Winter's cityside
Crystal bits of snowflakes
All around my head and in the wind
I had no illusions
That I'd ever find a glimpse
Of summer's heatwaves in your eyes
You did what you did to me
Now it's history, I see
Here's my comeback on the road again
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight
It's easy when you're big in Japan

Aah when you're big in Japan - tonight
Big in Japan - be - tight...
Big in Japan... ooh the eastern sea's so blue
Big in Japan - all right,
Pay! - Then I'll sleep by your side
Things are easy when you're big in Japan
Oh when you're big in Japan

Neon on my naked skin, passing silhouettes
Of strange illuminated mannequins
Shall I stay here at the zoo
Or should I go and change my point of view
For other ugly scenes
You did what you did to me
Now It's history, oh, you'll see
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight
It's easy when you're big in Japan

Aah when you're big in Japan - tonight
Big in Japan - be - tight...
Big in Japan... ooh the eastern sea's so blue
Big in Japan - all right, Pay!
Then I'll sleep by your side
Things are easy when you're big in Japan

Lyrics & Music: Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd, Frank Mertens

Release history:

1984 01 12 · Big in Japan · Single

1984 09 27 · Forever Young · Album

1988 01 · Amiga Compilation · Compilation

1988 10 · The Singles Collection · Compilation

1989 03 03 · Forever Young · Big in Japan · Single

1992 02 07 · Big in Japan 1992 A.D. · Single

1992 04 03 · Big in Japan - Swemix Remix · Single

1992 06 · First Harvest 1984-92 · Compilation

1993 · MoonOffice Compilation · Video

1993 01 · History · Album

1999 01 · Dreamscapes · Album

1999 01 24 · Flame · Single

1999 09 · Visions of Dreamscapes · Compilation

2000 06 26 · Stark Naked and Absolutely Live · Live Album

2001 09 28 · Little America · Video

2001 10 01 · Forever Pop · Compilation

2005 12 31 · Dreamscapes Revisited · MP3 Album

2011 03 04 · Song For No One · Single

2014 10 13 · So80s - Alphaville · Compilation

2019 01 19 · Live at the Whisky a Go Go · Live Album

2019 03 15 · Forever Young - Remastered · Album

2022 04 29 · Big in Japan - Symphonic Version · Online Release

2022 08 26 · Forever Young - Symponic Version · Online Release

2022 09 23 · Eternally Yours · Album

2023 05 05 · Eternally Yours Bonus EP I · Online Release

2023 10 13 · A Night at the Philharmonie Berlin · Album + DVD

2024 09 27 · Forever! Best of 40 Years · Compilation

Versions:

• Single version (3:52, 7" & 12" single)
• Extended Remix (7:25, 12" single)
• Extended Instrumental (6:10, 12" single)
• Album version (4:43)
• Single Version '88 (3:49, The Singles Collection)
• Remix '88 (7:25, The Singles Collection)
• Extended Remix (6:57, Forever Young / Big in Japan)
• 1992 A.D. (3:14, 1992 7" single & CD)
• The Mix (4:14, 1992 7" single)
• 1992 A.D. - Freedom Mix (4:51, 1992 12" single & CD)
• 1992 A.D. - Freedom Dub (4:56, 1992 12" single)
• The Mix Extended Version (6:05, 1992 12" single & CD)
• Swemix Remix 12" (8:27, Swemix 12" single & CD)
• Swemix Remix 7" (3:57, Swemix 12" single & CD)
• Swemix Dub (6:44, Swemix 12" single & CD)
• Culture mix (6:08, First Harvest)
• Live (4:20, History)
• 1992 AD Video (3:35, MoonOffice Compilation)
• Live in Moscow (7:15, Flame)
• Demo Remix (6:23, Dreamscapes)
• Live (7:09, Dreamscapes)
• FFF Time Warp (10:19, Dreamscapes)
• Live (7:14, Visions of Dreamscapes)
• Live (6:05, Stark Naked and Absolutely Live)
• Live (?:??, Little America)
• Roland Spremberg Mix (3:42, Forever Pop)
• Eiffel 65 Mix (5:00, Forever Pop)
• Symphonic Version (3:58, Online Release 2022)

Notes:

Marc Simon is credited as one of the writers of "Big in Japan" on the single and the Warner music sheet, though not on the album.

"Big in Japan - The Mix (extended version), which appears on the 1992 release, starts with a weird, warbling voice (just before someone says "we're very excited about this new song"). The warbling seems to end with the word "stereo", but this is just some clever mixing: If you record the sentence and play it backwards, it quite clearly says "Remix by Kid and Johnny", which it was.