Aneka
"Japanese Boy"

Entered Top 20: 15 August 1981
Chart peak: 1
Catalogue: Hansa HANSA 5

Biography

Aneka wasn't really Japanese and wasn't even really called Aneka. The lady behind the make-up, wig and oriental fancy-dress was a Glasgow folk singer, Mary Sandeman, who picked an exotic-sounding stage name at random from the local telephone directory. (Is "Aneka" really such an exotic name?). Even if you've never heard her hit, you'll probably have guessed by now that Japanese Boy was a novelty record - and indeed it was, a blend of "far eastern" sounds and disco-pop.

She signed to Hansa, who after all had experience in dealing with fake orientals (the biggest name on their roster was the new romantic group Japan, who similarly had nothing to do with the country). It's quite likely that many record buyers thought Aneka really was Japanese, and Sandeman delightedly furthered the illusion by appearing in appropriate costume to promote the song. An attempt to licence the track in Japan failed though - the record company rejected it because it sounded "too Chinese"!

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