{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{More citations needed|date=June 2008}} {{Infobox album | name = Japanese Whispers | type = compilation | artist = [[The Cure]] | cover = Jwhispers.jpg | alt = | released = 16 December 1983<ref>{{cite journal|title=News|journal=[[Record Mirror]]|date=10 December 1983|page=9|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/46776070101/in/album-72157677820522278/|via=flickr.com|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref> | recorded = November 1982 – April 1983 | studio = | genre = * [[New wave music|New wave]] * [[gothic rock]] * [[pop music|pop]] * [[post-punk]] | length = 28:27 | label = * [[Fiction Records|Fiction]] (UK) * [[Sire Records|Sire]] (US) | producer = * [[Chris Parry (producer)|Chris Parry]] * [[Steve Nye]] * [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] * [[Phil Thornalley]] | prev_title = [[Pornography (album)|Pornography]] | prev_year = 1982 | next_title = [[The Top (album)|The Top]] | next_year = 1984 }} {{Album ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r4922|pure_url=yes}}|title=Japanese Whispers – The Cure|last=True|first=Chris|publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/t/the-cure/|title=The Cure|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=16 December 2024}}</ref> }}
'''''Japanese Whispers''''' is the second [[compilation album]] by the English group [[The Cure]]. It was released in late 1983 by [[Fiction Records]]. The title is a play on the children's game [[Chinese whispers]].
It includes the singles "[[Let's Go to Bed (The Cure song)|Let's Go to Bed]]", "[[The Walk (The Cure song)|The Walk]]" and "[[The Love Cats (song)|The Love Cats]]". The other tracks are the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]]s of these singles, although "Mr. Pink Eyes" (the second B-side for "The Love Cats") was not included. The songs were recorded when the band was in a transitional phase after bassist [[Simon Gallup]] left following a tour to promote the previous album, ''[[Pornography (album)|Pornography]]''. Beginning with these singles, [[Lol Tolhurst]] switched from drums to keyboards, a role he kept until his departure in 1989.
For the tracks from the "Let's Go to Bed" and "The Walk" singles, the Cure were a duo consisting of Tolhurst and [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], with the addition of session drummer [[Steve Goulding]] (a member of [[Graham Parker]] and [[the Rumour]]) for the tracks from "Let's Go to Bed". For "The Love Cats" single, a full band was assembled with the addition of bassist/producer [[Phil Thornalley]], who had worked with the band on ''Pornography'', and drummer [[Andy Anderson (drummer)|Andy Anderson]], a lineup which would continue for the ''[[Concert (album)|Concert]]'' live album.
In 1986, the singles' lead tracks were included on the ''[[Standing on a Beach]]'' compilation album, while all of the B-sides were included on the 2004 B-sides and rarities [[box set]] ''[[Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978–2001 (The Fiction Years)|Join the Dots]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
''Japanese Whispers'' was the first Cure album to enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] in the US, in early 1984.
==Track listing== All tracks written by Robert Smith and Laurence Tolhurst except as noted.
# "[[Let's Go to Bed (The Cure song)|Let's Go to Bed]]" – 3:34 # "The Dream" (Smith) – 3:13 # "Just One Kiss" – 4:09 # "The Upstairs Room" – 3:31 # "[[The Walk (The Cure song)|The Walk]]" – 3:30 # "Speak My Language" – 2:41 # "Lament" (Smith) – 4:20 # "[[The Love Cats (song)|The Love Cats]]" (Smith) – 3:40
==Personnel== *[[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]] – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar *[[Lol Tolhurst]] – keyboards, drum machine, [[vibraphone]] (6, 8) *[[Steve Goulding]] – drums (1, 3) *[[Phil Thornalley]] – double bass (6, 8) *[[Andy Anderson (musician)|Andy Anderson]] – drums (6, 8)
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Japanese Whispers'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1984) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite Kent|page=79}}</ref> | 18 |- {{album chart|Germany|46|id=7468|artist=The Cure|album=Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov 82 : Nov 83|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|8|artist=The Cure|album=Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov 82 : Nov 83|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}} |- {{album chart|UK2|26|date=19840115|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|181|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=3 July 2023}} |}
==Certifications== {{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Japanese Whispers''}} {{certification Table Entry|title=Japanese Wispers|type=album|artist=The Cure|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|certyear=1984|relyear=1983|id=3474-1031-2}} {{certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{The Cure}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:1983 compilation albums]] [[Category:The Cure compilation albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Steve Nye]] [[Category:Fiction Records compilation albums]] [[Category:Sire Records compilation albums]]