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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.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Marcos V.’s Special Selection: Love Letter to Brazil


 It seems long ago, but I took this picture in Rio de Janeiro in February 2019.


Brazil is not in its strongest moment right now, since it’s going through lots of hardships, and I’m not talking only about the COVID-19 situation, which, per se, is already very worrisome. Anyway, even though things are bad and there’s little to nothing to celebrate, I still like to remember how my country is special, since it’s a good way to continue moving forward. Also, I believe music is a great way to celebrate different cultures, just like we usually do here on Kayo Kyoku Plus, so here’s my “Love Letter to Brazil”, which is basically a selection of Japanese songs somehow connected to Brazil, even if indirectly.


Mako Ishino -- Omoikkiri Samba (思いっきりサンバ)

There’s plenty to like in Mako Ishino’s (石野真子) discography. The cute crooked teeth aidoru from the very late 70s and early 80s even had her share of hits, like the aidoru-like “Haru La! La! La!” (春ラ!!!) – which, by the way, wouldn’t be out of place in Seiko Matsuda’s (松田聖子) discography – or the catchy unrequited love-themed “Shitsuren Kinenbi” (失恋記念日), but it’s the dazzling “Omoikkiri Samba” that fits this list with its mixture of samba, disco and aidoru pop. Released in February 1981, it may not be one of Ishino’s most noticeable singles, but I never resist how bouncy it sounds.


Carlos Toshiki -- BRAZIL NIGHTS

“BRAZIL NIGHTS” is a song from Carlos Toshiki’s (カルロス・トシキ) “Emotional~Migigawa no Heart-tachi e” album (Emotional〜右側のハートたちへ), which was released in 1991 and marked the start of his solo work after the end of Omega Tribe (オメガトライブ). This jazzy tune is one of his solo highlights to me, and, even though Carlos was born in Paraná state, in Brazil’s Southern region, which is primarily known for German immigration (but also Polish, Italian, Japanese and many others) – therefore not a region with a strong samba tradition –, he ended recording some samba songs in Japan, like this one, probably because it’s Brazil’s representative music genre alongside bossa nova worldwide. The Portuguese lines in the chorus, though, are almost meaningless, but they’re charming in a strange way. Also, the energy is great (the pianist was on fire in the live performance above).


Hidemi Ishikawa -- Motto Sekkin Shimasho (もっと接近しましょ)

“Motto Sekkin Shimasho” is probably not directly related to Brazil or its music genres, but the title and how Hidemi Ishikawa (石川秀美) sings it, coupled with the Latin and almost Carnival-like rhythm, of course, is just something very Brazilian to my ears. I think what triggers this reaction are the “motto” and the “shimasho” words in the “Motto Sekkin Shimasho” title, which could be translated in a cold way as “let’s get closer”, in English, or “let’s get even closer” if we want to use and put some emphasis on “motto”. As I can see, and I can be wrong, since I’m not an expert in Japanese language, both “motto” and “shimasho” could turn this innocent, almost cold or neutral sentence, “let’s get closer”, into something not very innocent… and that’s how I always connect it with the Brazilian Portuguese. Let me explain: here in Brazil, we use a kind of baby talk and diminutive language (here’s a great BBC article discussing the subject), even in our daily life, to soften words, give them nuances and sometimes change their meanings. For example, Ishikawa’s “let’s get closer” means “vamos ficar juntos” in Portuguese, but for it to have the warmer meaning I think the “motto” and the “shimasho” are meant to in the original title, we would have to turn the “juntos” (together) into its diminutive version, which is “juntinhos”. It's a tender way of speaking, which shows affection and takes the load off some situations, even in serious talks. It's like the suffixes "-chan" or "-kun" in Japanese, or also a kawaii way of speaking that I know also exists in Japan, but here in Brazil we use for everything, not only for people, and in a very natural way. In the end, “vamos ficar juntinhos” (“let’s get together”, but using the diminutive version of “together”) would have a more romantic, and even sexier, meaning, just like I hear in the way Ishikawa sings it. Well, I ended talking more about language and my own interpretation of the song’s title in a confused way than of Hidemi Ishikawa herself, but that’s it. We all know she’s one of the quintessential 80s aidoru singers in Japan, and, regarding “Motto Sekkin Shimasho”, it was a single released by her in 1985.


Eliana -- Salsa Bonita (サルサ・ボニータ)

As the title already implies, this is obviously salsa, and not samba, bossa nova or any other Brazilian music genre, but the singer, Eliana (エリアナ), is actually Brazilian, according to the single’s liner notes, and she also mentions Brazil in the lyrics penned by Yukinojo Mori (森雪之丞). Anyway, “Salsa Bonita”, or “Beautiful Salsa” in English, is a very curious single released in 1980, but, unfortunately, I couldn’t find much information on Eliana besides the fact that her family name is Freitas, she was born in Rio de Janeiro, recorded this single after winning the Brazilian leg of a tournament called Horipro Talent Scout Caravan (ホリプロタレントスカウトキャラバン), and is, apparently, already dead (here's the link for this info). However, is she the cute girl on the cover? I don’t know… there are still so many unanswered questions about this single, so I wish I could find more about it.

Miyuki Utsumi -- Fire Dance (ファイヤー・ダンス)

Known for the hit song “Yopparachatta” (酔っぱらっちゃった), which I love in Ryuko Mizuta’s (水田竜子) voice, Miyuki Utsumi (内海みゆき) came to Rio de Janeiro in early 1990 to record an album called “Alô, Alô, Brazil!” (アロー,アロー,ブラジル!) under the wings of famous musician, and one of the founders of bossa nova, Roberto Menescal, probably trying to score a hit during the worldwide lambada fad. Released later in the same year as the coupling song to the “NASCI PARA BAILAR” (“I was Born to Dance” in English) single, and anticipating the aforementioned album, “Fire Dance” is a cover version of the Brazilian hit song “Fricote” (something like having a fit, or showing anger towards something/someone, in English), which was originally released by singer-songwriter Luiz Caldas in 1985. In general, when it comes to Brazilian music, international audiences are most familiar with samba or bossa nova, but not other music genres, so it’s surprising to see a Japanese artist recording an axé song, which comes from a specific region of the country, Bahia state, in the northeast region. In the end, since I already like the original version and its summery energy, this Japanese version with bits of Portuguese language sang by Utsumi and the background singers is really interesting to my ears.

Luiz Caldas -- Fricote

To finish, just out of curiosity, here’s the original version of Miyuki Utsumi’s “Fire Dance”, which is “Fricote” by Luiz Caldas. The video was shot in the beautiful Salvador, Bahia state’s capital city, and Brazil first national capital, from 1549 until 1763, when Rio de Janeiro took its place (since 1960, the national capital is Brasília) Like I said before, the song was originally released in 1985.

6 comments:

  1. Hi, Marcos. Thanks for your article on Brazil-influenced songs and I have to give my compliments on your photo at the top. Would that be Copacabana Beach, by chance?

    The arrangement for Mako Ishino's "Omoikkiri Samba" reminds me a lot of Junko Yagami's "Mizu Iro no Ame" so that was what attracted me to the song. And you're right about Carlos' piano player on "Brazil Nights". He was really on a roll there in the solo.

    As for your story for Ishikawa's tune on making language cute, we have something similar in English although I doubt that any person would say anything like that here would say it in public except to a lover. I've had a friend say to his girlfriend (when he wasn't aware that I was standing behind him) "Do you wuv me? I wuv you, too." It took a lot of effort from me not to run to the nearest washroom and throw up.:)

    It's too bad to read that Eliana didn't live very long. I went to the blog from your link and read that it was sudden heart failure that took her away. From Utsumi's "Fire Dance", I came across that genre of axé and remember that you mentioned it in an earlier article about songs connected with Rio's Carnaval. We'll have to talk some more about the different genres in Brazil next time.:)

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    1. Hi, J-Canuck.

      Thanks for the compliment. I had to search for a good photo on my archives, and I’m glad I could find a nice one. Actually, it was taken at Arpoador Beach, which is next to Ipanema Beach, but also not very far from the famous Copacabana Beach. Arpoador is a very good place to take a stroll next to the beach and watch the sunset, and it was something I used to do on Sundays, at least once a month, with a good friend of mine. I’m hoping to continue doing it after the COVID-19 pandemic.

      As for the article, I had fun writing it, since I’ve been listening to a lot of these Japanese songs influenced by Brazil recently. One of the craziest things I’ve found up to now is a samba version of the Star Wars theme by guitarist/songwriter Masayoshi Takanaka. Anyway, there are many songs that takes clues from samba and bossa nova, so I’m taking my time discovering them. Maybe one day I’ll write a “Part 2” featuring other interesting songs on the subject.

      There are many music genres in Brazil, but, like I said, since samba and bossa nova are our main music exports, it’s hard to find other Brazilian styles abroad. I don’t think it’s bad that these two music genres are what international audiences automatically connects to Brazil, since they are at least somewhat original, on the contrary of other things we have here, which are just Brazilian versions of pop, R&B and rock music.

      Regarding the cute language, or the use of diminutives, I can see how shocking it might have been for you to witness, since it was an intimate moment between your friend and his girlfriend. Here in Brazil, even though we also use this type of speak in a romantic way, there are many other situations in which the diminutives are present, so it doesn’t sound strange at all. It can be something sexier, as Hidemi Ishikawa’s “Motto Sekkin Shimacho” might suggest, but it can also be something quite ordinary, like when someone invites a friend to have a beer after work, for example (“let’s have a beer” = “vamos tomar uma cerveja”, and then “cerveja” turns into “cervejinha”, in the diminutive, to mark it as a very friendly invitation. In the end, it becomes “vamos tomar uma cervejinha”).

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  2. Wow! Thanks Macross V for the awesome music recommendations. I've been a fan of Brazilian music for a couple of years now through artists like Origonais Do Samba, Tim Maia, and Orlandivo, now I can add Luiz Caldas to the list!

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    1. Hi, Rocket. Good to hear from a fellow Brazilian music fan. Actually, I gotta point out that his name is Marcos V. He doesn't exactly transform into a VF-1 Valkyrie at night (heh, heh).:)

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  3. I'm from Brazil myself and I'm very happy that the Japanese appreciate our music. You can hear a lot of bossa nova influence in Shibuya-kei.

    We have a large Japanese diaspora here in São Paulo.

    I've always been interested in Japanese music myself despite not knowing the language :)


    Thanks for the post!

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    1. Hi, Thiesli. Yep, I've also been a fan of bossa nova since I was little. I think the first song that I ever heard from the genre was "The Girl from Ipanema". Which particular singers do you like in Japanese music?

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