Checkers -- Hoshikuzu no Stage （星屑のステージ）

I can still distinctly remember my old clubmate at U of T cooing Fumiya Fujii's（藤井郁弥） name whenever this song was especially sung. I can probably imagine thousands of young Japanese girls wearing bobbysoxer uniforms swaying and weeping to it as well. Yup, way back when, young women and men were sashaying en masse, in 50s outfits and on the streets of Harajuku. Not sure whether Checkers directly imbued themselves with rockabilly Harajuku when they first set themselves up, but I can't help but see the connection.

Actually, "Hoshikuzu no Stage"(Stardust Stage) was also a popular karaoke choice at Kuri, as were pretty much all of the Checkers songs at that time. This was not only the band's 4th single, but it was also their first ballad. And it's a mournful one to be sure as Fumiya sings his tribute to a loved one who left this mortal coil far too soon.

"Hoshikuzu Stage" was Checkers' 2nd No. 1 right after their first one in the form of "Kanashikute Jealousy" （哀しくてジェラシ...Sad Jealousy), and after its release in August 1984, it ended the year as the 8th-ranked song. It was written by Masao Urino（売野雅勇） and composed by Hiroaki Serizawa（芹沢廣明）, who composed lots of songs for lots of singers including Akina Nakamori's（中森明菜） "Shojo A"（少女Ａ） and Yoshimi Iwasaki's （岩崎良美）"Touch". Just from hearing these songs, Serizawa seems to be the specialist in making melodies with that 50's biker rock touch.

Checkers -- BEST