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Alphaville


A little something about Alphaville
German band Alphaville was Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd and Frank Mertens. The band, the early seeds of which were sewn in 1981, was very much of the same school of music as synth pop/new romantics Ultravox and Visage. Like Ultravox, Alphaville avaoided the pop studios of London and the States and did their recording in Germany, and relied on a combination of dreamy electronic music and an overstated Eurodisco beat. The song "Forever Young" was the second of Alphaville's two big international hits. Their debut single "Big In Japan" is in my opinion a better song, but doesn't have the dopey personal significance of "Forever Young." I am told that the band is still at large, both touring and recording, despite a number of line-up changes. While they reported maintain a loyal following in Europe, their early successes have never been repeated.
Lyrics shown below : "Forever Young", "Big in Japan"

Forever Young

Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while
Heaven can wait, we're only watching the skies
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you going to drop the bomb or not

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad men

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad men

Can you imagine when this race is won
Turn our golden faces into the sun
Praising our leaders, we're getting in tune
The music's played by the madmen

*Forever young,
I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever
Forever -- and ever

Some are like water, some are like the heat
Some are a melody and some are the beat
Sooner or later, they all will be gone
Why don't they stay young?

It's so hard to get old without a cause
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
Youth's like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever

So many adventures couldn't happen today
So many songs we forgot to play
So many dreams swinging out of the blue
We'll let them come true
-------------------------

Big in Japan

Winter's cityside
Crystal bits of snowflakes
All around my head and in the wind
I had no illusions
That I'd ever find a glimpse
Of summer's heatwaves in your eyes
You did what you did to me
Now it's history I see
Here's my comeback on the road again
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight
It's easy when you're big in Japan

Aah when you're big in Japan-tonight...
Big in Japan-be-tight...
Big in Japan... ooh the eastern sea's so blue
Big in Japan-alright,
Pay! -- Then I'll sleep by your side
Things are easy when you're big in Japan
Oh when you're big in Japan

Neon on my naked skin, passing silhouettes
Of strange illuminated mannequins
Shall I stay here at the zoo
Or should I go and change my point of view
For other ugly scenes
You did what you did to me
Now it's history I see
Here's my comeback on the road again
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight
It's easy when you're big in Japan

Aah when you're big in Japan-tonight...
Big in Japan-be-tight...
Big in Japan... ooh the eastern sea's so blue
Big in Japan-alright, pay!
Then I'll sleep by your side
Things are easy when you're big in Japan