Japanese Whispers

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{More citations needed|date=June 2008}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Japanese Whispers

| type = compilation

| artist = The Cure

| cover = Jwhispers.jpg

| alt =

| released = 16 December 1983{{cite journal|title=News|journal=Record Mirror|date=10 December 1983|page=9|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/46776070101/in/album-72157677820522278/|via=flickr.com|access-date=16 December 2020}}

| recorded = November 1982 – April 1983

| studio =

| genre = New wave, gothic rock, pop, post-punk

| length = 28:27

| label =

| producer =

| prev_title = Pornography

| prev_year = 1982

| next_title = The Top

| next_year = 1984

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r4922|pure_url=yes}}|title=Japanese Whispers – The Cure|last=True|first=Chris|publisher=AllMusic}}

| rev2 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/t/the-cure/|title=The Cure|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=16 December 2024}}

}}

Japanese Whispers is the second compilation album by British group The Cure. It was released in late 1983 by Fiction Records. The title is a pun on the children's game Chinese whispers.

It includes the singles "Let's Go to Bed", "The Walk" and "The Love Cats". The other tracks are the B-sides of these singles, although "Mr. Pink Eyes" (the second B-side for "The Love Cats") was not included. The songs were recorded when the band was in a transitional phase after bassist Simon Gallup left following a tour to promote the previous album, Pornography. Beginning with these singles, Lol Tolhurst switched from drums to keyboards, a role he kept until his departure in 1989.

For the tracks from the "Let's Go to Bed" and "The Walk" singles, the Cure were a duo consisting of Tolhurst and Robert Smith, with the addition of session drummer Steve Goulding (a member of Graham Parker and the Rumour) for the tracks from "Let's Go to Bed". For "The Love Cats" single, a full band was assembled with the addition of bassist/producer Phil Thornalley, who had worked with the band on Pornography, and drummer Andy Anderson, a lineup which would continue for the Concert live album.

In 1986, the singles' lead tracks were included on the Standing on a Beach compilation album, while all of the B-sides were included on the 2004 B-sides and rarities box set Join the Dots.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Japanese Whispers was the first Cure album to enter the Billboard 200 in the US, in early 1984.

Track listing

All tracks written by Robert Smith and Laurence Tolhurst except as noted.

  1. "Let's Go to Bed" – 3:34
  2. "The Dream" (Smith) – 3:13
  3. "Just One Kiss" – 4:09
  4. "The Upstairs Room" – 3:31
  5. "The Walk" – 3:30
  6. "Speak My Language" – 2:41
  7. "Lament" (Smith) – 4:20
  8. "The Love Cats" (Smith) – 3:40

Personnel

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Chart performance for Japanese Whispers

! scope="col"| Chart (1984)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite Kent|page=79}}

| 18

{{album chart|Germany4|46|id=7468|artist=The Cure|album=Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov 82 : Nov 83|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}}
{{album chart|New Zealand|8|artist=The Cure|album=Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov 82 : Nov 83|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}}
{{album chart|UK2|26|date=19840115|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|181|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}}

Certifications

{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Japanese Whispers}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Japanese Wispers|type=album|artist=The Cure|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|certyear=1984|relyear=1983|id=3474-1031-2}}

{{certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

References