Probably one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful songs in Off Course's repertoire, "Kotoba ni Dekinai" (Can't Put It Into Words), it's no surprise that writer/composer Kazumasa Oda（小田和正） broke down crying when he tried to perform it live. It's also no surprise that so many J-Pop artists have covered it...from Hiromi Iwasaki（岩崎宏美） to EXILE. But it is Oda's soaring "La, la, la" that will always have him wearing the crown when it comes to this song. Released as a single in early 1982, it peaked at No. 11 on the Oricon charts.
In the Japanese Wikipedia entry for "Kotoba ni Dekinai", Oda gives a blow-by-blow account about he struggled to get this song written. He had needed to get one more song for "Over", the album that "Kotoba ni Dekinai" had gone onto late in 1981, and he felt that he wanted to make a song which included the "La, la, la". At one point, he thought about not putting any lyrics in it at all, but changed his mind. "But in any case," he said, "I was certain that singing that refrain was strong and simple, and that was our band's theme at the time."
While going through the refrain, he just fine-tuned the melody and then gradually added the concept lyrics of regret and sadness and how he couldn't put them into words. However, he did end the song with some hope. "I just didn't want to end it on an insecure and dark note, so I tied in the lyric of being so happy that there are no words. That resolved it."
The result is a bittersweet story about a love that was ultimately unsuccessful but with both people parting in a way that they were glad that they had met.
Here is one cover by Midori Karashima （辛島美登里）.
And even one by chip tune unit, YMCK.
Hi, I got here while googling Off Course's Kotoba ni Dekinai. When I heard the song, I just wanted to understand what Oda was singing with those heartful tears and voice. Those "la la la" touched my heart. I just had to google this song's meaning and lyrics. Other than this post which I'm glad I found, this blog dedicated to Kayou Kyoku is just incredible. I'm a fan too of songs of this era and a gaijin myself!
ReplyDeleteHello, ling. Good to hear from you and thanks for your comments. I also think "Kotoba ni Dekinai" is arguably the band's most heart-rending song and perhaps even one of the most covered Off Course songs by other artists.
DeleteGlad to have started this blog so that I can also find and hear from other kayo kyoku fans such as yourself. By the way, where are you based and which singers are among your favourites in kayo kyoku/J-Pop?
Hello there J-Canuck. I'm a graphic designer from Singapore. I've been a big fan of jdramas particularly from the 90s. I guess it's from these drama theme songs that I got to know this genre called the "Kayou Kyoku". Tokyo Love Story's theme song - "love story wa totsuzen ni" brought me to discover that Oda Kazumasa had a band called Off course. That's how I got here.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite singers are Yamashita Tatsuro, Southern All Stars, Anzen Chitai, Chage and Aska, and of course Off Course's Oda Kazumasa. I believe I'm still quite new to this genre, seeing your long list of labels and I only know a few songs of each of these artistes. Like Yamashita Tatsuro's Ride on Time, Christmas Eve. My recent new youtubed favourite's "kiss kara hajimaru mystery". Every time I youtube these names, new "old songs" come up and I guess I like how they sound. The lyrics seem more meaningful, the songs sung more sincerely and there's this soul and texture in these older songs that I can't find in new ones.
Hi again. Yup, Kazumasa Oda's "Love Story wa Totsuzen ni" has indeed been a classic. I got to know that theme even before I got interested in "Tokyo Love Story" itself.
DeleteIf you didn't see any mention of it in the articles, I'm a translator based in Toronto, Canada who used to teach English in Tokyo for some years. All of the singers you've mentioned above, I'm also a big fan of. I've been happy to hear that there has been an international interest in the contemporary J-Pop but I'm hoping that those folks will also start to explore and appreciate some of the older songs as well someday.
Do you know the meaning of the song and the story?
ReplyDeleteHello there. From what I've seen of the lyrics, it's the bittersweet story of a romance that has ended with perhaps one or both of the lovers finding other people. However, they are parting with the appreciation that they did get to know each other.
DeleteThanks :)
DeleteHello again.
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to read about the story behind this song. I can certainly imagine tearing up listening to this live...what more when it's your own words, likely drawn off your own experiences.
Like the majority of the kayokyoku artists and songs that I know, I first heard this on an 8tracks playlist called 80s Nostalgia which was made by, as far as I can tell, a Hawaii-based Japanese-American lady. It's quite fair to say that playlist changed my life in terms of opening me up to this slice of the past. What was the starting point for you? You probably have mentioned it before, but this blog is far too long-running to read it all (apologies! Frankly it's amazing the amount that you write and the breadth of music that you listen to)
Also it was interesting to see that you taught English in Japan for a while. I've been trying to do that but we'll see how it goes! :)
Hello, youngheartsparkfire.
DeleteYes "Kotoba ni Dekinai" has definitely become a standard from the kayo age into the J-Pop age. It rather speaks to a lot of people so I'm not surprised that it has been covered by many singers over the decades.
As for how it started, I had always been listening to kayo kyoku since I was a toddler but didn't start getting into it until 1981 when I came across a number of Seiko Matsuda, Hiromi Iwasaki and Tanokin Trio tunes. That summer was definitely a major turning point in my life!
I was an English teacher in Japan for many years until the beginning of this decade. Now I'm mostly working in translating. It doesn't pay a ton but I avoid commuting which is horrible in Toronto. :) You're planning to head on over to Japan yourself?
I am! We'll see how it goes, though.
ReplyDeleteCurrently I've been having Ai Aru Tokoro He off Three and Two on repeat, Oda's singing and the lovely harmonies on the bridge and chorus remind me so much of something from Western music but I just can't place it. Worth a listen, although I'm sure you are already familiar with it!
Hope you make it there. Japan has its challenges and joys but overall it was a great experience and I've made some lasting friendships.
DeleteBasically I've amassed Off Course's BEST compilations but don't have any of their original albums. I'm going to have to get at least a few of those in the near future.
Since you're a translator, your Japanese must have been pretty good, even accounting for improvement over the years!
DeleteI saw firsthand how you're probably right about Kotoba Ni Dekinai transcending its genre tag and simply becoming a standard. While speaking with my Japanese teacher, she didn't recognize Off Course nor any of their work until I mentioned that song.
It was conversational so I could get by for everyday life but at the time, I couldn't really handle understanding politics and the economy due to the terms. But somehow my friend who's an accountant decided to take a chance on me to translate some of his financial reports for his overseas clients and my second career was launched.
DeleteIt's the marvel of Oda's songwriting that got songs like "Kotoba ni Dekinai" to become classics. Kinda wondering whether all of this foreign attention on the old kayo may actually transfer over to the younger Japanese to investigate some of the hits from their parents' or grandparents' generation. :)
I keep running into this song everywhere I go and it always fills me with emotion. Thank you for the information about the song! I'm happy to know a bit more about it.
ReplyDeleteHello, Elaine.
DeleteThanks for your comments. It's one of Oda's songs that can pretty much stop any fan (or perhaps even non-fan) in his/her tracks and have him/her listen. Are you just an Off Course fan or do you have any other Japanese singers that you enjoy listening to?