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Lyrics to Tokyo Joe

Lyrics to the song Tokyo Joe as recorded by Bryan Ferry.

Words & Music By Bryan Ferry

My girl Friday she no square
She like lotus blossom in her hair
Be-bop records and something new
Sometimes borrowed but she's never blue
Oh no, not Tokyo Joe

Way past midnight, she not home
She cut the ice down the Danger Zone
Water-tight dresses, she don't care
A trifle risque, a tart, no sir
Oh no, sounds like Tokyo Joe

Geisha girl show you she adore you
Two oriental eyes implore you
Femme fatale or ingenue?
She very cunning, fiendish clever
Geisha girl suffer many times a fool
Sayonara moon
When all the world's a stage, oh where are you?

Tokyo Rose on the radio
Or Diz 'n Bird puttin' on the moan?
Tappin' out telexes to Tupelo
Dear John, doh ra me fah so
Let's go, call for Tokyo Joe

Walkin' tall down the Danger Zone
She hokey-kokey till the cows come home
Big shot - from the hip - neon cool
Say, when you've been around, what's left to do?
Don't know? Ask Tokyo Joe

So inscrutable her reply
"Ask no question and me tell no lie"
GI boys howlin' out for more
VIP'S purrin' "je t'adore"
Ah so, that's Tokyo Joe

 

 

Tokyo Joe

Single

Tokyo Jone was the second single to be released from the In Your Mind album in May 1977 peaking at number 15 on 7th June during its 7 week run in the UK charts. It featured a non album track as its b-side, She's Leaving Home, which Bryan recorded for the Beatles tribute album All This And World War 2.

Continuing Ferry's fascination with cinema, 'Tokyo Joe' celebrates 'femme-fatale', inspired by the song 'Shanghai Lil' sung by James Cagney in the Hollywood musical from the '30's

Tokyo Joe has been performed live during the In Your Mind Tour in 1977, the 2002-03 Frantic tour and the 2007 Dylanesque tour.

The song was used as the theme music for a Japanese TV show called Gift in 1997. This inspired its re release as a 3" CD single which topped the Japanese charts. The CD single included a TV edit of the song and also a Karaoke version. A compilation album was released at the same time which was a slightly different version of the 1995 European compilation More Than This. This new version featured new artwork and included Tokyo Joe which was also the title track.

Ryuichi Sakamoto recorded a version of Tokyo Joe as the title track to one of his solo albums.

Song Musicians

Tokyo Joe is on the following Roxy Music and Solo Albums

Chart Info

CHART HISTORY

10 May 1977     49
17 May          29
24 May          20
31 May          26
07 June         15
14 June         24
21 June         31
(Chart run of 7 weeks)

Thanks to Johnny Reece for the research.

Format Country A-Side B-Side Details Label Cat. No
             
7" UK Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home   Polydor 2001 711
7" Japan Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Picture Insert + Lyrics Polydor DPQ 6058
7" Holland Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Picture Sleeve Polydor 2001 711
7" Spain Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Picture Sleeve Polydor 2001 711
7" Germany Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Picture Sleeve Polydor 2001 711
7" Belgium Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Picture Sleeve Polydor 2001 711
7" USA Tokyo Joe Tokyo Joe Mono/Stereo Promo Atlantic 3399
7" Argentina Tokyo Joe Rock Of Ages   Polydor ???
7" UK Tokyo Joe She's Leaving Home Promo Polydor 2001 711
7" USA Tokyo Joe As The World Turns   Atlantic 45-3399