I Think I’m Turning Japanese by Vapors Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Cultural Metamorphosis
Lyrics
You wrote, “I love you,” I wrote “Me, too”
I sit there staring and there’s nothing else to do
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
I’ve got your picture, I’ve got your picture
I’d like a million of them all round my cell
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
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
I’ve got your picture, I’ve got your picture
I’d like a million of them all round my cell
I want a doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
You got me turning up and turning down
I’m turning in, I’m turning round
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
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’ve got your picture, I’ve got your picture
I’d like a million of them all round myself
I want a doctor to take a picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
You got me turning up and turning down
I’m turning in, I’m turning round
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
Turning Japanese, I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so
Turning Japanese, I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so
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 psych lone-ranger
Everyone
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
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
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
In the echelons of music history, some songs resonate beyond their catchy hooks and foot-tapping rhythms to become enduring cultural artifacts. The Vapors’ ‘I Think I’m Turning Japanese,’ a staple of the New Wave era, is one such song. Released in 1980, it threw the music world a curveball that continues to echo today. But what lies beneath the surface of this ostensibly ebullient track?
Often misinterpreted or shrouded in urban myths, the true essence of ‘I Think I’m Turning Japanese’ is far more nuanced than it appears. The enigmatic chorus has spawned several theories, but the song’s core dwells deeply in themes of obsession, identity, and the alienation that can accompany intense emotional states. Let’s dive into a lyrical analysis to uncover the hidden layers of this post-punk gem.
An Ode to Obsession or an Innocent Love Song?
On the surface, the song’s lyrics radiate a seemingly innocent tale of love and longing. The narrator clutches a photograph, yearning for a connection with the beloved. But delve a little deeper, and you’ll find a vivid representation of obsession, with the image serving as an icon of unrequited desire. Lines such as ‘I’ve got your picture of me and you’ and the repeated request ‘I want a doctor to take your picture’ suggest a fixation that borders on the disturbing.
Obsession is a double-edged sword, at once a testament to the depth of feeling and a potential path to self-destruction. The singer’s desire to have ‘a million of them all round my cell’ evokes imprisonment—either by the walls of the mind consumed by infatuation or the literal confines of a space where one is left alone with nothing but the object of their affection.
Cultural Misconceptions and the Search for Identity
The chorus ‘I’m turning Japanese, I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so’ has been a point of cultural inaccuracies and stereotypes. Yet, the assertion here is not about transforming ethnicity or appropriating culture. Instead, it metaphorically represents a metamorphosis in identity—a process underpinned by intense emotional change. Taking on another identity, in this sense, is about the narrator’s own internal upheaval in how they see themselves in relation to the object of their adoration.
How often does love or passion drive one to reassess their identity to the point of feeling entirely changed? The use of ‘Japanese’ may simply be the exotic ‘other,’ symbolizing how the emotionally vulnerable can feel as if they have stepped outside themselves, adopting an almost foreign persona influenced by their feelings.
Unraveling the Song’s Hidden Meaning
The hidden meaning of ‘I Think I’m Turning Japanese’ has spurred considerable speculation. Some have viewed it as a veiled reference to the experience of orgasm, given the physical indicators that could, under a certain derogatory gaze, appear as ‘turning Japanese.’ However, others, including the band, have denied these interpretations, claiming the song speaks more broadly to the feelings of alienation and joy.
To ‘turn Japanese,’ then, is to reflect on the strangeness one feels when losing or finding oneself in another person or experience. It is the lexicon of transformation and the poignant strangeness of intense emotion, wrapped in a melody that distracts with its own spirited vibrance.
Memorable Lines Embodying the Essence of Isolation
The lyric ‘No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women, no fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it’s dark’ is especially telling. Here lies the crux of the song’s theme of isolation. The narrator’s life is stripped of distractions and excess—there’s nothing left to cloud the reality of loneliness. The absence outlined within these lines is chilling, and ‘everyone avoids me like a psych lone-ranger,’ deepening the poignant sensation of social and emotional detachment.
The contrast between the seemingly light-hearted melody and the underlying despair provides a powerful juxtaposition. The upbeat tempo cannot mask the darkness that pervades the narrator’s experience—an aspect of human existence that the most unforgettable songs capture and express.
The Enduring Legacy of a New Wave Icon
Decades later, ‘I Think I’m Turning Japanese’ continues to intrigue and provoke, securing its place in the pantheon of music that transcends eras. It’s a testament to the songwriting that a piece can generate discussion, controversy, and analysis long after its time in the chart spotlight.
‘Turning Japanese,’ whether mocking, poignant, alienating, or simply a pure pop lexicon, has etched itself into the collective memory of music aficionados and casual listeners alike. The Vapors may have only skimmed the heights of one-hit wonders, but they left behind a cultural riddle wrapped in a synthesis of sharp guitar riffs and addictive choruses—a legacy any artist would covet.
