The Very Best of Japan is a compilation album by the British band Japan

Japan (band)

Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...

, released worldwide in 2006 by EMI Music.

Although not the first Japan compilation to collect recordings from the band's career on both Hansa Records

Hansa Records

Hansa Records was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany....

 and Virgin Records

Virgin Records

Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...

, it is certainly the most comprehensive and includes all nine of their UK top 40 hit singles as well as two other singles that made the top 50, released between the years 1981 and 1983; "The Art of Parties" (#48, 1981), "Quiet Life"(#19, 1981), "Visions Of China" (#32, 1981), "European Son (Remix)" (#31, 1981), "Ghosts" (#5, 1982), "Cantonese Boy" (#24, 1982), "I Second That Emotion (Remix)" (#9, 1982), "Life In Tokyo (Remix)" (#28, 1982), "Nightporter (Remix)" (#29, 1982), "All Tomorrow's Parties (Remix)" (#38, 1983) and "Canton" (Live) (#42, 1983).

The Very Best of Japan includes both the single and album versions of their biggest commercial hit "Ghosts", the 12" mix of "The Art of Parties" as well as the Steve Nye remix of "Taking Islands in Africa", originally released as the B-side of the "Visions of China" 7" single in 1981.

The album was accompanied by a DVD release, which includes seven promo videos as well as the Oil on Canvas

Oil on Canvas

Oil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...

concert recorded in 1982.

Track listing

All tracks written by David Sylvian unless otherwise noted.

1. "Ghosts" (Single Version) - 3:59
2. "I Second That Emotion" (Single Mix) (Cleveland, Robinson
   Smokey Robinson
   William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
   
   ) - 3:47
3. "Quiet Life" (7" Version) - 3:54
4. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - 7:08
5. "The Art of Parties" (Single Version) - 6:46
6. "Visions of China" (Jansen
   Steve Jansen
   Steve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
   
   , Sylvian) - 3:41
7. "Taking Islands in Africa" (Steve Nye Remix) (Sakamoto
   Ryuichi Sakamoto
   After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
   
   , Sylvian) - 4:57
8. "European Son" (Single Mix) - 3:40
9. "Cantonese Boy" - 3:49
10. "Life in Tokyo" - Part 1 (Special Remix) (Moroder
    Giorgio Moroder
    Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
    
    , Sylvian) - 4:03
11. "Nightporter" - 7:01
12. "Methods of Dance" - 6:57
13. "All Tomorrow's Parties" (7" Version) (Reed
    Lou Reed
    Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
    
    ) - 3:35
14. "Canton" (Live) (Jansen, Sylvian) - 5:30
15. "Ghosts" (Album Version) - 4:39

Notes

• The original album version of "Ghosts" is available on the album Tin Drum
  Tin Drum
  Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
  
  .
• "I Second That Emotion" was first released in the UK on the compilation album Assemblage
  Assemblage (album)
  Assemblage is a compilation album by the British band Japan, released in 1981 by Hansa Records.Assemblage collects recordings from the band's early career and Hansa Records re-released no fewer than six singles from Assemblage and Japan's back catalogue between 1981 - 1983...
  
  .
• The original version of "Quiet Life" is available on the album Quiet Life
  Quiet Life
  Quiet Life is the third album by the British band Japan, released firstly in Japan, Germany, Canada and other countries in December 1979, then in the UK in January 1980...
  
  .
• "Gentlemen Take Polaroids is taken from the album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
  
  .
• "The Art of Parties" is mistitled. The version included here is the extended 12" single version. The original version is available on the album Tin Drum
  Tin Drum
  Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
  
  .
• "Visions of China" is taken from the album Tin Drum
  Tin Drum
  Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
  
  .
• The original version of "Taking Islands in Africa" is available on the album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
  
  .
• This version of "European Son" was first released in the UK on the album Assemblage
  Assemblage (album)
  Assemblage is a compilation album by the British band Japan, released in 1981 by Hansa Records.Assemblage collects recordings from the band's early career and Hansa Records re-released no fewer than six singles from Assemblage and Japan's back catalogue between 1981 - 1983...
  
  .
• "Cantonese Boy" is taken from the album Tin Drum
  Tin Drum
  Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
  
  .
• This version of "Life in Tokyo" was first released in the UK on the album Assemblage
  Assemblage (album)
  Assemblage is a compilation album by the British band Japan, released in 1981 by Hansa Records.Assemblage collects recordings from the band's early career and Hansa Records re-released no fewer than six singles from Assemblage and Japan's back catalogue between 1981 - 1983...
  
  .
• "Nightporter" and "Methods of Dance" are taken from the album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
  
  .
• The original version of "All Tomorrow's Parties" is available on the album Quiet Life
  Quiet Life
  Quiet Life is the third album by the British band Japan, released firstly in Japan, Germany, Canada and other countries in December 1979, then in the UK in January 1980...
  
  .
• "Canton" (Live) is taken from the album Oil on Canvas
  Oil on Canvas
  Oil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...
  
  . The original studio version is available on the album Tin Drum
  Tin Drum
  Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
  
  .

DVD

Promo videos:

1. "Life In Tokyo"
2. "Quiet Life"
3. "I Second That Emotion"
4. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids"
5. "Swing"
6. "Visions Of China"
7. "Nightporter"

Oil on Canvas - live at the Hammersmith Odeon 1982:

8. Overture ("Burning Bridges")
9. "Sons Of Pioneers"
10. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids"
11. "Swing"
12. "Cantonese Boy"
13. "Visions Of China"
14. "Canton"
15. "Ghosts"
16. "Methods Of Dance"
17. "Still Life In Mobile Homes"
18. "The Art Of Parties"
19. "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer"