Following the recommendation of none other than Taku from M-Flo, I recently checked out Korean band Clazziquai Project. Well, I’m very impressed. Recommended. There’s a discography right now on JPS for those who know what that is and I uploaded a sample here. It’s even in English.
We can probably say that bands like this are the 2nd wave of unique korean “k-pop” - after the much-hyped “korean wave” of several years ago failed to ignite Asia with its smooth raps, hi-tempo beats and slick production - which unfortunately did everything that j-pop did, but not as well. We now are seeing a new genre of artists emerge from the peninsula, less pretentious, less derivative, more honest and uniquely korean, and thus with a far better chance of success. The fact that half of it is in English doesn’t hurt the prospects for export, either.
I think Japan’s got animation sown up for the foreseeable future, but it’s possible that Korea will start stealing some of the Rising Sun’s domination in asian pop music culture. Korea is certainly riding a wave of popularity of its soap operas right now - stealing Japan’s heart with Winter Sonata of 2004, and establishing a lucrative niche in the greater asian TV syndication market. Music will certainly be helped by this development, riding on the back of this tv-drama push, integrated into opening and closing titles, and in theme and incidental music.
October 16th, 2005 at 5:06 pm
Lyrics - Salesman - 클래지콰이 (Clazziquai Project)
hey I hope you know
I want certain words
can you take my soul
I’m going nowhere
why do people live?
I want certain words
can I take your soul
I’m going nowhere
yesterday you called me today you left me
my heart is frozen like an ice
I’m going nowhere
what’s up you people
my vision’s not clear
there is a hole in my heart
hey you understand
I want certain words
can you take my soul
I’m going nowhere
why do people know?
I want certain words
can I take your soul
I’m going nowhere
yesterday you showed me today you erase me
my heart is beating like a drum
I’m Mr. salesman
what’s up my story
how to be myself
there is a hole in my brain
nanana……
there is a hole in my brain
yesterday you called me today you left me
my heart is frozen like an ice
I’m going nowhere
what’s up you people
my vision’s not clear
there is a hole in my heart
yesterday you showed me today you erase me
my heart is beating like a drum
I’m Mr. salesman
what’s up my story
how to be myself
there is a hole in my brain
nanana……
there is a hole in my brain
my brain Mr. salesman
going nowhere
my brain
Mr. salesman
Mr. salesman
Mr. salesman
October 18th, 2005 at 6:16 am
These are some of the worst lyrics I have ever read.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:46 am
Lol! I don’t mind them. In fact, I like them! I think they’re successful in conveying the type of mood the author wants to convey. Did you listen to the song? They make sense in context. And they are fucking korean, you know. My heart is frozen like an ice!
Anyway, if pop music isn’t cerebral enough for you, I recommend this funky rhymester to get your hip hop bone on.
What’s up my story!
November 11th, 2005 at 3:39 am
I had the Salesman song stuck in my head, so I did I google search for the lyrics, just to see if they really were as gramatically incorrect as they sounded. They are, and I love them
Thank you for providing them~
March 17th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
Thanks, Sho!! I looking for it for a long time!!!! I love this band’s song so much….. exspecially “Hold your tears”….. if u have the other lyrics for this album, can u pls send to me? (to my mail box : )
Thanks ya!!
July 14th, 2006 at 8:28 am
Hey! I love their music, have you guys heard “love mode”? It’s awesome. But if you think about it they are Korean and speak a totally different language so their lyrics translate different. Yet I still love them!!
November 17th, 2006 at 12:02 am
클래지콰이 fighting! I love their voices!
“She Is” is my favourite song. Keep on strugling!
December 26th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
true…the lyrics of Salesman aren’t the most menaingful in the world, but i just love the song. it helps me to stay sane while working in a deadly office. I look forward to the next Clazziquai album!
and Sho, thanks for writing this review! i couldn’t find a lot of their reviews in English…
February 14th, 2007 at 10:32 am
I love how their lyrics are really incorrect, because a lot of the English we use in America isn’t correct! I love the line : “My heart is frozen like an ice” ! Clazzi is the best!
March 13th, 2007 at 11:16 am
I don’t like anything Korean (I have a lot of bad experiences with Korean people) but I have to admit that these guys are great. Alex has a really sexy voice. Their music is so chill. Love Mode ft. VERBAL is my favorite.
March 13th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Ha, Hotaru, it seems you DO like something Korean.
Don’t make the mistake of painting an entire people just because of a few bad personal encounters. There are good and bad people of every culture. I think that the only time I have ever experienced racism against myself is in Korea .. still, it doesn’t hinder me giving their cultural products a fair chance, and approaching any Korean person I meet with a blank slate.
I have had negative personal encounters with members of pretty much every race on earth. The only reason I don’t hate everyone is that I’ve then experienced enough counterexamples to realise that every person is an individual and you cannot generalise across a whole culture.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Hi, Hotaru and Sho. I am a Korean, and I find your above comment about Koreans rather biased. Perhaps the Koreans that you met are bad, but don’t be mistaken. Not all of us are like that. I agree with Sho’s comment. Every individual is different.
The world would be a better place if every race in the world is treated equally. As for racism, it varies from every person. It is a matter of each person’s thinking towards another race. In my opinion, Japanese are nice and welcoming people, so I don’t understand why some Koreans do not like them.
However, regarding the lyrics, I really don’t understand any of it at all.
I am not a member of this blog, so I apologise for causing any interference.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Hi Phriscellia, or Terri, or Teresa, or whatever your real name is,
I guess I should have made myself more clear …
When I said that in Korea I experienced what I thought was bad racism, the point I was trying to make was even though that ROK was the only country I had ever felt that kind of negative prejudice, and I still don’t hate Koreans. I was trying to make an example that someone who did that was just an individual, and their actions are not representative of the entire Korean race. Although I admit Koreans can be a bit scary sometimes. Like yourself, lol.
And I am not Japanese, like I have told you before.
I agree with the rest of your comment, though. Also, there are no memberships here, anyone can say what they want.
December 7th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Why am I scary? Maybe I am just annoying? I am sorry for what I said.
December 7th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Phriscellia,
I apologise. I made those comments before I understood the actual situation. At the time, I believed you and Teresa were the same person. Pretending to be two people is a bit scary, isn’t it? Although, I now know that is not true.
If you want me to change it, just let me know, or I can just remove it.
There is no need to apologise, and I don’t consider your comments annoying. It’s good to have the opinions of a Korean, actually, since it’s a Korean band we are talking about : )
December 8th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Never mind…
No need to remove it. I find the lyrics very funny.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Funny, yes, but I like them. Sometimes it takes bad English to express something we native speakers can’t manage. A lot of japanese/korean lyrics are like that - they’re technically incorrect, but they have a kind of naïve honesty I find quite touching.
A song like this isn’t supposed to be the final answer on an English Grammar exam. It’s a song about messy, confused emotions, and for that, the lyrics fit perfectly. The first commentor was too harsh and did not understand the purpose of the song. His loss IMO.
December 18th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I agree. Am I too harsh in my first comments? I used very strong words like ‘biased’, ‘racism’, etc.
December 18th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
No no, it’s fine, I knew what you meant.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Sorry again for giving so much trouble to you.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Don’t apologise for no reason! I will also feel indebted.
December 28th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Ok. I will stop apologizing unless it is neccessary. ^_^
January 25th, 2009 at 1:11 am
I recently came across this song, and I absolutely L O V E it!
Thanks for posting the lyrics Sho! n.n
January 30th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Ha ha, funny song lyrics, isn’t it?