Tojo (song)

"Tojo"
Single by Hoodoo Gurus from the album Stoneage Romeos
A-side	"Tojo"
B-side	"(Lets All) Turn On"
Released	June, 1983
Format	7" vinyl
Recorded	Trafalgar Studios
Genre	Rock
Length	6:11
Label	Big Time
Writer	Dave Faulkner
Producer	Alan Thorne
Hoodoo Gurus singles chronology
"Leilani" (1982) "Tojo" (1983) "My Girl" (1983)

"Tojo" aka "Tojo Never Made it to Darwin" was the second single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was released on Big Time Records and distributed by EMI in June, 1983. It was written by Dave Faulkner.^[1] It was also featured on their first album Stoneage Romeos (1984). Tojo in the title refers to the World War II Japanese General and Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.

"Tojo" saw the introduction of new band members Clyde Bramley and Brad Shepherd, with Bramley providing bass, which had previously been noticably absent from the band.

'"Tojo" was an 'answer song' to an Australian hit of a few years earlier, "Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" which had been released to raise money for the victims of Cyclone Tracy which had almost destroyed Darwin on Christmas Eve, 1975 (sic). During World War II the Japanese army invaded New Guinea but failed to reach Australia thanks to the heroic resistance however Darwin was bombed heavily and often.' - Dave Faulkner.^[2]

"Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" (1975) had been recorded by New Zealanders Bill (Cate) & Boyd (Robinson) and reached #1 in Australia during 1975,^[3] Cyclone Tracy actually devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve / Christmas Day 1974.^[4] "Tojo" was performed by You Am I on the 2005 tribute album Stoneage Cameos (see Stoneage Romeos); while (Let's All) Turn On was performed by The Wrights.

Track listing

1. "Tojo" (Faulkner) — 3:11
2. "(Let's All) Turn On" (Faulkner)^[1] — 3:00

Personnel

Credited^[5] to:

• James Baker — Drums
• Clyde Bramley — Bass, vocals
• Dave Faulkner — Lead vocals, guitar
• Brad Shepherd — Guitar, vocals
• Producer — Alan Thorne
• Design (cover) — Yanni Stumbles, Faulkner
• Photo (rear cover) — Annie Sidlo

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Australasian Performing Right Association. APRA. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
2. ^ Faulkner, Dave (June 2000). "Pop and punishment". juliat. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
3. ^ Bill & Boyd article. Bruce Sergent. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
4. ^ Mckay, Gary (2004). Tracy: The storm that wiped out Darwin on Christmas Day 1974. Crows Nest, Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-558-8. 
5. ^ Discogs entry on "Tojo". Retrieved on 2007-12-15.