Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Cyclone Ranger

Of course, you must be familiar with the song “Turning Japanese” by The Vapors. If not, refresh your memory of it with a cover by Kirsten Dunst (because because) dancing around in a cosplay getup (because because) and dancing with a sparkle wand around Akihabara (just because, okay?).



But this post isn’t about sparkle wands. It’s about lyrics. Apparently the correct lyric towards the end of the song is not “cyclone ranger” — which is what it sounds like, even though that doesn’t make any sense — but is actually “psyched Lone Ranger,” which also doesn’t make any sense. Comprehensible or not, the lyrics are apparently easier to understand in certain recordings.

Some lyrical context:
No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it’s dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a psyched Lone Ranger
This information is helpful, I guess, but now I’m baffled by what could be meant by the phrase “psyched Lone Ranger.” Anyone?

Mysteries, previously:
By Drew Mackie at 11:59 AM
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10 comments:

  1. More info about why this ever happened: http://kotaku.com/5478889/nsfw-kirsten-dunst-is-your-magical-nerd-princess

    As for the line, I still don't know what it means. But if we take into consideration that the song is really about masturbation or getting horny...

    Hell if I know.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:00 PM

    I've got a bet running. Does anyone have an actual scan of the vinyl lyrics or something?

    The fact that Google seems to return more results for "cyclone ranger" does not bode well for my monies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I tweeted at the official Twitter account for The Vapors asking what the lyric was and got the following response:
      "Psyched lone ranger. It's on the back cover of the album ��"

      Delete

  3. That video doesn't load.

    ReplyDelete

  4. Anonymous: No, I don't know of a scan of the actual album lyrics. Why, what's the bet?

    ReplyDelete

  5. Apparently this video was directed by the awesome Takashi Murakami!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Photo of the japanese single sleeve - with Japanese and english lyrics and its "Cyclone Ranger" - Of course that could also be a mis translation ...
    http://www.littlehits.com/covers/vapors.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Oh wow. That is surprising, but like you say, it could still be a mistranslation -- or even some English-speaker listening to the lyrics and saying, "Well, this is what it sounds like."

      Delete

  7. I am pretty certain is taken from the 1935 Western called the The Cyclone Ranger. Its about a trio of former cattle rustlers who try to go straight, but find that they can't shake off their reputations and trouble follows them. Reference: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026253/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Well, that would explain where the name came from. And if you think about the song being an "east vs. west" conversation, you can't get more western than cowboys? You may be right.

      Delete

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