| Turn Back the Clock | |
| Cover: | Turn_Back_the_Clock_-_Johnny_Hates_Jazz.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Johnny Hates Jazz |
| Album: | Turn Back the Clock |
| B-Side: | Cracking Up |
| Released: | 9 November 1987[1] |
| Recorded: | 1987 |
| Genre: | Sophisti-pop[2] |
| Length: |
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| Label: | Virgin |
| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | I Don't Want to be a Hero |
| Prev Year: | 1987 |
| Next Title: | Heart of Gold |
| Next Year: | 1988 |
"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. It also reached number five on the US Adult Contemporary chart.[3] There is also a previously unreleased version, that has some minor changes from the original song, including more backing guitar, and saxophone.[4]
The international music video for the song was directed by Brian Grant.[5] The video was filmed in Cold Spring, NY in fall 1987.
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."[6] 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".[7]
| Peak position | |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[8] | 37 |
|---|---|
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] | 12 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 10)[10] | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[11] | 16 |
| Position | ||
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] | 71 | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 51 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 78 |
| Position | ||
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15] | 42 |
|---|
. Joel Whitburn . 1993 . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 . Record Research . 123.