Japanese Boy
song written and composed by Bob Heatlie, originally recorded by Mary Sandeman and released in 1981
"Japanese Boy" is a single by Scottish singer Aneka, which was released by Hansa Records in July 1981. The song became her highest-charting release, reaching number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom. The song's success would eventually lead audiences to associate Aneka closely with both the lyrics' subject matter as well as the kimono that she wore during some televised performances of the song, associations that she found difficult to discard as her career proceeded.
Background
Written by Bob Heatlie and produced by Neil Ross, the song was recorded by Scottish folk singer Mary Sandeman. Before then, Heatlie and Sandeman had worked together on several Scottish folk albums. Eventually, Sandeman told Heatlie that she wanted to sing a pop song, but he was reluctant to write something for her because she did not possess the qualities of a pop musician. Despite constant reminders, he forgot to write a song. One day, Sandeman called him to let him know that she had set up an appointment to record her new song, which Heatlie had not written yet. Working quickly, he wrote the chorus first, then stitched together several lyrics from songs he had previously composed.
After recording the demo for "Japanese Boy", Germany's Hansa Records agreed to release the single after multiple rejections.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Japanese Boy” as song written and composed by Bob Heatlie, originally recorded by Mary Sandeman and released in 1981. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the arts & letters register because the source frames it as song written and composed by Bob Heatlie, originally recorded by Mary Sandeman and released in 1981. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Reception evidence should be dated and situated: later canonical status may differ sharply from the work’s initial circulation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3807289. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1981.
Rights, attribution and provenance may remain disputed even when a general reference summary presents a stable account. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
- Finding collection records
The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Japanese Boy”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Japanese Boy primary sources, Japanese Boy archive and Japanese research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Japanese Boy”?
- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
- Where is authorship, date or provenance documented?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Japanese Boy” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.