TURNING JAPANESE
as recorded by The Vapors
Entry Date: November 15, 1980
Highest Chart Position: #36 (US)
Weeks On Chart: 3
For you early 80s buffs (like myself), here's a little one-hit
wonder from our youth. The song is currently available on EMI's
"Living In Oblivion: The Best of the 80's Volume One" and
Priority Records' "Rock of the 80s Volume 3." Enjoy!
--DanAmrich@aol.com
FOR ONE GUITAR
The opening starts with a teriyaki-flavored riff like so:
E --15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13---15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13------
B --15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13---15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13------
G ---------------------------------------------------------------
D ---------------------------------------------------------------
A ---------------------------------------------------------------
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
The bass can either double the high-E string line on its low E at
the 15h fret, or better yet, detune the bass' E to D and play:
E(D) ---5--5--5--5--3--3--0--0--3--------------------------------
The verse riff is as follows (don't forget the nice rhythmic
stops in here, 'cause that's what gives the song that "hook"):
G Em
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B --12-12--------13-12-------------------------------------------
G --12-12--------------12----14-14-------------------------------
D --12-12--12-12-------------14-14-----12-13-14------------------
A --10-10--------------------14-14--14---------------------------
E ---------------------------12-12-------------------------------
This is the main riff and gets played under the "I've got your
picture" lyrics, until "I sit there starin' and there's nothing
else to do" which features this:
A C D
E ----------------------------------
B --2-----5--7----------------------
G --2-----5--7----------------------
D --2-----5--7----------------------
A --0-----3--5----------------------
E ----------------------------------
A C D
I see you star-in' and there's noth-ing I can do
Next time around (after "I often kiss you when there's no one
else around"), this is added:
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B --2----5--7---------------------------------------------------
G --2----5--7------5--9--7--5--5--9--9--7--7--------------------
D --2----5--7---5--5--9--7--5--5--9--9--7--7--------------------
A --0----3--5---5--3--7--5--3--3--7--7--5--5--------------------
E --------------3-----------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B --12-12-12----------------------------------------------------
G --12-12-12---5--9--7--5--5--9--7--------------7-7-7-7-5-5-2-5-
D --12-12-12---5--9--7--5--5--9--7--------------7-7-7-7-5-5-2-5-
A --10-10-10---3--7--5--3--3--7--5--------------5-5-5-5-3-3-0-3-
E --------------------------------------------------------------
..and back into the main riff. Granted, that jump to the barred
G at the 10th fret is a big one, but that's how it is on the
record, and with a little practice, it can be done. If you have
trouble, or if you wanna squeeze a second guitar in there, play
that G as a power chord on the 3rd fret instead of/in addition to
the 10th barre.
For the refrain, play this:
G
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B --12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--------------
G --12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--------------
D --12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--------------
A --10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--------------
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
Turning Japanese... ...I really
D
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------------------------------
G --12----12-----------------------------------------------------
D --12----12-----------12-10-9-----------------------------------
A --12----12------9-12---------12--------------------------------
E --10----10---10------------------------------------------------
think so...
F
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B --10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-------------
G --10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-------------
D --10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-------------
A ---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------
Turning Japanese... ...I really
C
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------------------
G --10----10----------------------------------------------------
D --10----10------------10-9-7----------------------------------
A --10----10------7-10---------10-------------------------------
E ---8-----8----8-----------------------------------------------
think so...
Play that twice, then this:
G F# F F# G C E D C E D
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B ----(a quick down/up/down strum)------------------------------
G --------------------------------------5--9--7--5--5--9--7-----
D ---5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3--4-4-4--5-5-5--5--9--7--5--5--9--7-----
A ---5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3--4-4-4--5-5-5--3--7--5--3--3--7--5-----
E ---3-3-3--2-2-2--1-1-1--2-2-2--3-3-3--------------------------
D C A C
E --------------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------------
G ------------------------7--7--7--7--5--5--2--5----------
D ------------------------7--7--7--7--5--5--2--5----------
A ------------------------5--5--5--5--3--3--0--3----------
E --------------------------------------------------------
I've got your...
The bridge after the second verse ("No sex, no drugs, etc") is
basically the same chord structure as the main riff, with a
rhythm change. The drum beat (hi-hat, actually) is on
"sex...drugs...wine...women" but the chord is played with
upstrokes on the word "no."
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B -----------12--------12-------12-------------------------------
G -----------12--------12-------12-------------------------------
D -----------12--------12-------12-------------------------------
A -----------10--------10-------10-------------------------------
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women...
Follow the same G - D - F - C chord pattern with that new rhythm
up to "everyone..." Then kick into the refrain and leave out the
full D and C riffs -- that space is taken up by the keyboard
chime sounds. You can throw in harmonics to fill the keyboard
gap, if you like. Over the "space" of the D, the following works
kinda nice:
D (Natural Harmonics)
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B -----------------------7--------------------------------------
G --10--10------------7-----7-----------------------------------
D --10--10-----12--7-----------7-------12-----------------------
A --10--10-------------------------12---------------------------
E ---8---8------------------------------------------------------
think so Turning Japanese...
I haven't found any harmonics that sound nice over the C chord,
but a pickslide will do in the meantime. Those of you with
tremelo prowess might want to divebomb on an F chord there. Just
a thought.
The solo is a little tricky at first, but worth it when executed
properly. It's played over the refrain riff.
E --12--10--12--10---7--10---7--7--5--5--3--5-------------------
B --12--10--12--10---8--10---8--8--7--7--5--7-------------------
G --------------------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------------------
A --------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------
E --5--3--5--3---0--3-------------------------------------------
B --6--5--6--5---1--5----1--3--5--7--8--10--12------------------
G --------------------------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------------------
A --------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------
It's repeated twice, then back into the original refrain. It
sneaks in one more time near the end of the song; you'll hear it.
The end of the song is a variant of the riff after the 1st
refrain with a mega-cold ending:
G F# F F# G F# F
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B ----(a quick down/up/down strum)------------------------------
G --------------------------------------------------------------
D ---5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3--4-4-4--5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3-3----------
A ---5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3--4-4-4--5-5-5--4-4-4--3-3-3-3----------
E ---3-3-3--2-2-2--1-1-1--2-2-2--3-3-3--2-2-2--1-1-1-1----------
FOR TWO GUITARS
The whole song is actally done by TWO guitars (you can tell
because they're stereo panned left and right) so the above
arrangement is correct for ONE guitar. A more accurate
transcription for two guitars (if you really want it) is:
E --15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13---15-15-15-15-13-13-10-10-13------
B --------------------------------------------------(Guitar One)
G ---------------------------------------------------------------
D --12-12-12-12-10-10--7--7-10---12-12-12-12-10-10--7--7-10------
A --------------------------------------------------(Guitar Two)-
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
The second guitar (left channel) basically reinforces the riff
guitar by playing the same structure with power chords, or barre
chords with all downstrokes, all an octave or two lower, so it
sounds very aggressive.
The "lead" guitar can do this at the end:
E --------------------------------------------------------------
B --------------------------------------------------------------
G -------12--11--10--11--12--11--10-10-10-10--------------------
D --------------------------------------------------------------
A --------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------
Other than playing the rhythm part under the solo, that, just
split up the one-guitar transcription as you see fit, really.
THE LYRICS
V1
I've got your picture
Of me and you
You wrote "I love you"
I love you too
I sit there staring and there's nothing else to do
V2
Oh it's in color
Your hair is brown
Your eyes are hazel
And soft as clouds
I often kiss you when there's no one else around
V3
I've got your picture, I've got your picture
I'd like a million of you over myself
I asked the doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
You've got me turning up and turning down and turning in and
turning 'round
REFRAIN
I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think
so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think
so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
V3
I've got your picture, I've got your picture
I'd like a million of them over myself
I want the doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
You've got me turning up and turning down and turning in and
turning 'round
REFRAIN
I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think
so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think
so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
BRIDGE
No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it's dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a cyclone ranger
Everyone
REFRAIN
That's why I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I
really think so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
I'm turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think
so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
GUITAR SOLO
REFRAIN
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
(think so think so think so)
Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so
So in short, it's a song about a guy who's obsessed with a
woman's photo and, like the Japanese tourist stereotype, wants to
take lots of pictures of her. That's all. The 80s weren't too
heavy on lyrics. :)
===================================================================
From: Gary Chapman
Turning Japanese - The Vapors - transcribed by Gary Chapman
/ = slide
x = hit strings percussively
~ = vibrato
--
Guitar 1 = RHS
Guitar 2 = LHS
Intro:
Guitar 1
E --15-15-15-15-13--13----------13------15-15-15-15-13--13----------13--------
B ----------------------15--15------------------------------15--15------------
G ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guitar 2
E ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B --8--8--8--8--6---6-----------6-------8--8--8--8--6---6-----------6---------
G --7--7--7--7--5---5---7---7---5-------7--7--7--7--5---5---7---7---5---------
D ----------------------7---7-------------------------------7---7-------------
A ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-verse:
Guitar 1 A C D
E ------------------8-7----------------------------------- r --------------
B ----8---8-------------8--------------------------------- e ------------3-
G ----7-x-7---7--7-----------------9---9---------7-8-9---- p --2----0----2-
D ----5-x--------------------------9-x-9------9----------- e --2----2----0-
A ---------------------------------7-x-7------------------ a --0--xx3--xx0-
E -------------------------------------------------------- t --------------
Guitar 2
E -------------------------------------------------------- r --------------
B -------------------------------------------------------- e ------------3-
G -------------------------------------------------------- p --2----0----2-
D -----5------5------5------5------2------2------2------2- e --2----2----0-
A --------------------------5\---------------------------- a --0--xx3--xx0-
E --3------3------3------3----000------0------0------0---- t --------------
Verse:
Guitar 1: rhythm same as pre-verse.
Guitar 2: I've split the notes into groups for ease of reading.
E ------------------------------------------------------------------------
B ------------------------------------------------------------------------
G ------------------------------------------------------------------------
D ------------------------------------------------------------------------
A ------------------------------------------------------------------------
E -3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-330-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-00-
Verse 1:
I got your picture, of me and you.
You wrote "I love you". I wrote "me too".
A C D
I sit and stare at it there's nothing I can do.
Oh it's in colour. Your hair is brown.
Your eyes are hazel. And soft as clouds.
A C D
I often kiss you when there's no-one else around.
E --3-------------------------------------------------------------
B --3-----------------------------------------------------------7-
G --4---5---9---7--5---5---9--9\7--7/12--------9---7--5---5---9\7-
D --5---5---9---7--5---5---9--9\7--7/12---10---9---7--5---5---9\7-
A --5---3---7---5--3---3---7--7\5--5/10---10---7---5--3---3---7\5-
E --3-------------------------------------8-----------------------
E ------------------------
B ------------------------
G --7-7-7-7-5--5--------5-
D --7-7-7-7-5--5--7--7--5-
A ----------------7--7----
E ------------------------
Verse 2:
I've got your picture, I've got your picture.
I'd like a million of you over my cell.
I want a doctor to take a picture,
so I can look at you from inside as well.
A C D
You got me turning up, I'm turning down, I'm turning in, I'm turning 'round,
Chorus:
Lick 1 (Both guitars) Lick 2 (Both guitars)
E ----------------------------- ---------------------------
B ----------------------------- ---------------------------
G ---------7---5---4---2---/5-- -------5---4---2---0---/4--
D -----4-7--------------------- ---2-5---------------------
A ---5------------------------- -3-------------------------
E ----------------------------- ---------------------------
G
I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese,
D (Lick 1)
I really think so.
F
Turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese,
C (Lick 2)
I really think so.
(repeat)
E ------------------------------3--------------------------
B ------------------------------3--------------------------
G ------------------------------4---5---9---7--5---5---9\7-
D --5------4------3------4------5---5---9---7--5---5---9\7-
A --5------4------3------4------5---3---7---5--3---3---7\5-
E --3--3-3-2--2-2-1--1-1-2------3--------------------------
(verse 2)
(chorus)
Interlude:
Lick 3 (Guitar 1)
E --10---10---10---10-
B --10---10---10---10-
G --------------------
D --------------------
A --------------------
E --------------------
Guitar 2: G G G G G G
No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women, no fun, no sin, no you,
Guitar 1: (Lick 3)
Guitar 2: G G D D D D
no wonder it's dark.
Guitar 2: F F F F F F
Everyone around me is a total stranger, everyone abhors me like
Guitar 2: F F C C C C
a psyched lone ranger, everyone.
(chorus, without the Licks, guitar 2 plays power chords instead)
(chorus)
Harmony:
E -12-10-12--10-------10------------------------------------------
B -12-10-12--10---12--10----12-12-10-10-8-10----10-8-10-8------8--
G ----------------12--------12-12-11-11-9-11----10-9-10-9---9--9--
D ---------------------------------------------------------10-----
A ----------------------------------------------------------------
E ----------------------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------8- r -10-
B ----------------8--10---- e ----
G ------7--9--10----------- p ----
D -10---------------------- e ----
A ------------------------- a ----
E ------------------------- t ----
(chorus)
(chorus, with harmony)
E ----------------------------------------------------
B -------------------------------------------6-6-6-6--
G ----------------------------------------------------
D --5------4------3------4------5------4--------------
A --5------4------3------4------5------4--------------
E --3--3-3-2--2-2-1--1-1-2--2-2-3--3-3-2--------------
---
Mr.Scary (Gary Chapman) -- scary@zikzak.apana.org.au
----------------------------------------------------------
WWW - http://zikzak.apana.org.au/home/scary/html/home.html
