Talk:Somewhere Near Japan

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Lead Vocals[edit]

I included Bruce Johnston with the other lead vocalists, since he sings the line 'I don't know where I am' in the verses. I know it's not a big part, but I think it entitles him to a credit. Sixsevenfive (talk) 22:22, 10 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

You are absolutely right. MookieZ (talk) 04:20, 11 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Citations?[edit]

Does anyone have citations for this, mainly the Back Story?

User:Roygbiv66623:37, 21 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The bulk of the song was written by John Philips and concerns his daughter Mackenzie Phillips honeymoon experiences. She and her new husband, both serious substance abusers, flew to Guam, and both the money and the drugs soon ran out. This was when her father received a late night phone call from Phillips begging him send money or drugs, preferably both: when he asked where she was, the reply was "somewhere near Japan". Phillips' original version of the song, titled "Fairy Tale Girl", allegedly ran to over 25 verses.

There are serious issues with this backstory. For one thing, Mackenzie Phillips' 2009 memoir High on Arrival says her honeymoon to Jeff Sessler (in 1979) was in Hawaii, not Guam (p. 114). More importantly, it also claims that her father John Phillips, himself also a habitual drug user, sexually abused her in Florida the night before her wedding (pp 106-111), and makes no mention of the phone call described here.
I've added reference to the Phillips recording of the song, which does appear to predate the BB version (and indeed only shares about 6 lines of lyrics and some of the chords) — and which Mackenzie sings on! It's certainly an interesting and tragic story, but very difficult to determine the truth or even find sources. 2604:2000:1200:F3:95DE:C55A:2839:7449 (talk) 19:01, 10 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]