Shinji Tanimura -- Nijuuni Sai （２２歳）

 

Man, the first 30 seconds of this song pack more drama than any 22-year-old deserves to have. "Nijuuni Sai" (22 Years Old), Shinji Tanimura's（谷村新司） 9th single released in October 1983, came to my notice on one of the "Sounds of Japan" radio broadcasts. As I said, that epic piano intro before that synth/harpsichord rolls in just made me do a Keanu Reaves "Whoa!" before the soothing tones of Tanimura croon about the travails of a particular 22-year-old in a style akin to a folk tune. However, the instrumental bridge still keeps that classical power as if that 22-year-old lived in a massive and isolated castle by a raging sea. I wonder if the former leader of Alice（アリス）had been watching "Wuthering Heights" before he made the song.

The video above (sorry the original was taken down) pretty much brings the lyrics into image form, although I don't remember my 22nd year or those of my friends being that dramatic. But in any case, "Nijuuni Sai" became a hit for Tanimura, selling 270,000 copies and peaking at No. 14 on the Oricon charts. "Subaru"（昴）, his biggest hit, probably has much more airplay at the karaoke boxes and for him at his concerts, but for me, I've always had more of a soft spot for his song about the condition of the heart for that certain 22-year-old.