I've been a fan of Japanese popular music for 40 years, and have managed to collect a lot of material during that time. So I decided I wanted to talk about Showa Era music with like-minded fans. My particular era is the 70s and 80s (thus the "kayo kyoku"). The plus part includes a number of songs and artists from the last 30 years and also the early kayo. So, let's talk about New Music, aidoru, City Pop and enka.
Credits
I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
NHK's "Uta Con"（うたコン）had their final broadcast before going on a multi-week hiatus during Golden Week. Now, the annual spate of holidays ranging from the last days of April into the first days of May doesn't begin for a few more days yet, but I figured that I can still provide a few of the songs that got into their "Uta no Tabi"（歌の旅...Song Vacation） theme segment yesterday along with throwing in one of my own choices.
As it stands right now, though, with the Japanese currency plummeting down to 155 yen to the dollar, perhaps there won't be as much tourism from Japan to overseas destinations this Golden Week although Americans, Canadians and other people will be more than happy to fly over to Japan for the next little while. Maybe that's why some of the songs from "Uta no Tabi" were most definitely domestic. In any case, here are the selections.
The last time I was up in a Ferris wheel, it was the gigantic one in Minato Mirai 21 right by Yokohama Bay at night. Unfortunately, I wasn't good with heights (and I'm still not good now) and there was a gale blowing through the entire structure so I was fairly losing it. Fortunately, my bodily functions held...barely.
So, you can imagine that there is nothing romantic that courses through my body and soul when it comes to Ferris wheels. Of course though, that doesn't mean that some of you out there don't feel the same way I do. Perhaps you have those feelings of l'amour 😎as your capsule reaches the height of the ride. That's what "Kanransha no Monologue ~ spring mix" (Ferris Wheel Monologue) must be about. This was the coupling song for festa mode's third single"Play Back part III" released in March 1994.
Written by Rie Yamamoto（山本理恵）and composed by festa mode keyboardist Hitoshi Kudo（工藤仁志）, it's a mellow tune that brings in hints of 90s City Pop, Shibuya-kei and jazz although overall, I will consider it a really nice and steady pop song. The creaminess of "Kanransha no Monologue" is further enriched by the backing chorus harmonies. Moreover, I couldn't help but hear a bit of "Mayonaka no Door ~ Stay With Me"（真夜中のドアー）in the verses as well.
I first found out about festa mode several years ago in 2018 when I posted about their song "Kaze to Tabi Shiyou"（風と旅しよう）, so it's nice to bring them back once more. By the way, the original version of "Kanransha no Monologue" can also be found in the trio's first album"Festa Mode I" from September 1993. I should also give credit where credit is due...I discovered this song through a City Pop compilation by relatively new YouTuber City Pop Industries who came onto the platform back in January. Welcome aboard!
Ahh...good ol' Tower Records in Shibuya...oh, how I miss the old place. A few days ago, Canada and the United States celebrated their Record Store Day and I'm pretty sure a lot of the vinyl hounds were more than happy to do their flipping of the LPs in search of aural gold.
I just mentioned the band Tweedees in the previous article regarding the latest by CHiLi GiRL so I thought it was time to get another song by this pop and Shibuya-kei-focused duo onto KKP. The last time I devoted time and space to bassist Reiji Okii（沖井礼二）and vocalist Natsumi Kiyoura（清浦夏実）was back in 2022 for their 2018 "Hanataba to Jiryoku"（花束と磁力）. Well, actually, I've opted to put up two of their songs from opposite ends of their career thus far.
The first one is their first single"KLING! KLANG!" from January 2015. Having nothing to do with the Klingons in the pilot episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise", the onomatopoeia reflected in the title is really the wonderful cacophony of music as Kiyoura sings about the joy of listening to one's favourite songs. It's the first time that I've seen Tweedees in a music video and for some reason, I have the impression that Kiyoura could have been the second coming of Mariya Takeuchi（竹内まりや）but that is solely me. In fashion and in music, it's some pleasant Shibuya-kei.
From their most recent album in December 2022, "World Record", I give you their last track "Hello Hello". A short and sweet song, the lyrics were written by Kiyoura while Okii took care of the melody and arrangement. More of an adorable sing-songy pop tune, the vocalist invites the listener to join her on a voyage outside of the stifling confines of one's own room and explore the world. Y'know, I mentioned Record Store Day at the top...perhaps "Hello Hello" could be the fine theme for Library Day.
One point of trivia that I discovered about Kiyoura in her J-Wiki file is that her ancestor from a century previously, Count Keigo Kiyoura（清浦奎吾）, happened to be the Prime Minister of Japan in 1924.
Near the end of summer last year, I posted up an article regarding the singer-songwriter and shamisen player CHiLi GiRL and her song "Tokai no Mori"（都会の森）, a 2022 single combining some of the old and the new via Neo-City Pop and late 80s/early 90s urban contemporary. The song was a part of a Cunimondo Takiguchi series of CD compilations.
Well, I'm happy to say that CHiLi GiRL is still chill and continuing on with her music. In fact, her latest single "Secret Secret" came out only last month. However, instead of it being a blend of City Pop from today and yesteryear, I think the peppy "Secret Secret" has more to do with a version of Shibuya-kei from what I've heard although the music video is very much of the cityscape. According to the "Tokyo's Coolest Sound"website, Reiji Okii（沖井礼二）of the Cymbals and Tweedees has given the song his seal of approval.
As much as I love new forms of City Pop coming aboard, Shibuya-kei in the 2020s is not a bad proposition either.
It's been six months since the NHK morning serial drama "Boogie Woogie"（ブギウギ）made its presence known on weekday mornings along with its jazzy theme "Happy Boogie"（ハッピー☆ブギ）. It even had the main actress Shuri（趣里）behind the mike as well belting the song out.
But of course, with half a year going by, a new drama has come out this month called "Tora ni Tsubasa"（虎に翼...The Tiger and Her Wings） starring Sairi Ito（ 伊藤沙莉）as a young woman in the 1930s punching through every obstacle to become a lawyer in Japan's male-centric society. As with "Boogie Woogie", the main actress also has a role in the opening but instead of singing us into every episode, she does a bit of dancing with some other ladies.
And what they're all dancing to is the irresistible pop theme song, "Sayo--nara Mata Itsuka!" (Good--bye and See You Again!) by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu（米津玄師）. The anarchy at the local A&W in the music video aside (our neighbourhood had its own issues in the past but I don't think even the old A&W was ever in that rough a shape), the song has got some nice punch and flow, and I like the addition of the strings. It all ends rather abruptly though but if Yonezu thought it was fine, then it's fine me with me as well.
I also learned that Ito is skilled in dancing so her choreography in the opening credits of "Tora ni Tsubasa" only gives a sliver of what she's probably capable of. Something a little clearer can be seen below. If I'm not mistaken, Ito is in front in the black T-shirt and red hat.
I was mentioning yesterday that I had discovered Harumi Miyako's（都はるみ）1982 single"Tokyo Serenade"（東京セレナーデ）while we were watching an enka compilation video on YouTube. Well, that wasn't the only revelation.
I also came across this kayo kyoku for the first time, too. "Nandemo nai wa" (It's Nothing) was the B-side to Mari Sono's（園まり）23rd single from May 1966"Yasashii Ame"（やさしい雨...A Gentle Rain）. Delivered in an appropriately coquettish fashion by the singer, Kazumi Yasui's（安井かずみ） lyrics illustrate a young lady's unspoken words of love to her boyfriend despite the big lug asking what she's keeping close to the chest. Hiroshi Miyagawa（宮川泰）was the composer and arranger for this happy-go-lucky ditty.
Not sure when this cover version of "Nandemo nai wa" was released by Mood Kayo groupHiroshi Wada & Mahina Stars（和田弘とマヒナスターズ）but judging from the similarity of the arrangement, it probably wasn't too long after the Sono original. Actually, this was the first version that my family saw and heard on YouTube yesterday which led me to the original. Speaking of Yasui, it's been a little over thirty years ago that the Yokohama lyricist passed away in March 1994. Just to indicate her length and breadth of experience, Zuzu was also responsible for the words behind Mariya Takeuchi's（竹内まりや）"Fushigi na Peach Pie"（不思議なピーチ・パイ）and Mari Iijima's（飯島真理）"Ai Oboeteimasuka?"（愛・おぼえていますか）.
Oh, Hachi, why do you look so awkward? I say that as if I'm any less awkward when having my photo taken.
Horerutte kouiu koto ka yo
I was recently on another trip to Fukushima. I was game on doing some travelling during my now-ended spring break. I knew it had to be Fukushima again, and I knew it wasn't going to be solely for R&R. And so, I travelled back into the mountains of the Aizu region, to the small town of Bange (会津坂下) for the third time in six years to do some data collection at the Kasuga Hachiro Omoide-kan (春日八郎おもいで館) for my thesis.
I knew that I had to make contact with Hachi's museum for something like this eventually because it's essentially one of the Hachi info mines. My professor also urged me to build bridges with the museum as well - at the minimum, find out if they're willing to help. And so, I decided that Spring break would be the time to get serious and do so. But, truth be told, I was horribly nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I'd never done fieldwork of this scale and in a more or less official institution before, even if I'd visited the place multiple times. I worried about whether they would agree to the request of this foreign student. I worried about what I'll be allowed to see after I made that harrowing phone call to the Aizu-Bange tourism board to ask for permission, even after they essentially gave the green light. I worried about what I may need to bring to show I'm there for "official" business. I just worried a lot.
But.
The thing that kept me going was the drive to do a paper worthy for Hachi's centenary. Or, at least, try to do it with the means I can. And going to the museum was one of those means. Fieldwork is part and parcel of research, but I just found it bonkers that my fangirling has brought me to that point. Never would I have imagined that my next visit to the Kasuga museum was for this reason. This reminds me of one of my go-to Hachi tunes, "Inochi Tsubunure". It's one I like a lot, but I've been listening to it with greater frequency because of my recent circumstances.
Aitaitte kouiu koto ka yo
For some background, "Inochi Tsubunure" was released in the album "Nekketsu no Utagoe" (熱血の歌声) from 1972. I believe this was Hachi's first fully original album in a long time, and he worked with many musicians whom he'd never worked with before to create what I would consider kayo of various styles, including folk and Mood Kayo. Since it was his 20th anniversary and he would be considered a veteran in the business, this move was perhaps a way to show that he can keep up with the times and show his musical prowess. I said the album's songs are kayo, but the album's liner notes considers all the works inside as "enka". This could be due to the newly-formed enka genre's (finally made official in 1970) emergent popularity in the early 1970s, and a way to associate Hachi, a veteran of significant status, with this new genre. I have some reservations about the "all enka" thing, but that's really not important here.
"Inochi Tsubunure" has an upbeat, slightly jazzy Mood Kayo melody with an element of rock, which was brought to you by Yuji Konishi (小西悠史). Writing the words that resonate with me was Gougo Hotomi (保富康午). From what I gather, our protagonist falls absolutely head over heels for one of the patrons at a bar he visits. At least from my perspective, the protagonist is older and is rather jaded/disenchanted by life until that faithful meeting. The resultant rush of feelings, both sweet and sour, reinvigorates him and he's once again filled with life. I'm not exactly sure how to translate the title without it sounding odd. A direct translation based on my ability is "Soaked/Dripping with Life", but with taking Hotomi's lyrics into consideration, perhaps something like "Bursting with/Full of Life" sounds a bit better.
So this is what is at the end of the rainbow
Turns out, my research trip wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be. I was provided with what I requested: Almost 3 decades worth of old fan club magazine archives. I was taken care of by the museum caretaker Ito-san, who recognised me and knew it was my third time there. She did her best to find me more materials I might find useful, including bringing her own copy of a now out-of-stock posthumous fan club book, and tried to make me at home by plying me with snacks as I worked. I say worked, but if I got a 100 yen for every time I got distracted by a silly candid shot of Hachi in those fanzines, I'd be able to buy his 20 disc album set containing all his singles ever released. Every time my eyes crossed from skimming through the resources, I'd get up to look at the museum displays. The line between fan and academic, while already blurred for me, completely disappeared for those few hours. It was a very strange sensation, but one I will never forget.
Having found useful nuggets of information, I would consider this research trip a success. I greatly appreciate the museum for allowing me to do so and providing me with so much, as well for Ito-san's hospitality. It's given me greater resolve to do what I can to make a good - decent - readable Hachi thesis, and a tiny bit more confidence to pursue this path further. And you could say that it's reinvigorated my fangirling for Hachi.
Horerutte kouiu koto kayo (So this is what it's like to be in love)
Kono yo wa hitori ano(hito) dake (In this world there is only (him))
Sonna baka janakatta hazu ga (I shouldn't be this stupid)
Baka wo shouchi de moete iru (But I know I am, and I'm fired up)
Atsuichi de inochi inochi tsubunure (Passion coursing through my veins, I'm bursting with life)
Man, the more I think about what I'm trying to do and have been doing, the more this song speaks to me.
