The song was composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi（筒美京平）and written by Reiko Yukawa（湯川れい子）. It struck me as one of the quintessential aidoru songs for the early 80s as the melodies were slowly transitioning from the electric guitar to synthesizers. "Sentimental Journey"kinda shows that slow transfer to me.
Here is an older Matsumoto hoofing it with the zany comedic duo The Tunnels as she performs her signature tune. According to an anecdote from J-Wiki, the production staff discovered that her voice was relatively low for an aidoru although she was still groomed as such. One of them threw her a tape of the American female vocal group The Ronettes and told her to study their vocal style in preparation for her debut.
Since her aidoru days, Matsumoto has also gone the actress/TV personality (tarento) route, mostly in the latter category. But once in a while, she has popped up on stage to perform "Sentimental Journey". Several years ago, she teamed up with other former aidoru-turned-parents Yu Hayami（早見優）and Chiemi Hori（堀ちえみ）to form a "mamadoru (mama aidoru) unit"called Cutey Mommy.
I like her music and Sentimental Journey its the best
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, Jarteaga. Sentimental Journey will always be one of those evergreen aidoru songs from the early 80s. In that case, I think the title is very apt.
ReplyDeleteif you can translate the lyrics you would make me so happy! visit my chanel in youtube I'm uploading videos of Idols from 80s here I let you the link of one of my videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fkBi0m90HI check my onothers videos :D
ReplyDeleteOK, let me take a look at the video and I'll get you a reply.
ReplyDeleteOK, the translation for C-Girl:
ReplyDeleteTempting me with kisses, inviting me to the diving board
Gazing at the sun in the water, we fall holding each other
It's like being filmed in a video of a goddess, isn't it?
An afternoon of getting that slight fever of love just with your eyes
Candid heart
Even if we fight now,
I can say "I love you" just like that
C-C-C the famous C-C-Girl
Shards of brilliance
Sway C-C-C Gaze C-C-Girl
Hold me from your heart!
Sliding those sunglasses, tracking that flashy swimsuit
That's right...it's jealousy! My shiny nails on your shoulder
Lonely night
Because the tears are mixed in the bottle,
My painted nails must strangely hurt
C-C-C It's a secret! C-C-Girl
A glistening secret
Burn C-C-C Feel C-C-Girl
This summer's "Wonderful"
Candid love
I wanna stay with you obediently without putting on any airs
Because love isn't a picture to be hung up like a decoration
C-C-C the famous C-C-Girl
Shards of brilliance
Sway C-C-C Gaze C-C-Girl
Hold me from your heart!
A bit rough but feel free to edit away. It looks like you've got your translation on the video down pat.
Yor are so great but that song I was already translated :P this is my email: john_hao@msn.com I'm John Arteaga I love 80s Idols and wanna meet people who like Idols too my gmail is jarteagaobregon@gmail.com in facebook search me like "John Arteaga Obregón" I think you that you can help me in another translations thanx a lot
ReplyDeleteHey, no problems here, John. Always like the translating practice and it forces me to understand what the lyrics are all about. Looks like you got quite the YouTube collection there.
ReplyDeleteI also like to talk about aidoru from old days as well; probably, I could do with a bit more education on them as well since I was more into City Pop and general pop at the time.
Thanks for becoming a follower, by the way!
Take care!
thanx to you again as you know I'm a big fan od 80s idols I want to know the lyrics in english of Sentimental Journey of Iyo Matsumoto if you can help me will be great! I'm tranlating 80's idols song in spanish for my latinamericans friends (I'm from Perú and speak spanish) I want to show to my friend those songs but I want to make sure they understand the message of those songs very soon I will translated in english too well take care a lot and thanx!
ReplyDeleteOK, Jarteaga. Let's see what I can do with this one. Most likely early next week.
ReplyDeleteYou're from Peru, eh? Are there quite a lot of kayo kyoku/J-Pop fans there as well?
hi ok help me with Iyo Matsumoto - "sentimental journey" please, yeas I'm from Perú and here there are a lot of fans of Japan culture, there are a lots of otakus but I don't know nobody who like 80's idols yet.
ReplyDeleteI think that I'm the only one who listen idols song here T_T Japan has had a lot of influence here, in 80s and 90'sI remember series like "jiban", "liveman" and another more and animes like "saint seiya", Dragon ball", "Captain tsubasa oliver and benji" and "candy" "marco", "Please! Psammea-don",etc.
Japan has a beatiful culture and I feel admiration for that.
Hi there. I can understand your feeling. A number of my friends are into anime and gaming, but they're not really into kayo kyoku unless the song is connected with their anime. However, another commenter on this blog, nikala, lives on the other side of my city.
ReplyDeleteI've been very happy to realize that the fans of kayo kyoku range far and wide. I've got you in Peru, bode1967 in Brazil, makotogawa in Croatia and people checking in from England, America, Japan and even India among other nations.
Japan indeed has a long history of ancient culture, but I'm also glad that it has this quirky but fascinating contemporary popular culture.
J-Canuck
Hello, jarteaga. Here you go!
ReplyDeleteSentimental Journey
Just like a magazine to be read and thrown away,
Whenever my page can be turned
I wonder if I will end up getting thrown out
I really wanna know that
I wanna travel deep into your eyes
My sentimental journey
Just as a bud, I wanna be seeing a dream
Beautiful like a silhouette
I only wanna see a story
Cuz Iyo is just 16
Tempted by something
Tempted by you
Sentimental journey
A mysterious lake in an unknown land,
I wanna take a peek, a strange feeling
It's scary even to me
If it's love that's been made to blossom always
Wonder if he'll take care of me
Unfathomable sentimental journey
Even while standing in front of the gates haltingly
I wanna be pushed slowly in the back
Pretending not to look, forgive me
Cuz Iyo is just 16
Tempted by something
Tempted by you
Tempted by something
Tempted by you
Sentimental journey
wow thanx a lot I'm gonna translated to spanish and make a video of Iyo arigatoo
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure. Speak to you again.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to thank you for your wonderful translation of Sentimental Journey! I'm a big fan of your blog for all the information that is almost impossible to find elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you ever have time, could you translate a song by Iyo Matsumoto, that is less known and more rare, to the extent that it is barely found anywhere: 松本伊代 - 有給休暇
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L8fMUZCL9k
It is pretty much impossible to find translations to less well known kayo kyoku songs, even though they have obtained some kind of underground following recently, so this is almost the only hope. Much like Oberegon we hope to translate it and then possibly cover it (decently with licencing ofcourse).
Hello, Ivan. And thanks for taking a look through the blog. Yup, I've seen the video and was quite impressed that Pizzicato Five created a nice little bossa nova tune for Iyo. As for the translation, would there be any way that you can supply the original lyrics in Japanese to me? Unfortunately, I can't be anywhere near 100% from just listening to the tune, even repeatedly.
DeleteAnyways, good to talk with you and give my regards to John.
I'm afraid i can't find the original lyrics anywhere, especially considering my lack of any Japanese skills:P Any translation would be good.
DeleteBut I am surprised to find out that it is by Pizzicato Five, although that explains the somewhat sophisticated tone.