Monday, April 16, 2012

Takao Kisugi -- Yume no Tochuu (夢の途中)


You may have come here from my entry on Hiroko Yakushimaru's(薬師丸ひろ子) debut single, "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu"(セーラー服と機関銃). If so, I bid you welcome.

As I said in that entry, both "Sailor Fuku"and "Yume no Tochuu"夢の途中...In The Middle of a Dream)were written and composed by the Kisugi(来生) siblings because they were both one and the same (cue dramatic music: DAN, dan, dan, DANNNN)!

The whole thing came about when Takao Kisugi(来生たかお), who had already composed and sung the song, was unceremoniously dropped from the project by his recording company, Kitty Records (currently Universal Music), after the director of the movie "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu" had demanded that aidoru Yakushimaru sing the theme. Etsuko Kisugi(来生えつこ), the lyricist and Takao's older sister, was furious and matters reached the point where Takao was about to storm off to another company, when the president of Kitty Records declared that the song would be released under both titles, "Yume no Tochuu" under Takao Kisugi and "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu" under Hiroko Yakushimaru. Except for one changed line, the two songs were identical. Crisis averted. And besides, Kisugi had a huge hit some months earlier with "Goodbye Day".

Kisugi's song was released as part of the album with the same name just a couple of weeks after Yakushimaru's version had started its run. The album would peak at No. 2 on the Oricon album charts and finish 1982 at No. 24. Also, you can have a listen to Ruiko Kurahashi's(倉橋ルイ子)marvelous cover of the song under "Yume no Tochuu".


2 comments:

  1. A rare clip. Takao Kisugi and Tomakazu Miura, Music Fair 1982.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxZrBWXiGL8

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    Replies
    1. Hello, Jim. Yes, quite rare but also quite good in terms of the performances. I wonder whether Miura was trying to emulate his senpai, Tetsuya Watari, with that buzz cut.:)

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