Credits

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.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Chiyo Okumura -- Shuuchaku Eki (終着駅)



A song of despair, Chiyo Okumura(奥村チヨ)used her 25th single, released on Xmas Day 1971, to rid herself of her then-image as a coquettish young singer. Born in Chiba Prefecture but raised in Osaka, she debuted in 1965. "Shuuchaku Eki"(Terminal Station) had Okumura singing about loneliness and escape as she makes her way to the final station on the line.

Apparently having thoughts of retiring from show business, the success of "Shuuchaku Eki"was the impetus for her to stay on board...at least for a few more years. Written by Kazuya Senke(千家和也), the composer of the song, Keisuke Hama(浜圭介), had also come to a crossroads when it came to his career, but as with Okumura, when his song became a hit, it breathed new energy into his life as a songwriter which has taken him as far forward as 2006. However, for Okumura, she would finally retire in 1974...after marrying Hama.



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