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.
One of my favourite Hiromi Iwasaki（岩崎宏美） songs during her aidoru days in the 70s,"Cinderella Honeymoon" is one of those ironic tunes created by the team of Yu Aku and Kyohei Tsutsumi（阿久悠・筒美京平）about a supposedly ideal relationship which gradually shows a darker side. It has that mix of 70s aidoru, disco and a touch of Latin.
Released in July 1978,Iwasaki's 14th single went as high as No. 13 on the Oricon charts and ended up as the 89th-ranked song of the year. It also won a Gold Award at the Japan Record Awards as well as earn the singer another appearance at the Kohaku Utagassen. The single was also a track on Iwasaki's 7th album, "Pandora no Kobako"（パンドラの小箱...Pandora's Box）, released the following month. That album went as high as No. 11.
That's my favourite song from Iwasaki Hiromi. I find it very classy, probably because of the strings section.
As I've pointed in some other post, I'm a sucker for disco tracks, and, in a time that I was listening to lots of Western disco songs, I discovered "Cinderella Honeymoon".
At first, I was very surprised that Japan's had their own disco singers and songs. I was still learning more about Japanese popular music, so that explains my little knownledge at the time.
Althought I don't listen to "Cinderella Honeymoon" very often anymore, I still find it a great pop/disco track, and everytime I listen to it, I feel very good.
As a side note, I apologize for going a little off-topic, but do you know/like Perfume? if yes, what's your opinion about? I'm asking this because I'm a huge fan of this Japanese technopop trio, and some of their tracks, specially one called "NIGHT FLIGHT", reminds me of YMO.
I listened to "Cinderella Honeymoon" for the first time in a long time while digging up the data, and I have to say that I've gotten some new respect for the song. Those violins during the interludes were just chugging along like their counterparts in that American disco classic "A Fifth of Beethoven". Nothing says late 70s kayo kyoku than disco strings!
As for Perfume, I have one full album and one maxi-single by the trio. I always liked "Polyrhythm" which I first heard as a commercial song for the Japanese government initiative on recycling. I think right now Perfume is still more on the poppier side of technopop; I'd like to see them embrace even more of the techno side in the future. They managed to get on the soundtrack for the Pixar movie, "Cars 2". Let's see if they can make it onto the dance floors of New York! :)
I'm not sure if you saw it in the labels section but I have one entry by Perfume. They were doing a cover of a song called "Peter Rabbit to Watashi" originally sung by Taeko Ohnuki, a contemporary of YMO's.
Here's a boisterous performance of Cinderella Honeymoon, which starts halfway through. As the comments say, dancing so vigorously in that dress, it's a miracle she didn't trip and fall on her butt, let alone keep her breath throughout. And to top it off, she follows it up (not on this video) with Watash Tachi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_8hciXoDnw
And here's another seemingly forgotten but rather nice song of hers, Azayaka na Bamen. I can only find one later performance of this song, and not much information at all.
I remember "Azayaka na Bamen" quite well. It has that lovely folk feeling to it, and then comes that epic finish! It would've made for a nice ending song to a movie.
I also recommend her 1981 album WISH, also composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi. The album track "Street Dancer" pays "homage" to the Crusader's hit "Street Life".
Yup, I got that one on the recommendation from "Japanese City Pop". Her output from the 80s sounded different from her 70s aidoru days, but both sets of songs are still wonderful! That voice!
Unfortunately, I don't have the 500 listed discs but I have the article on the book at (http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.ca/2012/02/japanese-city-pop.html). I checked Amazon.jp just now and the original edition that I have is selling for about 800 yen used. The newer editions are going for around 1900 yen. By all means, get a copy if you like the genre.
Because of the book, I was able to discover a couple of gems: Takako Mamiya's "Love Trip" and Makoto Matsushita's "First Light".
The version with the E-Girls has definitely amped up the disco but I gotta say that I still prefer the original recorded single. There's nothing like the Hiromi music from those days. :)
That's my favourite song from Iwasaki Hiromi. I find it very classy, probably because of the strings section.
ReplyDeleteAs I've pointed in some other post, I'm a sucker for disco tracks, and, in a time that I was listening to lots of Western disco songs, I discovered "Cinderella Honeymoon".
At first, I was very surprised that Japan's had their own disco singers and songs. I was still learning more about Japanese popular music, so that explains my little knownledge at the time.
Althought I don't listen to "Cinderella Honeymoon" very often anymore, I still find it a great pop/disco track, and everytime I listen to it, I feel very good.
As a side note, I apologize for going a little off-topic, but do you know/like Perfume? if yes, what's your opinion about? I'm asking this because I'm a huge fan of this Japanese technopop trio, and some of their tracks, specially one called "NIGHT FLIGHT", reminds me of YMO.
Hi there, Bode.
ReplyDeleteI listened to "Cinderella Honeymoon" for the first time in a long time while digging up the data, and I have to say that I've gotten some new respect for the song. Those violins during the interludes were just chugging along like their counterparts in that American disco classic "A Fifth of Beethoven". Nothing says late 70s kayo kyoku than disco strings!
As for Perfume, I have one full album and one maxi-single by the trio. I always liked "Polyrhythm" which I first heard as a commercial song for the Japanese government initiative on recycling. I think right now Perfume is still more on the poppier side of technopop; I'd like to see them embrace even more of the techno side in the future. They managed to get on the soundtrack for the Pixar movie, "Cars 2". Let's see if they can make it onto the dance floors of New York! :)
I'm not sure if you saw it in the labels section but I have one entry by Perfume. They were doing a cover of a song called "Peter Rabbit to Watashi" originally sung by Taeko Ohnuki, a contemporary of YMO's.
Here's a boisterous performance of Cinderella Honeymoon, which starts halfway through. As the comments say, dancing so vigorously in that dress, it's a miracle she didn't trip and fall on her butt, let alone keep her breath throughout. And to top it off, she follows it up (not on this video) with Watash Tachi.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_8hciXoDnw
And here's another seemingly forgotten but rather nice song of hers, Azayaka na Bamen. I can only find one later performance of this song, and not much information at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtz7eLrTLeA
I remember "Azayaka na Bamen" quite well. It has that lovely folk feeling to it, and then comes that epic finish! It would've made for a nice ending song to a movie.
DeleteI also recommend her 1981 album WISH, also composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi. The album track "Street Dancer" pays "homage" to the Crusader's hit "Street Life".
ReplyDeleteYup, I got that one on the recommendation from "Japanese City Pop". Her output from the 80s sounded different from her 70s aidoru days, but both sets of songs are still wonderful! That voice!
DeleteI am curious about the 500 cds listed in the "Jap City Pop" book. do you have them listed on here?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I don't have the 500 listed discs but I have the article on the book at (http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.ca/2012/02/japanese-city-pop.html). I checked Amazon.jp just now and the original edition that I have is selling for about 800 yen used. The newer editions are going for around 1900 yen. By all means, get a copy if you like the genre.
DeleteBecause of the book, I was able to discover a couple of gems: Takako Mamiya's "Love Trip" and Makoto Matsushita's "First Light".
http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.ca/2012/12/takako-mamiya-what-broken-heart-can-do.html
http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.ca/2014/05/makoto-matsushita-first-light-track.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe version with the E-Girls has definitely amped up the disco but I gotta say that I still prefer the original recorded single. There's nothing like the Hiromi music from those days. :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete