Tokyo Rose is a 1989 album by American musician Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....

. The album concerns the intersection between Japanese and American cultures, particularly as reflected in the competitive "Trade War" of the 1980s. The intersection between the two cultures is nowhere more obvious than in the album's first song, "America," an adaptation of "America the Beautiful

America the Beautiful

"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward....

" with numerous pentatonic shifts characteristic of Japanese music, played on a combination of standard Western instruments and traditional Japanese instruments, such as the biwa

Biwa

The is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto....

 and the koto

Koto (musical instrument)

The koto is a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument, similar to the Chinese guzheng, the Mongolian yatga, the Korean gayageum and the Vietnamese đàn tranh. The koto is the national instrument of Japan. Koto are about length, and made from kiri wood...

.

Track listing

All music and lyrics by Van Dyke Parks, except as noted

1. "America" (public domain, arranged and adapted by Van Dyke Parks) – 3:47
2. "Tokyo Rose" – 5:08
3. "Yankee Go Home" (Features Vocal of Danny Hutton
   Danny Hutton
   Daniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
   
   ) – 6:27
4. "Cowboy" – 4:35
5. "Manzanar" – 6:02
6. "Calypso" (Features Vocal of Mari Iijima
   Mari Iijima
   is a Japanese singer-songwriter who has released over 20 original albums to date. She writes and produces most of her own music, is a multi-instrumentalist, and is an accomplished piano player. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn...
   
   ) – 4:27
7. "White Chrysanthemum" – 4:00
8. "Trade War" – 4:40
9. "Out of Love" – 3:18
10. "One Home Run" (Japanese lyrics by Amy Furumoto) – 4:00

Personnel

Van Dyke Parks - vocals, bass

• Osamu Kitajima - biwa, koto
• Masakazu Yoshizawa - shakuhachi
• Bobby King
  Bobby King
  Bobby King is an American gospel-style, R&B and soul singer. He formed a singing duo with Terry Evans in the early 1970s. Since 1973, King has sung on most Ry Cooder albums. He was also the lead backing vocalist in Bruce Springsteen's Human Touch tour band of 1992-93...
  
   - vocals
• Syd Straw
  Syd Straw
  Syd Straw is an American rock singer and songwriter. The daughter of actor Jack Straw , she began her career singing backup for Pat Benatar, then took her distinct voice to the indie/alternative scene and joined the Golden Palominos...
  
   - vocals
• Kathy Dalton - vocals
• Israel Baker - Concert Master
• Dennis Budimir - guitar
• Julie Christensen - vocals
• Terry Evans - vocals
• William "Bill" Greene - vocals
• Danny Hutton
  Danny Hutton
  Daniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
  
   - vocals
• Hiromitsu Katada - narimono
• Buell Neidlinger
  Buell Neidlinger
  Buell Neidlinger is an American cellist and double bassist.Neidlinger was born in Westport, Connecticut. After Yale University, he moved to New York City and began playing in various jazz settings...
  
   - bass
• Akira Tana - drums
• Mike Watts - programming
• Arnold McCuller - vocals
• Mari Iijima
  Mari Iijima
  is a Japanese singer-songwriter who has released over 20 original albums to date. She writes and produces most of her own music, is a multi-instrumentalist, and is an accomplished piano player. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn...
  
  - vocals
• Brian Otto - guitar
• Lisa Popeil - vocals