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Old 07-15-2019, 09:23 AM   #200
Breeze
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Northern Suburbs of ATL
10. The Vapors – Turning Japanese (1980)

Total Points – 329
Charts – 5
Top 40 – 1
Top 20 – 2
Top 10 – 0
Total Ranking – 11, 20, 36, 69, 81, NR

An early version of this band was playing in a pub in Farncombe when The Jam’s bassist Bruce Foxton spotted them, and he agreed along with Paul Weller’s (also of The Jam) father to manage the band. Originally named the Vapours, the band dropped the U to appear more American. This single got to #3 on the UK charts, and slipped into the top 40 on the Hot 100, peaking at #36. In the US, a rumor started that “Turning Japanese” was believed to euphemistically refer to masturbation. Given the song’s focus on a young man separated from the woman he loves and thus preoccupied by her photos, along with a mental picture of the moment before climax of a man with squinted eyes and front teeth showing through lips like a bad cartoon of a Japanese stereotype, and the reason for the rumor seems pretty logical. However, David Fenton, the writer of the song denied that explanation and said it’s actually about “angst and youth and turning into something you don’t expect.” However, he wished to thank whoever came up with the more salacious interpretation, admitting that it may have helped the song become a hit. When the band wrote this song, they felt they had a hit on their hands, so they decided to delay the release until their second single in hopes of avoiding the OHW label. Unfortunately, for the band they were unable to come close to success of this single again, only getting 2 other songs on the UK singles chart, and neither reached the top 40, and they saw even less success in the US.

Last edited by Breeze : 07-15-2019 at 09:35 AM.
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