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.

Monday, July 16, 2018

Yoshitaka Minami -- Hizuke Henkosen(日付変更線)


So far, the above "Seventh Avenue South" is the only album that I possess of Yoshitaka Minami(南佳孝). Great release from 1982 but I remember nikala once telling me of her other prime recommendations for Minami albums.


One could have been Minami's 3rd album "South of the Border" (1978) which seems to have that theme of traveling around the planet. I haven't had a chance to listen to the entire thing but one track that I first heard on Van Paugam's City Pop radio on YouTube has gotten a slight nibble from me.

That would be "Hizuke Henkosen" (International Date Line), a lightly bossa nova-tinged ballad that was the creation of lyricist Yumi Matsutoya(松任谷由実)and composer Minami that swings gently like a hammock in a summer breeze. It was also released as his 5th single in the same year. I may want to get into that hammock to listen to this one. Yuming's lyrics are a bit bittersweet though as a fellow, now in more tropical climes, tries to solace himself over a recently finished romance. I'm not sure of this, but I think that could be Taeko Ohnuki(大貫妙子)providing some lovely backup chorus behind crooning Minami. Still, considering the times in Japan, listening to "Hizuke Henkosen" may have left some dreams in citizens about making that romantic trip abroad.

Basically, I can certainly go with nikala's suggestions. The only problem would be with which Minami album should I go for first. There are a lot of prime choices in his discography.

2 comments:

  1. J-Canuck、you got it! It IS Taeko Onuki singing backup.

    He was in the middle of the elite circle of Japanese
    pop musicians in the early-mid 70's. His first album was produced by none other than Takashi Matsumoto of Happy End.
    He also sang on Tin Pan Alley song "Sobakasu No Aru Shojo".
    And if you worked with either of those bands back then, you basically knew EVERYONE who was anyone in music.

    South Of The Border is a testament to that and boasts an all star lineup that includes Ryuichi Sakamoto (he did the arrangements for the whole album)、Shigeru Suzuki(Happy End)、 Haruomi Hosono (Happy End/Tin Pan Alley)、Yukihiro Takahashi(Sadistic Mika Band)、Tatsuo Hayashi(Tin Pan Alley)、and the list goes on.

    This is an awesome album. Highly recommended.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, Kaz.

      With such a grand assessment, I guess "South of the Border" will be my next Minami purchase. Thanks! :)

      Delete

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