Search - Vapors :: Turning Japanese: Best of

Oh please

darmagon | 05/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Are you serious because if you are then I am sorry for you. There are many many more avenues to choose from if you want to fight against racism. Attacking the vapors because they did a song called "Turning Japanese" is not only the wrong one but a stupid one...period. The song is a spoof, a great spoof, but a spoof none the less. Plus it is as un-racsist as you can get if you listen. Listen to the song, all the words. Do they take themselves seriously? No! Turning Japanese was what your parents told you would happen if you masturbated too much ( a long time ago). The vapors took that old myth and turned it into a great pop song. That's it.. that's all. Only in this day of hyper-inflated racial sensitivity and (lie as much as possible) political correctness could such a review even be considered. Lighten up it's a joke it's a novelty/pop song. And most importantly,while it may be the most well known Vapors song, it is not their best song. Get the album, get the facts. Don't rely on the opinion of everyone who wants to prove how politically correct they are. They "have" to lie in order to make their point."

Get your facts straight...

Chad Dunn | Arvada, Colorado | 10/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the record, out of the mouth of Dave Fenton, "Turning Japanese" is not about masterbation, it is not a British slang term for masterbation and it is not a racist statement. Most of Fenton's songs dealt with angst and separation, and "Turning Japanese" is a love song(?). Being in high school in LA during the early/mid '80s, we had a different perspective on the song. The Japanese tourists seen everywhere around Los Angeles ALWAYS had one thing with them: an expensive 35mm camera and used it at every opportunity. I can't tell you how many pictures I took for people when at Disneyland (them with Mickey, them in fron of the castle, etc.)... We figured the song was about a guy in prison obcessing over a picture(s) and therefore becoming Japanese. Just a bad propogation of a stereotype. Sorry. As for the Vapors and "New Clear Days," I traded a tape of Berlin's "Pleasure Victim" for a vinyl copy of NCD when I was 13 because I absolutely loved their style, sound lyrics. I to this day feel this album is a great example of the musical environment of the early '80s and the quality music that was going around. Actually, the best songs on the album are "Waiting For The Weekend," "Prisoners" and "News At Ten" with "Turning Japanese" coming in a close fourth.Recommendation: Don't talk about things you don't have the facts on or did not experience. For more info, go to www.parengstrom.com/vapors.htm."

Great band (and to clear up any misconceptions)

E. Doyle-Gillespie | 07/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The vapors are a great band and this is an album to get. My husband told me "Turning Japanese" was about masturbation which I was surprised to hear. So I went to the website stated below and here is the exact quote about the song:

[...]

"Over in the States, "Turning Japanese" was deciphered as a paen to masturbation - more specifically the Oriantal - looking facial distortions one pulls in the moment of climax (so I'm reliably informed). Fenton is characteristically reticent on such matters. "It means whatever you want it to mean," he says, before admitting: "I wrote it as a love song. But when I went to America everyone said to me, "Is it about wanking?" In interviews, I'd say alternatively, "Yes it is", and "No, it's not". It could be about a lot of things. I just woke up with that phrase in my head. It's just an image which captures what that song was all about. But, no it wasn't intended to be about wanking at the time. What surprised me was that the Americans thought it was an English phrase!""