Josephine (Terrorvision song)

"Josephine" is a song by English rock band Terrorvision, which was released in 1998 as the lead single from their fourth studio album Shaving Peaches. The song was written by Terrorvision and produced by Edwyn Collins. "Josephine" reached No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the Top 100 for two weeks.[1] The song's music video was directed by Tomas Masin.[2]

"Josephine"
Single by Terrorvision
from the album Shaving Peaches
Released1998
Length3:13
Label
  • EMI
  • Total Vegas Recordings
Songwriter(s)Terrorvision
Producer(s)Edwyn Collins
Terrorvision singles chronology
"Easy"
(1996)		 "Josephine"
(1998)		 "Tequila"
(1999)

Background

"Josephine" has lyrics where the male protagonist has a friend, Joe, who returns as Josephine after having a sex change, and a relationship develops ("Although I lost old Joe/I got a new girlfriend").[3] In a 2000 interview with Roofdog, Yates said of the song, "We all know a Josephine, but we don't know it. Think of a bloke you really respect and he probably dresses as a woman some of the time!"[4]

"Josephine" was one of four tracks Terrorvision recorded for Shaving Peaches with Edwyn Collins as the producer.[5] A beer can was used during the recording of the track to produce the sound after the line "It took a while to click". The sound took twenty-four takes to record.[4]

Release

Preceding the release of Shaving Peaches, "Josephine" was issued as the album's first single in September 1998.[5] It was the band's first new release in over 18 months.[6] The track "Go Jerry", which appeared as one of the extra tracks on some editions of the single, was written and recorded as a tribute to Jerry Springer.[6]

Critical reception

On its release as a single, Select wrote that "Josephine" "recounts the tale of finding a gender-swapping friend in jocular style". The reviewer noted the "bounce-worthy chorus" and the "main intrigue [of] non-metaller Edwyn Collins producing".[7] Clare Wigmore of the Reading Weekend Post described the song as "a heart-warming, optimistic tale of transsexual love" which is "swamped in dirty rockabilly guitar".[6] In a review of Shaving Peaches, Jason Damas of AllMusic noted the song's "raucous twang".[8]

Track listing

7-inch single (limited edition)[9]

  1. "Josephine" – 3:13
  2. "Reasons to Deceive" – 3:49

CD single (UK #1)[10]

  1. "Josephine" – 3:13
  2. "Reasons to Deceive" – 3:49
  3. "Go Jerry" – 2:46

CD single (UK #2)[11]

  1. "Josephine" – 3:13
  2. "Falling Down" – 1:50
  3. "28 Hours" – 2:55

CD single (European release)[12]

  1. "Josephine" – 3:13
  2. "Reasons to Deceive" – 3:49
  3. "Go Jerry" – 2:46
  4. "Falling Down" – 1:50

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the UK CD1 and CD2 liner notes and the Shaving Peaches booklet.[10][11][13]

Terrorvision

  • Tony Wright – lead vocals, backing vocals, beer can
  • Mark Yates – electric guitar
  • Leigh Marklew – bass
  • Ian "Shutty" Shuttleworth – drums

Additional musicians

Production

  • Edwyn Collins – producer on "Josephine"
  • John Cornfield – mixing on "Josephine" and "Reasons to Deceive", producer on "Reasons to Deceive"
  • Pat Grogan – producer and mixing on "Go Jerry" and "28 Hours"
  • Terrorvision – producers and mixing on "Falling Down"
  • Martin Granville-Twig – mastering

Other

  • Microdot – sleeve
  • Brian Cannon – art direction
  • Matthew Sankey – design
  • James Burns – photography

Charts
Chart (1998) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 86
Scotland (OCC)[15] 24
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 23

References
  1. "TERRORVISION; full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. "Terrorvision - Josephine (1998)". IMVDb. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  3. "25 Songs About Gender Identity". Billboard. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  4. Cook, Sam; Cremin, Karl (14 October 2000). "Northern Lights - Terrorvision are here to stay!". Roofdog. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  5. Gallatly, Jim (11 August 1998). "Sheer terror". Evening Express. p. 19.
  6. Wigmore, Clare (7 August 1998). "True rock comes in the shape of Terrorvision". Reading Weekend Post. p. 27.
  7. "Singles". Select. October 1998. p. 101.
  8. Damas, Jason. "Shaving Peaches - Terrorvision - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  9. Josephine (UK limited edition 7-inch single sleeve). Terrorvision. EMI Records, Total Vegas Recordings. 1998. 7243 885971 7 3, VEGAS 15.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. Josephine (UK CD1 liner notes). Terrorvision. EMI Records, Total Vegas Recordings. 1998. 7243 8 85971 2 8, CD VEGASS 15.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Josephine (UK CD2 liner notes). Terrorvision. EMI Records, Total Vegas Recordings. 1998. 7243 8 85972 2 7, CDVEGAS 15.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Josephine (European CD liner notes). Terrorvision. EMI Records, Total Vegas Recordings. 1998. 724388620024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Shaving Peaches (UK album booklet). Terrorvision. EMI Records, Total Vegas Recordings. 1998. 7243 4 96132 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 41. 10 October 1998. p. 16. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  16. "Terrorvision: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
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