Ami Ozaki -- Tabi （旅）

I was listening to a twin-CD set of Ami Ozaki's（尾崎亜美） best songs when I came across this one, "Tabi"(Journey) as the first track on the 2nd CD. I had wanted to explore more of Ozaki's repertoire since I could only remember a few of her biggest hits such as "My Pure Lady" and "I've Been Mellow". As was the case with many of her early singles, Ozaki's melodies are soft, relaxing and pleasant. And "Tabi"is very much the same with the singer talking about that little trip with that special somebody, although the melody is a bit more straight-up pop when compared to the bossa nova of "My Pure Lady".

"Tabi"was actually released as her 2nd single in November 1976, just before her first big hit of "My Pure Lady". In the video above, a very mature-sounding 20-year-old Ozaki sang "Tabi" along with the B-side of "Guuzen"(Suddenly) at a November 13 1977 at FM Tokyo. While listening to that 2nd CD of her best hits, I found that Ozaki seemed to resemble Yumi Arai/Matsutoya（ユーミン） in terms of message: singing about vignettes of young women and their lives in the big city. Strangely enough, the album that "Tabi" and "Guuzen"appeared on, "Mind Drops"(June 1977) was given its title by the Queen of New Music herself.