Turn Back the Clock (song)

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"Turn Back the Clock"
Single by Johnny Hates Jazz
from the album Turn Back the Clock
B-side"Cracking Up"
Released9 November 1987[1]
Recorded1987
GenreSophisti-pop[2]
Length
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Clark Datchler
Producer(s)
  • Calvin Hayes
  • Mike Nocito
Johnny Hates Jazz singles chronology
"I Don't Want to be a Hero"
(1987) 		"Turn Back the Clock"
(1987) 		"Heart of Gold"
(1988)
Music video
Listen to "Turn Back the Clock" on YouTube

"Turn Back the Clock" is a song by the British band Johnny Hates Jazz. It is the title track of their debut album and was the third single release from the LP.

The song peaked at No. 12 in the UK top 40 in 1987.[3] It also reached number five on the US Adult Contemporary chart.[4] There is also a previously unreleased version, that has some minor changes from the original song, including more backing guitar, and saxophone.[5]

Music video[edit]

The international music video for the song was directed by Brian Grant.[6] The video was filmed in Cold Spring, NY in fall 1987.

Critical reception[edit]

Upon its release as a single, Robin Smith of Record Mirror described "Turn Back the Clock" as "hopelessly twee and contrived" and added, "Rock out and loosen up, guys."[7] Richard Lowe of Smash Hits stated that the song is exactly like the band's look, namely "not particularly special but lovingly scrubbed and polished and pleasant enough" and as "good" as the band's previous singles, while being "a bit slower".[8]

Charts[edit]

Weekly charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Turn Back the Clock"
Chart (1987–1988) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 9
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[10] 37
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 12
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 10)[12] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 17
Italy (Musica e dischi)[14] 16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[3] 12
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[19] 5
West Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 19

Year-end charts[edit]

1988 year-end chart performance for "Turn Back the Clock"
Chart (1988) Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21] 71
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 51
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 78
1989 year-end chart performance for "Turn Back the Clock"
Chart (1989) Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[24] 42

References[edit]

  1. ^ Andy Strickland, ed. (7 November 1987). "Index: Releases". Record Mirror. p. 12. ISSN 0144-5804.
  2. ^ Inskeep, Thomas; Soto, Alfred. "The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop". Stylus. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Johnny Hates Jazz: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 123.
  5. ^ Turn Back The Clock (Unreleased Version) - YouTube
  6. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz - Turn Back The Clock (1987) | IMVDb". imvdb.com. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  7. ^ Smith, Robin (21 November 1987). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 13. ISSN 0144-5804.
  8. ^ Lowe, Richard (4–17 November 1987). "Singles reviewed by Richard Lowe" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 9, no. 21. p. 85. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 21 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz – Turn Back the Clock" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 5. 30 January 1988. p. 28. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  12. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 10" (PDF). DV (in Icelandic). 12 February 1988. p. 44. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Turn Back the Clock". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 31 May 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Johnny Hates Jazz" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  15. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Johnny Hates Jazz" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz – Turn Back the Clock" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz – Turn Back the Clock". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz – Turn Back the Clock". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Johnny Hates Jazz Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  20. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Johnny Hates Jazz – Turn Back the Clock" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1988 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  23. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2020.

External links[edit]


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