The Japanese theme in Western music *UPDATED*

One of the things about insomnia is that weird thoughts enter your head in the dead of night.  Last night, I began compiling a mental list of popular songs that came out in the 20th century, all of which referenced things Japanese.

The first, from 1920, is Kalmar & Ruby’s “So long, Ooh-long,” which seamlessly and silly-ly blends Chinese and Japanese cultures:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOKErq5Hwfg[/youtube]

In the 1940s, Irving Berlin mentioned the Japanese in a song (sung by Frances Langford), but it was scarcely complimentary:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHYMjRPHOf0[/youtube]

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, no doubt because of fears of Japanese economic world domination, Japanese themed songs exploded.

Japanese Boy:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCH1IlOfDTM[/youtube]

Turning Japanese:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmJ-VWPDM4[/youtube]

Mr. Roboto:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cShYbLkhBc[/youtube]

Indeed, it was the last three songs that triggered my late night thoughts, because my daughter was shocked by how “racist” it was even to mention the Japanese in pop songs.

And that’s all I have to say on the subject.  Clearly, 2 a.m. is not a time for deep thoughts.

UPDATE:  It’s not from the 20th Century, but it is the mother of all popular culture bows to Japan, not to mention being one of my favorite musicals evah:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA1GgPrC0vk[/youtube]

By the way, apropos The Mikado, I recommend very highly the 1999 movie Topsy Turvy, about the making of that operetta.  I don’t know if the movie was historically accurate, but it was interesting and beautiful.