Kamikaze was a Frankie tune that was originally just a series of ideas wrapped into one demo. It had lots of extra parts that didn’t fit. For the final version, I stripped out all the excess and used just the best bits, and re-arranged it with a few new bits. It was a difficult song to piece together.
Frankie and I reworked the lyrics to the new arrangement together. It started off being about being one’ guy’s self-destructive behavior, but soon, I found myself wanting to inject the duality of the Japanese Kamikaze pilot experience into the lyrics, and then into the sound. Frankie and I are both into WWII history, and it seemed like cool idea. I think the duality works, and it let us add all the other fun sonics into the song.
There were times during the process Frankie was unsure whether we should pursue Kamikaze. But the chorus was so damn catchy, I knew we had something. So I kept saying, “yeah, it’s going to work, and it’s going to be great,” I just didn’t know HOW it would work until later.
The pieces didn’t really fall into place until Jordan laid down his AMAZING drum tracks. Once he cut the drums, I got super-excited, and I knew it that it was going to be EPIC. I knew what I had to do on the guitars, and it gave Rob a direction for the amazing bass part he came up with.
The ending of the song is a recreation of a WWII south pacific carrier battle on guitar. Very fun! Great closer for the album.
- Dave
lyrics
Got no enemy greater
Enemy greater than me
If ever a traitor
A traitor to myself I’d be
Pushing the limits
Testing my luck
Settin’ the switch
To self destruct
Immovable object
Can’t get out’a my way
Taking no help
Still doin’ things my way
Pushing the limits
Risking my neck
Big flaming Zero
Slamming into the deck
Kamikaze
I don’t have no fear
Kamikaze
Hide the pain and the tears
Deep down inside me
Kamikaze
Kamikaze
Rev up the engine
Now I can really fly
Say’n my prayers
Kissin’ my ass goodbye
Pushing the limits
Fitghtin’ the power
Crashing the Zero
Into the tower
Kamikaze
I don’t have no fear
Kamikaze
I hide the pain and the tears
Deep down inside me
Kamikaze
Kamikaze
(Bridge)
(Solo)
Kamikaze
I don’t have no fear
Kamikaze
I hide the pain and tears
Deep down inside me
Kamikaze
Kamikaze
Kamikaze
Please don’t shed no tears
Kamikaze
I hide the pain and the fear
Deep down inside me
Kamikaze
Kamikaze
Frankie Rage - lead and backing vocals
Dave Baron - guitars, Zeros, anti-aircraft guns, explosions, backing vocals
Rob Phillips - bass
Jordan Cannata - drums
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