"Big in Japan"
Single by Alphaville
from the album Forever Young
B-side"Seeds"
ReleasedJanuary 1984[1]
GenreSynth-pop[2]
Length
  • 3:52 (single edit/video version)
  • 4:43 (album version)
  • 7:25 (extended remix)
LabelWEA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Orlando (Wolfgang Loos)
Alphaville singles chronology
"Big in Japan"
(1984)		 "Sounds Like a Melody"
(1984)
Music video
"Big in Japan" on YouTube

"Big in Japan" is the debut single of the German synth-pop band Alphaville from their 1984 album Forever Young.

The single was a success in many countries, including West Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. It was also the group's only UK Top 75 hit, reaching #8 on the UK Singles chart. The song also reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play in December 1984.

Recording

"Big in Japan" and the single's B-side "Seeds" were two of the first three tracks recorded for Forever Young and was released as a single before Alphaville had finished recording the remainder of the album.[3]

The group employed a Roland System-100M to create the bassline. The timing of the song was influenced by "The Safety Dance", changing the speed to double-time halfway through the song. The melody was developed by all three members of the band, working in their home studio.[4]

Marian Gold developed most of the lyrics while visiting a dentist. The theme was based on two friends who were involved in the sordid drug scene of Berlin's Zoo station. The refrain "big in Japan" symbolises the idea of being successful in another world, a fantasy about being drug-free. Gold said: "That line has a certain meaning. It means that if you're a complete loser, you're telling other people, 'I'm not a loser because in Japan I'm really big.' It's the lie of the loser and it fitted perfectly into the story of these junkies, which the song is about, in a very tragic way."[4] Gold later explained: "We originally weren’t sure whether we should put it on the album, because it’s a bit autobiographical in that it reflects my time in West Berlin in the late 70s, with the drug scene around the train station and the zoo, and all the underground things. It has nothing to do with Japan."[5]

The phrase was inspired by the name of the band Big in Japan. Gold said: "As you know, there's a considerable musical market in Japan. If you wanted to become famous, what you should do was to form a hard rock group and then release an album over there; it would definitely sell well ... so the story went ..."[6]

In a 2022 interview, Gold said that it's "a great privilege" to have "Big in Japan" and "Forever Young" in "their luggage" when touring, and that he is grateful to be able to perform the songs.[7]

Release and promotion

In reaching #1 on the German singles chart, the song displaced "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, whose lead singer Holly Johnson had been a member of the band Big in Japan. Gold considered this a remarkable coincidence[4] and later said that "we never got to speak with him but he must have wondered 'who is this German group with a song named after my band?'"[5]

An accompanying music video was directed by Dieter Meier from the band Yello.[8] The cover art for the single is by Ulf Meyer zu Kueingdorf.

Original 1984 release

Track listings

7" single
  1. "Big in Japan" (7" Version) – 3:52
  2. "Seeds" – 3:15
12" maxi
  1. "Big in Japan" (7" Version) – 3:52
  2. "Seeds" – 3:15
12" maxi Germany & France WEA 249417-0
  1. "Big in Japan" (Extended Remix) – 7:25
  2. "Big in Japan" (Extended Instrumental) – 6:10
12" maxi US WEA 0-86947
  1. "Big in Japan" (Extended Vocal) – 7:25
  2. "Big in Japan" (Instrumental Version) – 6:10
  3. "Big in Japan" (7" Version) – 3:58

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[34] Gold 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

1992 Rerelease

"Big in Japan 1992 A.D."
Big in Japan 1992 A.D. CD cover
Big in Japan 1992 A.D. CD cover
Single by Alphaville
A-side"Big in Japan 1992 A.D."
Released1992
LabelWarner Music
Songwriter(s)
Alphaville singles chronology
"The Mysteries of Love"
(1990)		 "Big in Japan 1992 A.D."
(1992)		 "Fools"
(1994)
Marian Gold singles chronology
"Big in Japan 1992 A.D."
(1992)		 "And I Wonder"
(1992)
"Swemix Remix" Single Cover

Alphaville rereleased the song, with new remixes, in 1992 to coincide with the release of their compilation album First Harvest 1984–92.

Track listings

EU CD single "Big in Japan 1992 A.D."
  1. "Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix (Single Edit)" – 3:14
  2. "Big in Japan The Mix (Single Edit)" – 4:14
  3. "Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix (Extended Version)" – 4:51
  4. "Big in Japan The Mix (Extended Version)" – 6:05 (same as the "Culture Mix" from First Harvest 1984–92)
EU CD single "Big in Japan Swemix Remix"
  1. "Big in Japan (Swemix Remix 7")" – 3:57
  2. "Big in Japan (Swemix Remix 12")" – 8:27
  3. "Big in Japan (Swemix DUB)" – 6:44
EU 12" vinyl single "Big in Japan 1992 A.D." (white vinyl)
  1. "Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix (Extended Version)" – 4:51
  2. "Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Dub" – 4:56
  3. "Big in Japan The Mix (Extended Version)" – 6:05

Charts

"Big in Japan 1992 AD" reached #2 in Finland and #15 in Sweden.[35]

Guano Apes version

"Big in Japan"
Single by Guano Apes
from the album Don't Give Me Names
B-side
  • "I Want It"
  • "Gogan"
  • "La Noix"
Released20 March 2000[36]
Length2:49
LabelSupersonic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Guano Apes
  • Wolfgang Stach
  • Fabio Trentini
Guano Apes singles chronology
"Don't You Turn Your Back on Me"
(1999)		 "Big in Japan"
(2000)		 "No Speech"
(2000)

In 2000, Guano Apes released a cover version of "Big in Japan" as the lead single for their second album Don't Give Me Names[36] on 12 April 2000. The music video shows the band performing in an empty arena, followed by a fan trying to locate them.

Track listing

CD single

  1. Big in Japan – 2:49
  2. Gogan – 2:47
  3. I Want It – 3:17

7" single

  1. Big in Japan – 2:48
  2. I Want It – 3:15

Maxi single

  1. Big in Japan – 2:49
  2. Gogan – 2:47
  3. I Want It – 3:17
  4. La Noix – 2:19
  5. Big in Japan (Space Jazz Dubmen Mix) – 4:32

Charts

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[37] 19
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[38] 4
Germany (Official German Charts)[39] 9
Italy (FIMI)[40] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[41] 82
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 24

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Mason, Stewart. "Big in Japan – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Forever Young (Deluxe Edition) (Media notes). Warner Music. 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Gold, Marian; Lloyd, Bernhard (15 March 2019). "How I wrote 'Big in Japan' by Alphaville". Songwriting Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Duncan Haskell. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 McPherson, Douglas (September 2019). "Godfathers of Pop: Marian Gold". Classic Pop. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  6. ↑ so80s presents Alphaville (CD liner notes). Alphaville. Blank & Jones (So 80s). 2014. SC0344.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ Pingitore, Silvia (12 September 2022). "Interview with Alphaville's Marian Gold about Forever Young". Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Alphaville.de 20th anniversary edition". Archived from the original on 12 July 2007.
  9. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6792." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006.
  13. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Big In Japan". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". VG-lista. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (A)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  20. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  23. 1 2 "Alphaville – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  27. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  28. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  30. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1984". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  31. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  32. ↑ "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. London, England: Morgan-Grampian plc. 26 January 1985. p. 37. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  33. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1984". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
  34. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alphaville; 'Big in Japan')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  35. ↑ "swedishcharts.com – Alphaville – Big In Japan 1992 A.D." Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  36. 1 2 3 "Guano Apes – Big in Japan". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  37. ↑ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  38. ↑ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  39. ↑ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  40. ↑ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  41. ↑ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
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