Some of the truths that I've discovered from doing "Kayo Kyoku Plus" for the past 7+ years: newer videos by Johnny's Entertainment groups can get taken down so fast to give me whiplash and the happy observation that there are indeed many people out in the world who do love their kayo kyoku (thus fulfilling the main mission of this blog).
Yet another truth is that it's been awfully difficult to find a YouTube video with an original Kazumasa Oda（小田和正）song. In fact, the last one that I was able to successfully find was his 2002 single "Kira Kira"（キラキラ）back in August 2015 when I wrote up the article.
However, in recent days, I've been able to find "Tashika na Koto" (Sure Thing). This was the former Off-Course（オフコース）vocalist's 23rd solo single from May 2005. It also got onto his 7th original album "Sou kana"（そうかな...Oh, Really?）which was released a month after the single. If I'm not mistaken, from listening to the song once more, I think Sing Like Talking's Chikuzen Sato（佐藤竹善）was providing backing chorus.
I do remember the song since I heard it on a Meiji Yasuda life insurance commercial. For something like life insurance, wouldn't an Oda ballad be just the thing? After all, everything about many an Oda ballad is very soothing and comforting, and perhaps a policy ought to have that feeling for the policyholder. In fact, the singer-songwriter recorded another song that was used in a commercial for another life insurance company several years earlier.
"Tashika na Koto" was also used in a docudrama based on the life of the late baseball manager Senichi Hoshino（星野仙一）in that same year. The song was also another Top 10 ballad, peaking at No. 8 and going Gold, although in terms of the yearly rankings, it placed in at a very modest 160th place at the end of 2005.
Got back from Hokkaido 3 weeks ago. I was fun and I had lots of delicious seafood. My mom was also very happy.
ReplyDeleteTashika an koto is one of my favorite Japanese songs. I really like its lyrics. I think it’s a sad song so I think the arrangement doesn’t reflect that, which sounds a bit strange every time I hear it. I personally prefer Midori Karashima’s cover version.
How are things in Toronto. Im going to skip summer and coming in Oct for the fall colors this year.
Hi, Larry. Good to hear that you and your mother had a great time in Hokkaido. With all that great food, no wonder you guys were so happy.
DeleteAs for "Tashika na Koto", I was just happy that I could track down an original on YouTube, knowing how hard it is to find one.
Toronto is only beginning to feel spring-like now even though there is less than a month left before we are supposed to enter summer. Weather has been pretty wacky over here. Let me know when you come by!
I was actually thinking about you since the Golden State Warriors are up against the Raptors in the NBA finals starting tonight. Not sure if you are rooting for Oakland or Toronto. :)
Yeah, I know it's the Warriors vs Raptors. But I don't watch basketball and so I'm not rooting for anyone :P
ReplyDeleteI love this song (even though I can't seem to remember its tittle, or I have ever tried to find its lyrics English translation to understand).
ReplyDeleteHi, May. Good to hear from you again. Yes, it's the same with me as well. Following Oda's big hits in the early 90s, it's been difficult for me to remember his song titles as well. :)
Deletehi, i am kyuubi.
ReplyDeletefor tashika na koto, i found it covered by"Little Glee Monster", my favorite japanese band For All Times, so they brought me this song with their aesthetic usual vocals and performe.
their major debut was in 2013, while i discovered them in 2018, and for the past years i've been able to catch up with them.
i fully concern all their works, and i wasn't able to ignore something big like "tashika na koto", it's like LGM have brough it only for me, 'cuase it's a song that does alot to me, i respected oda Kuzamasa Kan after this song, and like alot of covers for it. but indeed, LGM cover is in another level, it sounds for me like this song is made to be sung by LGM, althought there is only 2 voices among them as 6members formed the band, which did the song.
the 2 members whos sung it are "Mayu" and "Serina", both are did a great job and made this song into another level of greatness for sure.
last, i've been a japanese music fan since few yeats ago, i was able to listen alot of modern and old songs, i tend to prefer old songs, but following an active artist is more alive, so here i can say that Little Glee Monster is a band has good music that deffrent than regular japanese songs, and they are too much alive to hook fans with their high talent and beuatiful harmony vicals and ofcourse... their cool persons.
there is alot to say about both tashika na koto nor LGM, but as i said alot in my mind, let me conclude it with the fact that... tashika na koto has been one of my favourite songs, and its already A GREAT JAPANESE SONG forever.
Hi, kyuubi. It's obvious that you have a great love for "Tashika na Koto" by both Oda and Little Glee Monster. I know that Oda will probably never appear on the Kohaku Utagassen but at least LGM has been doing so and I will look forward to their appearance next week.
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