Article Nine by John Forster Lyrics
[Spoken]
1945
World War II is over
Japan is in the doghouse
Occupational forces calling the shots
General MacArthur, he say:
"Divine emperor is lousy way to run a country!
Japan need modern Constitution!
And we going to write it for you."
Uh-oh!
"Going to be just like US Constitution,"
Much better
"With one difference:
Article Nine."
Article Nine?
"Article Nine say:
Japan not allowed to have army!"
Oh no!
"Japan not allowed to have navy!"
Oh very bad news
"Japan not allowed to build expensive weapon systems they never plan to use."
Not fair!
"Japan have to rely on US for defense."
You're kidding!
"Japan have to allow US taxpayers to buy them expensive weapon systems they never plan to use."
What we gonna spend our money on?
"Japan have to spend its money on...
Research and development
And state-of-the-art technology
Supercomputer
Industrial robotics
Stuff like that."
That's it? That's article nine?
"That's article nine
And you better abide by it."
We sure going to try!
45 years later
[Verse 1]
[Singing]
Used to be samurai
Now we meek and quiet
No more seek to conquer world
Easier to buy it!
Lost the war big disgrace
Still we don't bemoan it
Pain in neck to rule the world
Much more fun to own it!
Much more fun to rake in dollar
Selling color TV set
Much more fun to take a g-note
Buy a t-note
Float your bet
Take your money crisp and new
Lend your money back to you
[Chorus 1]
What make the floating kingdom float?
Article nine
Why write the Yanks a thank-you note?
Article nine
Whose constitution got that built-in bottom line
Ours does!
Thanks to Article nine
[Spoken]
Now, all of a sudden US get mad at Japan
Accuse us of unfair trade
Selling car, too cheap
VCR, too cheap
Chip, too cheap
Very sorry, just living up to article nine!
But US got no sense of irony
Hit us with trade sanctions
Ooh! Great dishonor
[Verse 2]
[Singing]
Ask my son what to do
He's at Harvard B School
[Spoken]
Problem simple, could be solved
By even child in preschool
[Singing]
What we care if US
Slap on import quotas?
Way to win against Detroit?
Not sell more Toyotas
Buy up General Motors
[Chorus 2]
What cause the rising sun to rise?
Article nine
What have the bomb economize?
Article nine
America, America
But spending can be thine
Just stuff all yourselves what you gave us
Article nine
Budget solution obvious
Article nine
You got a nice constitution but one flaw in its design
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Uh-oh!
Got no article nine
[Chorus 3]
What make the warlord give up war?
Article nine
How can we ever thank you for
Article nine
Thanks to General Macarthur
Thanks to Harry Truman-san
Thanks to cabinet
Thanks to Congress
Special thanks to Pentagon
Thanks for helping rising sun to rise and shine
And 70 trillion dollars, well
Thanks for article nine!
1945
World War II is over
Japan is in the doghouse
Occupational forces calling the shots
General MacArthur, he say:
"Divine emperor is lousy way to run a country!
Japan need modern Constitution!
And we going to write it for you."
Uh-oh!
"Going to be just like US Constitution,"
Much better
"With one difference:
Article Nine."
Article Nine?
"Article Nine say:
Japan not allowed to have army!"
Oh no!
"Japan not allowed to have navy!"
Oh very bad news
"Japan not allowed to build expensive weapon systems they never plan to use."
Not fair!
"Japan have to rely on US for defense."
You're kidding!
"Japan have to allow US taxpayers to buy them expensive weapon systems they never plan to use."
What we gonna spend our money on?
"Japan have to spend its money on...
Research and development
And state-of-the-art technology
Supercomputer
Industrial robotics
Stuff like that."
That's it? That's article nine?
"That's article nine
And you better abide by it."
We sure going to try!
45 years later
[Verse 1]
[Singing]
Used to be samurai
Now we meek and quiet
No more seek to conquer world
Easier to buy it!
Lost the war big disgrace
Still we don't bemoan it
Pain in neck to rule the world
Much more fun to own it!
Much more fun to rake in dollar
Selling color TV set
Much more fun to take a g-note
Buy a t-note
Float your bet
Take your money crisp and new
Lend your money back to you
[Chorus 1]
What make the floating kingdom float?
Article nine
Why write the Yanks a thank-you note?
Article nine
Whose constitution got that built-in bottom line
Ours does!
Thanks to Article nine
[Spoken]
Now, all of a sudden US get mad at Japan
Accuse us of unfair trade
Selling car, too cheap
VCR, too cheap
Chip, too cheap
Very sorry, just living up to article nine!
But US got no sense of irony
Hit us with trade sanctions
Ooh! Great dishonor
[Verse 2]
[Singing]
Ask my son what to do
He's at Harvard B School
[Spoken]
Problem simple, could be solved
By even child in preschool
[Singing]
What we care if US
Slap on import quotas?
Way to win against Detroit?
Not sell more Toyotas
Buy up General Motors
[Chorus 2]
What cause the rising sun to rise?
Article nine
What have the bomb economize?
Article nine
America, America
But spending can be thine
Just stuff all yourselves what you gave us
Article nine
Budget solution obvious
Article nine
You got a nice constitution but one flaw in its design
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Uh-oh!
Got no article nine
[Chorus 3]
What make the warlord give up war?
Article nine
How can we ever thank you for
Article nine
Thanks to General Macarthur
Thanks to Harry Truman-san
Thanks to cabinet
Thanks to Congress
Special thanks to Pentagon
Thanks for helping rising sun to rise and shine
And 70 trillion dollars, well
Thanks for article nine!