Big in Japan (Alphaville song)

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Big in Japan (Alphaville song) - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Big in Japan"

Single by Alphaville

from the album Forever Young

B-side

"Seeds"

Released

January 1984^[1]

Recorded

1983

Genre

Synth-pop^[2]

Length

3:52 (single edit/video version)
4:43 (album version)
7:25 (extended remix)

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 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 No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in December 1984.

In a 2022 interview, Alphaville lead singer Marian Gold said that it is "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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5]

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 West 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."^[5] 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."^[6]

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 ..."^[7]

Release and promotion

In reaching No. 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^[5] 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?'".^[6]

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 [de].

Original 1984 release

Track listings

7" single

"Big in Japan" (7" version) – 3:52
"Seeds" – 3:15

12" maxi

"Big in Japan" (7" version) – 3:52
"Seeds" – 3:15

12" maxi Germany & France WEA 249417–0

"Big in Japan" (extended remix) – 7:25
"Big in Japan" (extended instrumental) – 6:10

12" maxi US WEA 0–86947

"Big in Japan" (extended vocal) – 7:25
"Big in Japan" (instrumental version) – 6:10
"Big in Japan" (7" version) – 3:58

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[9]	67
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[1]	4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[10]	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[11]	67
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12]	1
France (SNEP)^[13]	13
Ireland (IRMA)^[14]	4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[15]	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[16]	5
Norway (VG-lista)^[17]	3
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[18]	5
Spain (AFYVE)^[19]	2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[20]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[21]	1
UK Singles (OCC)^[22]	8
Uruguay (UPI)^[23]	4
US Billboard Hot 100^[24]	66
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play^[24]	1
West Germany (GfK)^[25]	1

Chart (2024)	Peak position
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)^[26]	51

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[27]	26
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[28]	27
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[29]	35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[30]	42
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[31]	20
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[32]	2
UK Singles (OCC)^[33]	66
West Germany (Official German Charts)^[34]	5

Certification


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)^[35]	Gold	250,000^{^}
Italy (FIMI)^[36]	Gold	50,000^‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)^[37]	Gold	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[38]	Silver	200,000^‡
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

1992 re-release

"Big in Japan 1992 A.D."

Big in Japan 1992 A.D. CD cover

Single by Alphaville

A-side

"Big in Japan 1992 A.D."

Released

1992

Label

Warner Music

Songwriter(s)

Bernhard Lloyd
Marian Gold
Frank Mertens

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."

"Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix" (single edit) – 3:14
"Big in Japan the Mix" (single edit) – 4:14
"Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix" (extended version) – 4:51
"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"

"Big in Japan" (Swemix remix 7") – 3:57
"Big in Japan" (Swemix remix 12") – 8:27
"Big in Japan" (Swemix dub) – 6:44

EU 12" vinyl single "Big in Japan 1992 A.D." (white vinyl)

"Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Mix" (extended version) – 4:51
"Big in Japan 1992 A.D. Freedom Dub" – 4:56
"Big in Japan the Mix" (extended version) – 6:05

Charts

"Big in Japan 1992 AD" reached No. 2 in Finland and No. 15 in Sweden.^[39]

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"

Released

20 March 2000^[40]

Length

2:49

Label

Supersonic

Songwriter(s)

Bernhard Lloyd
Marian Gold
Frank Mertens

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^[40] on 12 April 2000. The music video shows the band performing in an empty arena, followed by a fan trying to locate them.

Track listings

CD single

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

7" single

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

Maxi single

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

Charts

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[41]	19
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[42]	4
Germany (GfK)^[43]	9
Italy (FIMI)^[44]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[45]	82
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[40]	24

References

^ ^a ^b "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ Mason, Stewart. "Big in Japan – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
^ Pingitore, Silvia (12 September 2022). "Interview with Alphaville's Marian Gold about Forever Young". Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^ Forever Young (Deluxe Edition) (Media notes). Warner Music. 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ ^a ^b McPherson, Douglas (September 2019). "Godfathers of Pop: Marian Gold". Classic Pop. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
^ Alphaville (2014). so80s presents Alphaville (CD liner notes). Blank & Jones (So 80s). SC0344.
^ "Alphaville.de 20th anniversary edition". Archived from the original on 12 July 2007.
^ "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.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6792." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
^ "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Big In Japan". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". VG-lista. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (A)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Alphaville – Big In Japan". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
^ "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 8 October 1984. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Alphaville – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Alphaville – Big In Japan" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 26.10.2024–01.11.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
^ "Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1984". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. London, England: Morgan-Grampian plc. 26 January 1985. p. 37. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1984". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alphaville; 'Big in Japan')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
^ "Italian single certifications – Alphaville – Big in Japan" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
^ "Spanish single certifications – Alphaville – Big in Japan". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
^ "British single certifications – Alphaville – Big in Japan". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
^ "swedishcharts.com – Alphaville – Big In Japan 1992 A.D." Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Guano Apes – Big in Japan". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^ "Guano Apes – Big in Japan" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 July 2013.

External links

v t e Alphaville
Marian Gold Bernhard Lloyd Frank Mertens Ricky Echolette
Studio albums	Forever Young Afternoons in Utopia The Breathtaking Blue Prostitute Salvation Catching Rays on Giant Strange Attractor Eternally Yours
Compilations	First Harvest 1984–92 So80s presents Alphaville
Video releases	Songlines
Singles	"Big in Japan" "Sounds Like a Melody" "Forever Young" "Jet Set" "Dance with Me" "Universal Daddy" "Jerusalem" "Red Rose" "Romeos" "Summer Rain" "Fools" "I Die for You Today" "Song for No One"
Related articles	Discography

v t e Guano Apes
Sandra Nasić Henning Rümenapp Stefan Ude Dennis Poschwatta
Studio albums	Proud Like a God Don't Give Me Names Walking on a Thin Line Bel Air Offline
Live albums	Live
Compilation albums	Planet of the Apes Lost (T)apes
Video albums	Live Planet of the Apes: The Documentary
Singles	"Open Your Eyes" "Rain" "Lords of the Boards" "Big in Japan" "No Speech" "Living in a Lie" "Dödel Up" "You Can't Stop Me" "Pretty in Scarlet" "Quietly" "Break the Line" "Oh, What a Night" "Don't You Turn Your Back on Me" "Kumba Yo!"
Related articles	Discography IO

Categories:

Hidden categories:

Recording

Release and promotion

Original 1984 release

Track listings

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certification

1992 re-release

Track listings

Charts

Guano Apes version

Track listings

Charts

See also

References

External links