Taeko Ohnuki -- Koibito Tachi no Ashita （恋人たちの明日）

Almost a year ago to the day, I posted Taeko Ohnuki's（大貫妙子） album, "Aventure" onto the blog. This was the third of Ohnuki's French titles, and her second of heading full-tilt into her new direction of a techno-and-European mix in melodies in the early 80s. I've been growing to appreciate the various tracks on "Aventure" more and more to the extent that I'm now wondering if it may eclipse my choice of her 1982 album, "Cliche" as my favourite.

I hinted at "Koibito Tachi no Ashita" (Lovers' Tomorrow) in the posting for the whole album, and this is the first track, one of the two truly purely pop songs here along with "Chance" which has been included in the album profile. In fact, when I heard the album for the first time, I was kinda caught off-guard by the cute twinkly and bubbly nature of it all. It was almost hard to believe that this was indeed Ohnuki singing it. And yet this song is fortified with New Music/City Pop goodness. Of course, written and composed by Ohnuki, her old bandmate, Tatsuro Yamashita（山下達郎） took care of the chorus arrangements with his wife, Mariya Takeuchi（竹内まりや）, and good buddy EPO helping out as the backup (barely heard). And all of the Yellow Magic Orchestra except for Haruomi Hosono are on instruments (Ryuichi Sakamoto on the Prophet 5 and overall arrangement, Yukihiro Takahashi on drums, and Hideki Matsutake as the computer programmer). And yet, "Koibito" would never be mistaken for a YMO song, which is in keeping with the singer's request that she didn't want her tunes to sound like the band's output.

"Koibito Tachi no Ashita" was released as Ohnuki's 7th single in June 1981, a mere month before "Chance" came out as the 8th single and a month after the album had been released. At around the same time, Keiko Masuda（増田恵子） (Kei of Pink Lady fame) was starting on her own solo course after her duo had broken up, and I discovered her version of the song on YouTube. But unfortunately, it's been taken down by the powers-that-be although I am always hoping that it will be back up someday.

However, I was able to find a 1998 cover done by former TV Asahi weathercaster and current wife of L'Arc-en-Ciel's hyde, Megumi Oishi（大石恵）.

I gotta say that she especially looks pretty darn good here!

Taeko Ohnuki -- Aventure