Japanese Boy

"Japanese Boy"
Single by Aneka
from the album Aneka
B-side	"Ae Fond Kiss"
Released	10 July 1981
Format	7" single 12" single
Genre	Disco[1] new wave[1]
Length	3.49
Label	Hansa
Writer(s)	Bobby Heatlie
Producer(s)	Neil Ross
Certification	Silver (BPI)[2]
Aneka singles chronology
"Japanese Boy" (1981) "Little Lady" (1981)

"Japanese Boy" is a UK No. 1 hit single by Scottish singer Aneka, released in 1981. The song became her biggest hit and provided the singer with a memorable Japanese image, which she found difficult to discard.

Background

Written by Bob Heatlie and produced by Neil Ross, the song was recorded by Scottish folk singer Mary Sandeman. Realising that the name didn't fit the song, they decided to come up with a name to put to the single. Leafing through the telephone directory, they came upon the name of Aneka.^[3] This was then released as a single and Sandeman came up with a Japanese image under which to perform the song. To their surprise, the song became a major hit when it eventually reached No. 1 in August 1981.^[4] The song went on to become a hit all over Europe and beyond, although according to Sandeman, it failed to chart in Japan itself because "they thought it sounded too Chinese."

The success of the single proved to be a problem however, as Sandeman was left with a dilemma of what to do as a follow-up, now that her image was so firmly associated with one song. She modified her image and kept the Aneka name, but future single releases failed to chart highly in the UK, although she did score two follow-up hits in many countries in Europe.^[5]

The song was released on 7" and as an extended 12" version and featured on Aneka's debut — and only — album, released later in 1981. "Japanese Boy" sold almost half a million copies in the UK, making it one of the best-selling singles of 1981, and the second-best seller by a solo female artist (behind Kim Wilde's "Kids in America").

Sandeman featured in a 2006 Channel 4 documentary titled 'Bring Back The One Hit Wonders'. Justin Lee Collins attempted to organise a one-off performance of as many 'one hit wonders' as possible but despite getting in touch with Sandeman, she declined to take part as she didn't want to travel to London from her home in Scotland and had 'no desire' to perform the hit that made her place in pop history. She revealed though that "Japanese Boy" sold 5 million copies around the world.^[6]

In 2002, "Japanese Boy" had a revival when it was featured in the videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on Flash FM, bringing it to a new generation of listeners.

Chart performance

Cover versions

• In 1981, Andrea Jürgens performed a German version of the song which retained the original title of "Japanese Boy".
• Also in 1981, Finnish singer Armi Aavikko recorded a Finnish version, "Iltaloma".
• In 1982, Czech singer Hana Zagorová made her cover "Mimořádná linka Praha Tokyo", of which became a huge hit in Czechoslovakia.
• The Swedish punk rock group Psychotic Youth made a cover for their 1994 EP Pop and album Bamboozle!^[28]
• Taiwanese girl group S.H.E recorded their own version of the song and it appears in their 2004 album, Encore.
• The song has been used for the anime series Tenchi Muyo!.
• In 2007, it was covered by Japanese Eurodance group Shanadoo.
• In 2008, the song was covered by Swedish bubblegum group Smile.dk, on their album Party Around the World.^[29]
• In 2009, the song was covered by Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights on their album Sparks.
• In 2009, it was also covered in German by German pop singer Jacqueline on her album "Auf der Erde". A video clip and CD-single of this version were also released.^[30]

References

Chart successions