| "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Japan | ||||
| from the album Gentlemen Take Polaroids | ||||
| B-side | "The Experience of Swimming" | |||
| Released | 10 October 1980 [1] | |||
| Genre | Eurodisco [2] | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Songwriter(s) | David Sylvian | |||
| Producer(s) | John Punter | |||
| Japan singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Gentlemen Take Polaroids" is a song by English new wave band Japan, released as a single from the album of the same name in October 1980. It was the band's first charting single in the UK, peaking at number 60. [3]
The song started with a keyboard line by David Sylvian. Richard Barbieri added the keyboard melody, Steve Jansen the drums and Mick Karn plays oboe on the track. Sylvian composed the chorus and the vocal melody and wrote the lyrics. According to guitarist Rob Dean the band worked quite long on the song compared to the other tracks on the forthcoming album. [4]
The single was Japan's first release on Virgin Records in October 1980 and their first entry on the UK Singles Chart at number 60. [5] The B-side featured "The Experience of Swimming", an instrumental track composed by Richard Barbieri. A double single EP was also released including two exclusive tracks, "The Width of a Room", the only Japan track written by Rob Dean, and a version of "Burning Bridges" produced by David Sylvian. [6] The cover featured a photo of David Sylvian and the gatefold doublepack showed a colour photo of the band when unfolded. [6] A promotional music video for "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" was made, but it was never shown on British television at the time. [4]
The single was the band's first release under Virgin Records and, according to writer Martin Power, "established a clever music bridge between the refined groove of Quiet Life and the band's forthcoming LP". [7]
It has been described as a "dynamic masterpiece alternating between the experimental, free-floating middle parts, and the casual pop chorus found throughout the song" [8] and "both complex and catchy". [4] However, reviewing the song for Record Mirror , Ronnie Gurr described the single as having an "awful title and mellifluously nondescript Roxy rip-off A-side. Elsewhere Eno's school of modern bland-out muzak that's so dull and nondescript, one can't ignore the fact the damn stuff takes hold". [9]
Smash Hits reviewer Steve Taylor wrote: "'Polaroids' is one of their elegant retreads of mid-period Roxy Music — even down to the detail of using the same producer — and it's attractively smooth and syrupy. The sounds are generously ladled over an appropriately oriental sounding hook that isn't quite strong enough to close the credibility gap yet." [10]
The song was popular with club DJs: Nick Rhodes regularly played it at the Rum Runner, and Rusty Egan played it at the Blitz. [4]
In 1988, Virgin reissued "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" as a 3-inch CD featuring the 7.06 minute album version coupled with "Cantonese Boy" from Tin Drum and "Methods of Dance" from Gentlemen Take Polaroids , housed in a miniature version of the Gentlemen Take Polaroids album sleeve. [6]
7-inch: Virgin / VS 379 (UK) [1]
7-inch: Virgin / 102 513 (Germany) [11]
7-inch: Virgin / VIPX-1550 (Japan) [12]
Double 7-inch EP: Virgin / VS 379 (UK) [1]
Mini CD EP: Virgin / CDT 32 (UK, 1988) [1]
Japan
Technical
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC) [3] | 60 |
Japan were an English new wave band formed in 1974 in Catford, South London by David Sylvian, Steve Jansen (drums) and Mick Karn, joined the following year by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean. Initially a glam rock-inspired band, Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate art rock, electronic music and foreign influences.
David Sylvian is an English musician, singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly electronic sound made them an important influence on the UK's early-1980s new wave scene.
Andonis Michaelides, better known as Mick Karn, was an English-Cypriot musician and songwriter who rose to fame as the bassist for the art rock/new wave band Japan. His distinctive fretless bass guitar sound and melodic playing style were a trademark of the band's sound.
Steve Jansen is an English musician, composer and record producer.
Richard Barbieri is an English musician, composer and sound designer. Originally a member of new wave band Japan, he became the keyboard player in the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree in 1993. Aside from the founder Steven Wilson, he is the longest tenured member of Porcupine Tree.
Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album by English band Japan, released in November 1981 by Virgin Records. It peaked at No. 12 on the UK charts, and featured the top 5 single "Ghosts". It has received acclaim as the band's best and most original work.
Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the English band Japan, released in November 1980 by Virgin Records.
Obscure Alternatives is the second studio album by English new wave band Japan, released in October 1978 by record label Hansa.
Oil on Canvas is a live album by the English band Japan, released in June 1983 by Virgin Records. It was released six months after the band had broken up, and became their highest charting album in the UK, peaking at number 5. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
Rain Tree Crow is the sole album released by English band Rain Tree Crow, a reunion project by the members of the new wave band Japan. Recorded in 1989 and 1990 and released in April 1991, it was the first time that members David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri had collaborated as a four-piece since 1982. The album peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart.
"Ghosts" is a song by English band Japan. It was released in edited form in March 1982 as the third single from their 1981 album Tin Drum.
The Very Best of Japan is a compilation album by the British band Japan, released worldwide in 2006 by EMI Music.
Japan is an album by the British band Japan, released in the United States in March 1982 on the Epic Records label. It was the first US release of the band's material recorded for Virgin Records in the UK, and was a combination of most of Tin Drum with three tracks from Gentlemen Take Polaroids. It was released at a time when the band was beginning to break up. Despite the group's popularity in Europe and Asia, and a cult following in the US, the album did not break into the Billboard 200 chart. However, it did peak at number 204 on the Bubbling Under the Top LPs chart.
"Bamboo Houses" is a song by Japanese musician-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and English singer-songwriter David Sylvian, released on Virgin Records in 1982. It reached number 30 in the UK charts in the second week of August 1982.
"Nightporter" is a song by English new wave band Japan. The song originally featured on the band's fourth album Gentlemen Take Polaroids in 1980. However, it was then remixed by Steve Nye and released as a single in November 1982. The single peaked at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.
Visions of China is a song by English new wave band Japan, released in October 1981 as the second single from their 1981 album Tin Drum, which was released on 13 November. The single reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Art of Parties" is a song by the British band Japan.
"Cantonese Boy" is a song by English new wave band Japan, released in May 1982 as the fourth and final single from their 1981 album Tin Drum. The single peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. The song refers to the enlistment of a Cantonese boy to the Chinese Red Army.
"European Son" is a song by the British band Japan.
"Canton" is an instrumental song by English new wave band Japan. It was originally released on the album Tin Drum in 1981, and was then released as the only single from the live album Oil on Canvas in May 1983. It peaked at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart.
