I've been a fan of Japanese popular music for 40 years, and have managed to collect a lot of material during that time. So I decided I wanted to talk about Showa Era music with like-minded fans. My particular era is the 70s and 80s (thus the "kayo kyoku"). The plus part includes a number of songs and artists from the last 30 years and also the early kayo. So, let's talk about New Music, aidoru, City Pop and enka.
Credits
I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Candies -- Sono Ki ni Sasenaide (その気にさせないで)
J-Canuck's post on Saori Minami's warm and summery "Soushun no Minato" inspired me to revisit some of the classic kayo tunes from the 70's, which of course included Candies (キャンディーズ), one of my favorite aidoru acts from that era. For all their harmless looks and choreography, I always thought the group's music had a certain edge to it, thanks to songwriting contributions of Yusuke Hoguchi (穂口雄右), former member of the Group Sounds band Out Cast (アウト・キャスト). "Sono Ki ni Sasenaide" (その気にさせないで...Don't Come Onto Me), their 7th single from September 1975, appeals to me for its upbeat disco groove and earworm melody. It's got the familiar orchestra band backing which was characteristic of Japan's 70's pop sound, which is perked up by the the driving force of guitars and bass. The girls' vocal delivery is self-assured and commanding: quite a contrast to their carefree smiles in the video above where they prance gleefully around the streets of Tokyo.
"Sono Ki ni Sasenaide" was composed and arranged by Hoguchi and written by Kazuya Senke (千家和也). The single peaked at No.17 on Oricon weeklies, charting for 14 weeks in the Top 100, and sold about 190,000 copies by the time Candies broke up. It was moderate hit for the girls compared to their classics "Haru Ichiban" and "Toshishita Otoko no Ko", but it'll always be a winner in my book. It was also included in their fifth studio album of the same title.
Hi! Just started following your blog and wanted to leave my first comment. This is also a favorite Candies tune for me, the video is definitely too upbeat and innocent to go with the song, but they're totally rocking those bell bottom pants!
Hi, can you help to find how many copies were sold of the album 僕の中の少年 by Tatsuro Yamashita? According to Entamedata it has sold 341.000 copies in 1988, but considering it was released at the end of October, I think it is only a partial figure. Can you help me somehow?
Yup, I never heard of this Candies' tune either until I came across your article. Really punchy song, especially with that baritone sax in there. As for the video....ahh, can't believe I was actually walking on the streets of Japan during that decade as a kid. All that 70s fashion sense: Ran looking like a GAP kid, and those bell bottoms! Gotta agree with Otakitty, if those bells had been any more flared, they would have vacuumed up small animals!
Hi! Just started following your blog and wanted to leave my first comment. This is also a favorite Candies tune for me, the video is definitely too upbeat and innocent to go with the song, but they're totally rocking those bell bottom pants!
ReplyDeleteHi, can you help to find how many copies were sold of the album 僕の中の少年 by Tatsuro Yamashita? According to Entamedata it has sold 341.000 copies in 1988, but considering it was released at the end of October, I think it is only a partial figure. Can you help me somehow?
ReplyDeleteHello there.
DeleteAccording to this Livedoor blog, the album may have sold as many as 545,000 copies.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/cenuni0625/archives/1023357989.html
thank you!
DeleteHi nikala.
ReplyDeleteYup, I never heard of this Candies' tune either until I came across your article. Really punchy song, especially with that baritone sax in there. As for the video....ahh, can't believe I was actually walking on the streets of Japan during that decade as a kid. All that 70s fashion sense: Ran looking like a GAP kid, and those bell bottoms! Gotta agree with Otakitty, if those bells had been any more flared, they would have vacuumed up small animals!