Ahh...yes, it was another long weekend for Japan since Monday was Adulthood Day (Seijin-no-Hi), although I'm not sure whether the holiday's ceremonies now include people turning 18 or whether they're sticking with the former age of becoming an adult which has been 20.
I usually provide special Reminiscings of Youth articles for national holidays here in Canada and not for Japan. However, Adulthood Day had me remembering an old 1980s song by the Canadian alternative rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, so I'm making an exception here.
The Pursuit of Happiness with leader and vocalist Moe Berg started up in 1985 and then the following year, they came out with their breakthrough single "I'm An Adult Now". The music video got plenty of airplay on Canada's own version of MTV, MuchMusic, and other channels and so it's been a fun and nostalgic experience seeing the Toronto of the 1980s including Queen West and City Hall. That video was made on a shoestring budget and looks it, but it also looks attractively grotty and perfect for a rock band in Toronto. And the ironic thing, it got majorly praised (the song helped, too) to the point that it was even nominated for Best Music Video of the Year at the Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent of the Grammys).
Also, I remember enjoying the catchy melody by Berg, especially the main chorus featuring the title as he has a rather tongue-in-cheek take on what it's like to be an adult doing adult things. Let's imagine all of us old fogeys getting together and discussing "I'm An Adult Now".
Only the year was mentioned when it came to the release date of "I'm An Adult Now", so why don't we go with what was up in the Top 10 of Oricon on January 13th 1986? I have Nos. 1, 3 and 5.
1. Eri Nitta -- Fuyu no Opera Glass (冬のオペラグラス)
3. Shonentai -- Kamen Butokai （仮面舞踏会）
5. Rebecca -- Friends （フレンズ）
This post is a home run for my household! One, my wife is big fan of Rebecca and of course 'friends'. Two, my daughter came home from Hokkaido to celebrate Seijin-no-Hi! In the past it used be (until 2022) for people turning 20, but now it for people who have turned 18 years of age durning the past year.
ReplyDeleteHello, Brian and congratulations to your daughter on her Coming-of-Age Day. Thanks for clearing up the matter about the age of celebration.
Delete