Turning Japanese @ 40

Forty years ago this week, the band released their second single ‘Turning Japanese’ on an unsuspecting world. It was coupled with a live version of ‘Here Comes The Judge’ on the b-side, which had been recorded during the gigs with The Jam on their ‘Setting Sons’ tour at the end of 1979. TJ was the first single to be taken from their forthcoming album ‘New Clear Days’ and it became a huge hit worldwide, getting a release in over 20 countries around the globe!

Spectacularly catchy, the single spent 13 weeks in the UK chart and climbed to the dizzy heights of number 3! In Australia, the scored their first number 1 chart position and they even dented the US chart too (where ‘Talk Talk’ was on the b-side not ‘Judge’). Lots has been discussed about the subject matter of the lyrics over the years, most of which Dave Fenton has denied… Make up your own mind when you listen on Spotify here