Mariya Takeuchi -- Secret Love

When I hear this song, I just feel like going into old-style West Coast radio DJ voice and go "It's 7:25 in the PM as the lovely sunset gives a fine glow down by the bay at a most comfortable temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. I hope all of you are having a fine Tuesday evening wherever you are, and right now, we have mellow songbird Mariya Takeuchi opening up about a....secret lo-o-ve."

Ahem. I mean, for a Japanese kayo, this sounds a lot like some of the tunes I used to hear on the FM band back from the late 70s and well into the 80s. And no surprise there since "Secret Love" was composed by David Foster & Jay Graydon and written by Marc Jordan. That first fellow could have helped create the Bible for 80s pop balladry. "Secret Love" was a track on Mariya Takeuchi's（竹内まりや）4th album "Miss M", and specifically it was placed on the Side A of the original LP which held all of the songs recorded in Los Angeles. The City of Angels is located on that side of the United States which I've always associated with the AOR genre that also helped　inspire the City Pop genre.

Listening to mellow Mariya croon this tune, I can only imagine that drive down the Ventura Highway in the waning hours of the day. Mind you, the lyrics are cornier than a field ready to be harvested but as I've said time and time again, I was always more of a melody fellow. And I do like my AOR and this particular example of AOR. Foster, Graydon and Bill Champlin helped out on the background vocals.