Inevitably, plowing through time and the various side streets that make up my odyssey into Japanese popular music, I'm going to leave many songs unexplored. However, YouTube and other sources make it so much easier to head back through the years and start digging again. I have to say that Shizuka Kudo（工藤静香）is one singer that I have yet to explore in much detail especially going into the 1990s. Of course, there are those early big hits after getting out of Onyanko Club（おニャン子クラブ）but perhaps there were a lot of gems that got laid by the wayside by me.
Perhaps one is her 10th single from May 1990 "Senryu no Shizuku" (Drops of a Thousand Streams). I just heard it through the performance below, and although, no, Kudo doesn't have the steadiest voice, the music by Tsugutoshi Goto（後藤次利）was intriguing with its hints of mystery and exoticism. Plus, "Senryu no Shizuku" is notable for the fact that it is Kudo's first attempt at writing lyrics but under the pen name of Eri Ai（愛絵理）, I believe. Her words match the music in that they describe that trek in the search for that thing called love. The enigmatic nature of the song is further enhanced at the intro when all those whispers start surrounding the listener like voices in a haunted forest.
This was another No. 1 hit for Kudo and it later became the 31st-ranked single for 1990.
Hi, J-Canuck.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I listened to this song last week in Kudo's 1990 Live DVD. It was the concert's final song before the encore, probably because it was her latest hit at the time.
As for "Senryu no Shizuku", unfortunately, I never liked it very much. Obviously, it's not a bad song, and that mysterious aspect you mentioned is an interesting point, but I probably wanted something more upbeat coming from Shizuka... especially after the explosive singles from 1989, such as "Arashi no Sugao", "Kousa ni Fukarete", or even the catchy and Latin-inspired "Kuchibiru Kara Biyaku", which was released four months prior to "Senryu no Shizuku".
Like you, I'm eternally discovering new songs by Shizuka Kudo. From the main late 80s aidoru singers, her discography is one I've never really given much attention.
Hi, Marcos.
ReplyDeleteI think the one reason that this particular song has stuck out for me is that it doesn't sound like a typical aidoru tune or even a typical Shizuka tune. My feeling is that her writing the lyrics for the first time for one of her own songs was a signal that she wanted to take things in a somewhat different direction. Kudos (no pun intended) to her for that although I can understand if some fans weren't so thrilled with the change.