Insert your own "Alien Ant Farm" joke here.
October 21, 2015 4:07 AM Subscribe
A traditional Japanese cover of "Smooth Criminal", led by flautist Yoshimi Tsujimoto.
One of the few Michael Jackson tracks that's much better without his vocals, since the lyrics seem to be a terrifying stream of consciousness.
posted by colie at 5:18 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by colie at 5:18 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Pop songs covered w/ traditional Japanese instruments is an NHK thing, but I can't find any more of them online. There was a version of Stevie Wonder's Superstition by a different group w/ shamisen, electric bass, traditional drums, and shakuhachi this past weekend when I was just flipping channels. I think Smooth Criminal worked better as an instrumental.
posted by mattamatic at 7:34 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mattamatic at 7:34 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
The lyrics are great!
Honestly I think they mark the point at which MJ's psychosis entirely overwhelms his music rather than just his personal life. 'Thriller' is a charming dream about fantasy zombies of childhood and b-movies, but this song is just about a violent attack on woman 'running to the bathroom' and hiding 'under the table' that involves some kind of siege or torture element ('there's a sign in the window'). His father famously traumatised him by jumping through his bedroom window pretending to be an attacker when MJ was 5 or so. A bit later (8 or 9?) he had to listen to his older brothers having sex in the same room when they were touring. Can hear this stuff in this song.
posted by colie at 7:54 AM on October 21, 2015
Honestly I think they mark the point at which MJ's psychosis entirely overwhelms his music rather than just his personal life. 'Thriller' is a charming dream about fantasy zombies of childhood and b-movies, but this song is just about a violent attack on woman 'running to the bathroom' and hiding 'under the table' that involves some kind of siege or torture element ('there's a sign in the window'). His father famously traumatised him by jumping through his bedroom window pretending to be an attacker when MJ was 5 or so. A bit later (8 or 9?) he had to listen to his older brothers having sex in the same room when they were touring. Can hear this stuff in this song.
posted by colie at 7:54 AM on October 21, 2015
mattamatic:Blends is the name of the program. It's an interstitial. They're usually impossible to find online, even searching in Japanese. I guess it doesn't have a cabal of dedicated uploaders thwarting the NHK's attempts to get them taken down like with some of the other programs. NHK World, of course, does not offer any kind of online archive either because then someone might accidentally enjoy one of their programs at their leisure.Pop songs covered w/ traditional Japanese instruments is an NHK thing, but I can't find any more of them online.
Which is a long way of saying I like this video. Also that I really wanted to link the version of "September" done on koto featured on Blends, but will settle for linking this version apparently filmed in a bar instead.
posted by ob1quixote at 8:02 AM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
I haven't seen this specific thing, but I've seen Japanese stuff very much like this thing on DooTV, which is a Thai aggregation of all sorts of E. Asian TV. And the same kind of service exists for other Asian countries. The price is pretty nominal.
And let me just drop this earworm here.
posted by lagomorphius at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
And let me just drop this earworm here.
posted by lagomorphius at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Honestly I think they mark the point at which MJ's psychosis entirely overwhelms his music rather than just his personal life. 'Thriller' is a charming dream about fantasy zombies of childhood and b-movies, but this song is just about a violent attack on woman 'running to the bathroom' and hiding 'under the table' that involves some kind of siege or torture element ('there's a sign in the window'). His father famously traumatised him by jumping through his bedroom window pretending to be an attacker when MJ was 5 or so. A bit later (8 or 9?) he had to listen to his older brothers having sex in the same room when they were touring. Can hear this stuff in this song.
Why is it that MJ's music always brings out this level of psychoanalysis? The song is about a criminal, why would it not have some violent imagery?
posted by girlmightlive at 9:12 AM on October 21, 2015
Why is it that MJ's music always brings out this level of psychoanalysis? The song is about a criminal, why would it not have some violent imagery?
posted by girlmightlive at 9:12 AM on October 21, 2015
Stevie Wonder's Superstition by a different group w/ shamisen
Not the one you mean, but this one with shamisen and erhu's pretty groovy.
posted by progosk at 9:14 AM on October 21, 2015
Not the one you mean, but this one with shamisen and erhu's pretty groovy.
posted by progosk at 9:14 AM on October 21, 2015
Why is it that MJ's music always brings out this level of psychoanalysis?
I just think the lyrics to this one are exceptionally dark, not the norm for him or anyone else.
posted by colie at 9:26 AM on October 21, 2015
I just think the lyrics to this one are exceptionally dark, not the norm for him or anyone else.
posted by colie at 9:26 AM on October 21, 2015
That was beautifully done. Thanks for the link, Alonzo.
Pop songs covered w/ traditional Japanese instruments is an NHK thing, but I can't find any more of them online.
For me the classic always will be Smoke on the Water. Which I'm sure I first heard about here, 7 or 8 years ago.
posted by LeLiLo at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Pop songs covered w/ traditional Japanese instruments is an NHK thing, but I can't find any more of them online.
For me the classic always will be Smoke on the Water. Which I'm sure I first heard about here, 7 or 8 years ago.
posted by LeLiLo at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
I like how Japanese / oriental flutes are all breathy and whispery and overblown... traits eliminated from western styles of play
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:40 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:40 AM on October 21, 2015
Yeah and MJs music was pretty damn dark at times - like how 'Billie Jean' is about getting a girl pregnant and then denying the baby is yours
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:42 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:42 AM on October 21, 2015
He certainly had dark music, but I don't know if it's any more unusual than other "woman done me wrong" songs.
posted by girlmightlive at 9:46 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by girlmightlive at 9:46 AM on October 21, 2015
Michael Jackson is best in the original Klingon.
posted by Naberius at 10:40 AM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 10:40 AM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you'd rather hear it with the lyrics to One Week instead, Neil C.'s got you covered.
posted by rifflesby at 11:20 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by rifflesby at 11:20 AM on October 21, 2015
I get a "video removed due to copyright reasons" :(
posted by Captain Fetid at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by Captain Fetid at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2015
Well that sucks. :(
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:03 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:03 PM on October 21, 2015
Someone has also posted it on YouTube. We'll see how long that one lasts.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 2:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is wonderful. The "nailed it" smirk on left side koto maiden's face at about 3:47 is well deserved.
It led me back to the previous unusual Smooth Criminal cover post, down the video clickhole, and straight into concert tickets. It must have been fate. So thank you.
posted by monopas at 12:06 AM on October 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
It led me back to the previous unusual Smooth Criminal cover post, down the video clickhole, and straight into concert tickets. It must have been fate. So thank you.
posted by monopas at 12:06 AM on October 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Someone has also posted it on YouTube. We'll see how long that one lasts.
The FPP links to a YouTube video (embedded on another website). It's still working.
posted by John Cohen at 11:12 PM on November 12, 2015
The FPP links to a YouTube video (embedded on another website). It's still working.
posted by John Cohen at 11:12 PM on November 12, 2015
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Amazing tone colour in the top register. That is deep wizardry on a shakuhachi. I am in awe.
posted by Combat Wombat at 5:14 AM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]