It's been several months since I put up an Anri（杏里）article and with spring chugging ahead (despite a cold rain and a high temperature of only 15 degrees C), I think it's time to bring some of her brightness back.
Despite all those wonderful songs Anri brought in during her Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）period in the early 1980s and then going full American R&B in the latter part of the decade, I also like going back to her debut era in the late 1970s. Yep, it's kinda hard to believe that she started in the decade of Pink Lady and Momoe Yamaguchi（山口百恵）, isn't it?
Well, there is her 2nd single which followed her legacy debut release "Olivia wo Kikinagara"（オリビアを聴きながら）, "Chichuukai Dream" (Mediterranean Sea Dream) from April 1979. Compared to the introspective ballad of "Olivia wo Kikinagara", "Chichuukai Dream" was this wholly upbeat tune that starts off almost like a Disney fantasy tune before it dives right into a cheery pop song with a bit of Resort Pop feeling. That's not too surprising since the setting of the song seems to be on the island of Corsica.
Ami Ozaki（尾崎亜美）, the same singer-songwriter who provided Anri with "Olivia", wrote and composed this travel tune fit for a teen on her first trip abroad and perhaps finding a bit of romance along the way. Incidentally, the arrangement for "Chichuukai" was done by Shigeru Suzuki（鈴木茂）. The above video meshes Anri's original rather seamlessly with Ozaki's cover version on her 1983 "Points" album.
(20:12)
As for the original version, it didn't make all that much of a splash, just peaking at No. 86 on the Oricon weeklies. But as we all Anri fans know, bigger and better things were ahead for her. The song also appeared on her 2nd album "Feelin'" which was released in June 1979. It peaked at No. 71.
I don't know why, but I love when I am driving at night and this particular song by Anri comes up in my playlist. It is such a great feeling.
ReplyDeleteHi, Henrique.
DeleteI guess it's that City Pop feel. Great for driving!