Sayonara from Empire Electric by No-No Boy

I never knew you but I love you, kid
Man, that’s the way it goes
What’s more lovely than some secret hid
Who doesn’t want that ghost?
But oh, bloodlines, some eyes like mine
A denim coat, a yellow knife
Under Taipei lights
You told me where I come from
Told me that I’m all right

I didn’t know what hapa meant
You said, ‘Oh, you’re so white.’
How does your mother feel about black men?
Babe, we’re all all right
We caught some heat climbing up family trees
Forget violin and some model minority
Under Taipei lights
You kissed my broken eyes
You showed me that I’m all right

Sa, sa, sa, sayonara
A sigh, a sigh, a sigh, a sigh was all you said
Sa, sa, sa, sayonara
An Empire’s end

An old teak bar down by the Kabuki screens
You gave me a list of books and an antique
Some feudal charm from century 16
A red lacquer box
A white paper swan
Black ink in Japanese

Sigh, sigh, sigh, sayonara

Sa, sa, sa, sayonara
A sigh, a sigh, a sigh, a sigh was all you said
Sa, sa, sa, sayonara
An empire’s end

• Americana
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• Portland