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"'''Turning Japanese'''" is a song released by English band ], from their album '']'', and the song for which they are best known. The lyric consists mainly of the singer talking about pictures of his love and due to them being apart, the phrase turning Japanese metaphorically means his perchance to masturbation. It prominently features an ] played on guitar. "'''Turning Japanese'''" is a song released by English band ], from their 1980 album '']''. An international hit, it is the song for which The Vapors are best known.

The lyric describe the narrator being separated from a woman he loves and thus preoccupied with photos of her. The repeated lyrical refrain of "I think I'm turning Japanese" was widely believed by Americans to describe an ] induced by ],<ref>"in addition to being vaguely racist, 'turning Japanese' is a slang phrase for masturbation, specifically referring to how one's eyes become screwed up and narrow at the climax". Chris S. "" Cracked.com, October 5, 2011; accessed May 20, 2019</ref> but actually was intended to describe teen angst or alienation after a romantic breakup.<ref name="Songfacts"/> The song prominently features an ] played on guitar.


==Overview== ==Overview==
Songwriter David Fenton explains: "Turning Japanese is all the clichés about angst and youth and turning into something you didn't expect to."<ref>{{cite web|title= Turning Japanese by The Vapors |accessdate= 4 April 2009 |publisher= Songfacts |url= http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=689}}</ref> Songwriter David Fenton explains: "Turning Japanese is all the clichés about angst and youth and turning into something you didn't expect to."<ref name="Songfacts">{{cite web|title= Turning Japanese by The Vapors |accessdate= 4 April 2009 |publisher= Songfacts |url= http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=689}}</ref>


The band knew they had a success with "Turning Japanese", so much so that they waited until their second single before releasing it, fearing that if they released it as their first, they would become "]s". They never matched its success.<ref>{{cite web|first= Andy |last= Davis |url= http://www.parengstrom.com/story.htm |title= On the Vapor-trail |publisher= Parengstrom.com |accessdate= 23 June 2008}}</ref> The band suspected they would score a hit with "Turning Japanese", even delaying its release to be their second single hoping to avoid becoming "]s". Nonetheless, they never matched the single's success.<ref>{{cite web|first= Andy |last= Davis |url= http://www.parengstrom.com/story.htm |title= On the Vapor-trail |publisher= Parengstrom.com |accessdate= 23 June 2008}}</ref>


The song enjoyed some sales in Japan after its great success in ], where it spent two weeks at No. 1 during June 1980.<ref name="AUS"/> The song enjoyed some sales in Japan after its great success in ], where it spent two weeks at No. 1 during June 1980.<ref name="AUS"/>

Revision as of 21:27, 20 May 2019

This article is about the song. For the "Married... with Children" episode, see List of Married... with Children episodes § Season 10 (1995–96).

1980 single by The Vapors
"Turning Japanese"
Single by The Vapors
from the album New Clear Days
B-side"Talk Talk"
Released1980
Genre
Length3:41
LabelUnited Artists
Songwriter(s)David Fenton
Producer(s)Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
The Vapors singles chronology
"Prisoners"
(1979) 		"Turning Japanese"
(1980) 		"News at Ten"
(1980)
Audio sample

"Turning Japanese" is a song released by English band the Vapors, from their 1980 album New Clear Days. An international hit, it is the song for which The Vapors are best known.

The lyric describe the narrator being separated from a woman he loves and thus preoccupied with photos of her. The repeated lyrical refrain of "I think I'm turning Japanese" was widely believed by Americans to describe an orgasm induced by masturbating, but actually was intended to describe teen angst or alienation after a romantic breakup. The song prominently features an Oriental riff played on guitar.

Overview

Songwriter David Fenton explains: "Turning Japanese is all the clichés about angst and youth and turning into something you didn't expect to."

The band suspected they would score a hit with "Turning Japanese", even delaying its release to be their second single hoping to avoid becoming "one-hit wonders". Nonetheless, they never matched the single's success.

The song enjoyed some sales in Japan after its great success in Australia, where it spent two weeks at No. 1 during June 1980.

Covers

Kirsten Dunst recorded a cover, with an accompanying video filmed (for two and a half days at the end of August 2009) in Tokyo, Japan.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 6
Ireland (IRMA) 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 9
UK Singles (OCC) 3
US Billboard Hot 100 36
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 34
US Cash Box 31
US Record World 40

Year-end charts

Chart (1980) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report) 2
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 93
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 39
US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual) 207
Chart (1981) Rank
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 94

See also

References

  1. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Turning Japanese – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  2. ^ "The Vapors – Turning Japanese". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. "in addition to being vaguely racist, 'turning Japanese' is a slang phrase for masturbation, specifically referring to how one's eyes become screwed up and narrow at the climax". Chris S. "5 Famous Hidden Song Meanings (That Are Total B.S.)" Cracked.com, October 5, 2011; accessed May 20, 2019
  4. ^ "Turning Japanese by The Vapors". Songfacts. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  5. Davis, Andy. "On the Vapor-trail". Parengstrom.com. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  6. ^ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. Schuker, Lauren A. E. (2 October 2009). "The Artist and the Director". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014.
  8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0274." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Vapors". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  11. ^ "The Vapors – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013.
  12. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending NOVEMBER 29, 1980". Archived from the original on 15 September 2012.. Cash Box.
  13. "Songs from the Year 1980". TsorT. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  14. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  15. "Top 100 Singles". RPM. Vol. 34, no. 6. 20 December 1980. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  16. "UK Singles of the Year" (PDF). Record Mirror. London. 27 December 1980. p. 30. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  17. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  18. "Top 100 Singles of 1981". RPM. Vol. 35, no. 22. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
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