Akina Nakamori -- Blue on Pink

A big load off my mind. That big presentation to the kids down at the University of Toronto on my current career of translation finally took place earlier this afternoon. It was pretty darn scary for me but aside from some rambling ad-libbing at points, I think we all did a fairly good job.What also helped was a generous audience.😌

Actually, after all was said was done, a bunch of us including the presenters and a few of the audience went over to one of our old haunts near the university, the Madison Avenue Pub, and slowly decompressed. I got into a good conversation with one of those audience members, Daniel, who just happens to be a fellow Akina Nakamori（中森明菜）fan. The both of us were rather worried about how the lass was doing these days considering that last time I saw her on that "surprise" Kohaku appearance a few years ago where she looked downright frail. I hope she is doing well.

Daniel told me that one of his favourite songs by Akina-chan is "Blue on Pink", a pensive number that I had first heard on her live album "AKINA EAST LIVE INDEX-XXIII" from November 1989. The original recorded version is a coupling song to her 23rd single from April of that year, "Liar". Written by Yoshiko Miura（三浦徳子）and composed by Wataru Kuniyasu（国安わたる）, it is a ballad about the feeling of isolation within the big city. As was often the case with her songs during this particular period of Nakamori's life, "Blue on Pink" has those deep but increasingly fragile vocals paired with the themes of loneliness.

(1:13:53)

The first video has that rather soft rendition of the song but I much prefer the version Akina performed at that concert featured in "AKINA EAST LIVE INDEX-XXIII" thanks to the added synths and powerful bass in the refrain. Plus I think the singer herself put in some more oomph to her vocals to compensate.

I'm not sure because my impressions have been coloured by the near-tragic situation that occurred in July 1989 but when I see her eyes while she's performing "Blue on Pink" in the concert for "AKINA EAST LIVE INDEX-XXIII", they seem especially sad and distant.

"Blue on Pink" is also included on her BEST compilation, "BEST III" from 1992.