My Gen X Playlist: More Than This – 10,000 Maniacs

Living in Japan became a little daunting once the plane actually hit the ground. I took a Japanese class in college, but overall, I didn’t have a clue. After a few weeks trying to acclimate myself, I overcame my fear and decided to enter a restaurant by myself for dinner.

From the markings on the lit paper lantern outside the restaurant, I figured out it was a yakitori restaurant. Basically, grilled meat on skewers. That sounded delicious. I memorized the phrase, “May I have a menu please?” in Japanese. I repeated it three times before taking a deep breath and opening the sliding rice papered door.

It turns out, the owner converted his house into a restaurant. He stood behind an L shaped bar. In front of him was a hollowed out log filled with coals with a metal grill on top. He had a paper fan that he used to fan the fire. You could see the flames dance and hear the sizzle of the meat above the lively chatter. It was a full house.

I took a seat at the bar and used my one broken Japanese phrase. May I have a menu please? Which he shook his head and replied, Menu? Nai! OK. No menus. I didn’t have much Japanese left. What now?

He was a little gruff. Didn’t smile. I did know how to order beer, so I quickly did that. I needed some liquid courage. He then proceeded to drop sticks of grilled meat on the plate in front of me. If OMG was a phrase back then, I’d certainly would have yelled it. It was delicious. Throughout the evening, he kept my plate full and I continued enjoying my meal with an ice cold beer.

The bar was full of locals. It had a homey, warm, family vibe. As I soaked it all in, I heard someone ask, “Are you American?” It turns out the owner’s daughter was an English teacher at a nearby school. What luck! We sat and chatted and she helped translate conversations between her father and me. His wife came by and joined the conversation as well. His gruff exterior soon softened. At the end of the evening, he wanted to treat me to the night’s meal and refused to accept payment. I thanked him but insisted on paying and left more than enough on the bar. What a wonderful experience.

I became a regular there. I even had my own seat at the end of the bar. The owner’s wife and daughter always joined me on the end and we enjoyed our chats. Once when I entered, the bar was completely full. The owner asked the entire bar to stand up and shift one seat to the right to make room for me in my seat. Wow. As I recounted this experience to my friends back home, I told them at that moment I officially became Norm at Cheers.

I came back weekly not only for the delicious food, but for the warmth and friendship. Living in a foreign country without knowing the language or culture, moments like these ease feelings of homesickness. If I had to choose a favorite restaurant, I’d choose this one hands down. I remember always leaving with more than a full stomach. The time spent with this family also filled my soul. Arigato.

Because I spent that year in Japan, I had an immediate connection to the film Lost in Translation. It’s difficult to put into words the feeling of being alone in a foreign land. This movie seemed to capture it perfectly.

A lonely, aging movie star named Bob Harris and a conflicted newlywed, Charlotte, meet in Tokyo. Bob is there to film a Japanese whiskey commercial and Charlotte is there accompanying her celebrity photographer husband. Strangers in a foreign land, the two find escape, distraction and understanding amidst the bright Tokyo lights after a chance meeting in the quiet lull of the hotel bar. They form a bond that is as unlikely as it is heartfelt and meaningful.

– IMDb

On the CD version of the soundtrack, there is a hidden song at the end of track 15 after 8 minutes of silence. It’s Bill Murray singing More Than This. It’s interesting there is a hidden song, almost akin to Murray’s words hidden behind his undecipherable whisper into Scarlett Johansson’s ear in the final scene. What exactly were his parting words? Maybe there are bits and pieces that are supposed to be uncovered when you look hard enough, while others are left to remain a mystery, open to interpretation. I’m sure there are YouTube videos that reveal Murray’s final words. I think I’ll pass. I’d rather keep the dialogue I’ve already written in my head. I don’t want to spoil the ending.

While I do like Roxy Music’s version, I’m partial to the 10,000 Maniacs version because this was the first song I heard from the band after the departure of Natalie Merchant. Mary Ramsey, a classically trained violinist, took over at lead vocals. Although the band didn’t achieve great success after Merchant’s departure, I’ve always liked their cover of More Than This.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I could feel at the time
There was no way of knowing
Fallen leaves in the night 
Who can say where they're blowing 
As free as the wind 
And hopefully learning 
Why the sea on the tide
Has no way of turning 

More than this - there is nothing 
More than this - tell me one thing
More than this - there is nothing

It was fun for a while 
There was no way of knowing
Like a dream in the night 
Who can say where we're going 
No care in the world 
Maybe I'm learning 
Why the sea on the tide 
Has no way of turning 

More than this - there is nothing
More than this - tell me one thing 
More than this - there is nothing