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Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
Wherever you go
Wherever you land
I'll say what this means to me
I'll do what I can
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
Fundamental problem
All need to face
This is important
But I know you're not listening
No, I know you're not listening
This was still new to me
I wouldn't understand
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
This is what love is for
To be out of place
Gorgeous and alone
Face to face
With no larger problems
That need to be erased
Nothing more important
Than to know someone's listening
Now, I know you'll be listening
Unlikely Japan
Wherever you go
Wherever you land
I'll say what this means to me
I'll do what I can
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
Fundamental problem
All need to face
This is important
But I know you're not listening
No, I know you're not listening
This was still new to me
I wouldn't understand
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
This is what love is for
To be out of place
Gorgeous and alone
Face to face
With no larger problems
That need to be erased
Nothing more important
Than to know someone's listening
Now, I know you'll be listening
Lyrics submitted by Grendelbomb
Track duration: 05:57
"Impossible Germany" as written by Glenn Kotche Mikael Jorgensen
Lyrics © BUG MUSIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Its about a nation drifting towards the same situations in Japan and Germany in the second world war. There is nothing bad in the German or Japanese psyche that would make them more likely to instigate this. A warning that nothing is impossible and we should always question the power that people and counties adopt and accept as rightfully theirs. If it can happen to countries a unlikely as these, what chance do other countries have. Its asking you to wake up and change before its too late. The fact that Jeff writes it as a love song to his country makes it all the more poignant. A devastatingly intelligent song.
Impossible Germany - a pop market, always on the lookout for the latest and freshest thing - not a potential Wilco market
Unlikely Japan - they're too American and not niche and kooky enough.
wherever you go, wherever you land - touring with an international band is plane journey after plane journey after plane journey...
I'll say what this means to me, I'll do what I can - mmm definitely about the music biz...
Fundamental problem, We all need to face - the excuses start...
This is important but I know you're not listening - because to you it's just a job where as to me it's my soul
The next verse takes the listener into the present. "This was still new to me and I was told that I wouldn't understand why Germany would be impossible and Japan unlikely"
And then a thank you to the fans because as any fule kno - music is about the love affair between the listener and the music - the role of the artist is almost that of a waiter or a chef - to prepare the food and serve it - but the love comes from the enjoyment of the end product. "This is what love is for, to be out of place" - because the band IS popular in these unlikely places and it is love and they feel that love.
Gorgeous and alone - Face to face - is it the vulnerability of love? is it sex? is it the vulnerability of being up on stage in an unknown place where you've always been told you won't succeed but are doing despite the "advice"?
The last verse is self-explanatory as the artist is there, playing in these countries, also acknowledging their fractious histories - there would have been a time when it would have been impossible for an American artist to be playing these countries and rather than bombastically marching through, Tweedy is almost apologetic and says that the most important thing, for him, is to know someone's listening...