Japanese Tears

Infobox Album | Name = Japanese Tears
Type = Studio Album
Artist = Denny Laine


Released = December 6, 1980
Recorded = December 1973-Early 1980 (Rock City, Nashville, Startling Studios, Lympne Castle)
Genre = Rock
Length = 47:09
Label = Polydor
Producer = Denny Laine
Reviews =
*Allmusic [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:6xkvu325andk Link]
Last album = "Holly Days"
(1977)
This album = "Japanese Tears"
(1980)
Next album = "Anyone Can Fly"
(1982)

"Japanese Tears" is the third album by guitarist Denny Laine, released shortly before the demise of Paul McCartney's band Wings, of which Laine was a member. The album was released in 1980 (see 1980 in music).

Background

In January 1980, Wings planned a tour of Japan. However, upon the band's arrival at the airport in Japan, Paul McCartney was arrested for marijuana possession. The tour was eventually cancelled, and McCartney then decided to release a solo album ("McCartney II") instead of touring, putting Wings on hiatus.

Laine decided to work on his own solo project (his third since joining Wings), and he released a single, "Japanese Tears," with lyrics that explicitly commented on McCartney's arrest. It become the title track of his album.

The album included three previously unreleased Laine compositions -- "Send Me The Heart", "I Would Only Smile", and "Weep For Love" -- that had been recorded by different versions of Wings with Laine singing lead. In addition, it featured remakes of the Moody Blues' 1965 hit "Go Now", which Laine and Wings performed on tour, and a 1967 Laine composition, "Say You Don't Mind", that had become a top-20 UK hit in 1972 for Colin Blunstone. Two other songs featured the short-lived "Denny Laine Band", which included fellow Wings member Steve Holly on drums and Laine's wife Jo Jo on backing vocals. [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/palladium/2214/dlain_b.htm "Denny Laine Biography"] , retrieved Feb. 28, 2007. ]

This album has been reissued several times, under a variety of titles, on an assortment of labels.

Track listing

All songs by Denny Laine, except where noted.

# "Japanese Tears" - 4:41
# "Danger Zone" - 3:06
# "Clock on the Wall" - 4:41
# "Send Me the Heart" (Denny Laine/Paul McCartney) - 3:35
# "Go Now" (Larry Banks/Milton Bennett) - 3:15
# "Same Mistakes" - 3:41
# "Silver" - 3:56
# "Say You Don't Mind" - 3:08
# "Somebody Ought to Know the Way" - 3:15
# "Lovers Might" - 3:01
# "Guess I´m Only Foolin'" - 2:30
# "Nothing to Go By" - 3:07
# "I Would Only Smile" - 3:18
# "Weep for Love" - 4:32

Personnel

The Denny Laine Band
*Denny Laine: Guitars, keyboards, piano, vocals.
*Jo Jo Laine: Backing vocals.
*Gordon Sellar: Bass guitar.
*Andy Richards: Keyboards, piano, organ.
*Mike Piggott: Violin.
*Steve Holly: Drums, percussion.

Wings
*Denny Laine: Guitars, organ, percussion, flute, vocals.
*Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, drums, acoustic guitar, backing vocals.
*Linda McCartney: Organ, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals.
*Denny Seiwell: Drums, percussion (1973).
*Henry McCullough: Guitars (1973).
*Laurence Juber: Guitars (1979).
*Steve Holly: Drums, percussion (1979).
*Howie Casey: Saxophone (1979).
*Thaddeus Richards: Flute (1979).

Reissues

*The Denny Laine Band - "Weep for Love" (Toshiba Records, 1983)
*Denny Laine, Paul McCartney & Friends - "In Flight" (Breakaway Records, 1984)
*Denny Laine & Friends - "Danger Zone" (LaserLight Records, 1995)
*Denny Laine - "Go Now" (Excerpts) (Prime Cuts, 1995)
*Denny Laine/Paul McCartney - "Send Me the Heart" (United Audio Entertainment, 2001)
*Denny Laine featuring Paul & Linda McCartney - "Spreading My Wings" (Cherry Red Records, 2002)
*Denny Laine with Paul McCartney - "Send Me The Heart" (United Audio Entertainment, 2005)

References