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.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Hiroshi Tachi -- Nakanaide (泣かないで)
Contrary to my initial speculation, this "Nakanaide" is NOT the same Mood Kayo "Nakanaide" that is the Hiroshi Wada & Mahina Stars (和田弘とマヒナスターズ) hit. The two songs are actually quite contrasting.
Just last night, after being spurred by the find of a black and white footage of Yujiro Ishihara (石原裕次郎) singing "Yogiri yo Konya mo Arigato" (夜霧よ今夜も有難う) earlier in the day, I began hunting for some more videos featuring singers from back in the day when I came across this promising medley that featured many familiar names... and Tough Guy's face on the thumbnail, so I went ahead with watching it. I was first greeted by the dapper Ishihara crooning Tetsuya Watashi's (渡哲也) "Kuchinashi no Hana" (くちなしの花) in his smooth as silk voice, followed by an equally polished Ryotaro Sugi (杉良太郎), and after that George Yamamoto (山本譲二), who appeared and sounded quite awkward - I'm used to seeing the enka singer with his current-day flair and machismo. Then came the only fellow in the medley that I had never heard of, Hiroshi Tachi (舘ひろし). The title of the song he sang was up on the screen saying "Nakanaide", but unlike the really slow and melancholic "Nakanaide" I know of from the late 50's, the former had this out-on-the-town funky vibe and upbeat music, which was composed by Tachi himself. Also, his deep and gentle vocal delivery makes his "Nakanaide" more consolatory and assuring, hence my preference for this one.
Besides that, there were other features of the singer-actor that quickly caught my eye. That particular relaxed and nonchalant expression on his angular face, and that manner in which he sang - a hand on his belly, his body bobbing from left to right to the beat, the way he turned his head to the side when he brought the mic down, gazing at the floor occasionally - just reminded me of ASKA during the late 80's to the 90's. In general, Tachi looks like a real cool cat, and this part of him shone in his role as a rugged officer (I think) in the Ishihara-produced police drama series "Seibu Keisatsu" (西部警察) that aired from 1979 to 1983.
"Nakanaide" was released in 1984, and although there's not much information on the song, I think it was quite popular as it allowed Tachi a spot on the Kohaku on that same year. The video above had Tachi jammin' with another popular Hiroshi (unfortunately the video isn't available, so enjoy Tachi singing it on "Yoru no Hit Studio"). Huh, this article is filled with Hiroshi-s. Oh, I almost forgot, the lyrics to "Nakanaide" were written by the late lyricist, Yuji Konno (今野雄二).
Hooo boy... Wow... That is just... Wow...
laughy.jp
Tachi seems to have aged pretty well, and he looks better now in my opinion. A lot better. He's a rather suave, good-looking man if I don't say so myself... ...
I remember watching Tachi performing "Nakanaide" on that Kohaku 30 or so years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time, except for the fact that he looked quite dapper in a tux crooning like Sinatra. He's pretty much had that image since then, although when he first starred in "Seibu Keisatsu", he had that jeans-wearing firebrand cop image. Tachi became even more famous when he played one-half of a feckless detective duo on "Abunai Deka", and it was there that he had that stylish playboy image.
Hi, Noelle.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Tachi performing "Nakanaide" on that Kohaku 30 or so years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time, except for the fact that he looked quite dapper in a tux crooning like Sinatra. He's pretty much had that image since then, although when he first starred in "Seibu Keisatsu", he had that jeans-wearing firebrand cop image. Tachi became even more famous when he played one-half of a feckless detective duo on "Abunai Deka", and it was there that he had that stylish playboy image.