Music Review: A Taste of Honey "Sukiyaki"

A Taste of Honey

Sukiyaki

Album: Twice As Sweet

Year: 1981

           Janice Johnson takes some time out for herself as she deals with a breakup in the  collected “Sukiyaki.”

         Cascading strings open the single, setting a forgiving tone. She stares out of the balcony of the resort. She sees rows of women laying on lounge chairs, tanning. Further along the beach, a group of teenagers play volleyball. She slips her sunglasses back on to cover her puffy eyes and sips from her glass of wine. It’s a beautiful day outside. However, since her ex-boyfriend left her, she spends the day crying. She had to leave her home for a quick vacation. She heard his laugh in the kitchen and his silhoulette in the living room. She thinks he would’ve loved the resort. He would have gone snorkeling with her in a heartbeat.  (“It’s all because of you, I’m feeling sad and blue/You went away now my life is just a rainy day/I love you so, how much you’ll never know/You’ve gone away and left me lonely/Untouchable memories seem to keep haunting me/Of love so true that once turned all my gray skies blue/But you’ve disappeared, now my eyes are filled with tears/I’m wishin’ you were here with me.”)

             In the bridge, she still loves him. Once she gets home, she’ll check her messages to see if he called. Without him around, she has no one to talk to. She’s missing her best friend. (“Soaked with love are my thoughts of you/Now that you’re gone I don’t know what to do.”)

               She needs him to rub her shoulders and cry into his shoulder, like she used to whenever she was upset. She’d apologize for what did she wrong and they would be together again as  before. But that’s not going to happen. He dumped her. (“If only you were here, you’d wash away my tears/The sun would shine and once again you’d be mine, all mine/But in reality you and I will never be/Cause you took your love away from me.”)

            The calming synths soothe, falling into a deep sleep.

              Johnson repeats the second verse again. (“If only you were here, you’d wash away my tears..you took your love away from me.”)

        Johnson whispers “sayonara” at the end.

           Johnson’s subdued vocals cope with the sadness well. Not one to let on how hurt she is, she responds she’s doing ok and continues on with life as normal.  Her friends have to be worrying if she’s popping from sedatives as well to chugging down the wine when no one’s looking.

           The proud “Sukiyaki” keeps its head held high but what it needs to do is to scream and yell.