyo Melody" by Helmut Zacharias.

    "Elephant Song" by Enemy.

    "Paris, Tokyo" by Lupe Fiasco.

    Pedant's corner: Actually, Tokyo isn't officially a city. In 1943 Tokyo Metropolis was formed from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture and the city of Tokyo. Since then, Tokyo has been commonly referred to as a "metropolitan prefecture."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.