Last night was a bit disappointing in terms of the weekly kayo program although I could understand the timing. Instead of the usual episode of "Uta Kon"（うたコン）coming back after the Holiday hiatus, we got the highlight show with a small group of kayo singers simply watching and commenting on past performances over 2017. My parents' grumbling mood wasn't helped by the fact that there were one singer and one co-host that neither liked very much at all.
So, allow me to source this from the episode of "Itsuki-sensei o Utau! SHOW Gakko"（五木先生の 歌う！SHOW学校）that we caught the Tuesday before. Along with the Haruo Oka（岡晴夫）tribute, I also paid notice to a Hachiro Kasuga（春日八郎）number which I hadn't heard before.
Titled "Are kara Juu-nen Tatta ka na" (Has It Been 10 Years?), it was released in 1959, and right from the title, the nostalgia is baked right in. Written by Ryo Yano（矢野亮）and composed by Minoru Watabe（渡部実）, at first, I had assumed that the song was about a guy reminiscing about celebrating and commiserating over life with an old friend in a ramshackle boarding house a decade prior. However as I went over the lyrics some more, I believe that there was something far more romantic involved in that threadbare room with a man and a woman conducting a tryst and then perhaps reluctantly going their separate ways. Probably the same questions have popped up in the man's head about how the lass is doing, where she's living and with whom?
(23:16)
Considering that in a couple of weeks, "Kayo Kyoku Plus" will be reaching its 6th anniversary, the song may be 4 years early but I guess in a way, the number might rather fit my feelings about the blog right now.
Hi, J-Canuck.
ReplyDeleteAre kara roku-nen tatta kana? Wow, KKP is going to be 6 already. Although I joined in 2014, it didn't feel like it's been (almost) 4 years. Well, I hope it continues to grow, and then 4 years later, Hachi's song will become apt for the occasion. :)
I concur with you and your parents about this week's "Uta Kon". I was pretty psyched at first at the prospect of seeing some nice clips from last year, but then it got bland, especially after that bit featuring Hiroshi Miyama. No looking back at tributes, or other more interesting J-pop acts... Overall, it was really "meh" - I don't think any amount of Hikawa they tried stuffing in there worked. Much preferred Itsuki sensei's show from last week too. Let's hope that next week's installment is more exciting.
P.S. I see you/your Dad has got one of Hachi's early albums. From the photo's angle, Kasuga kinda looks like he's got a uni-brow... I wasn't able to find many of his records in Tokyo, mostly because I only happened upon CD shops rather than record shops, but at least I managed to dig out his 15th anniversary vinyl from Miyada.
Hi, Noelle.
DeleteYep, I can hardly believe it myself that our little blog is ready to enter elementary school! :) At this point, I can only dream that it will actually hit 10; perhaps by that point, I will probably be more in a custodial role.
Yeah, that "Uta Kon" clip show was really quite mediocre, wasn't it? Not sure...maybe the singers were still off on holiday and too busy on tours. According to their website, next Tuesday's show will be themed on songs from famous movies and dramas (most likely, the latter will be NHK fare, heh heh).
I was surprised to discover that old Hachi album and will be making sure that it stays safe even though my Dad doesn't really listen to anything anymore.
Hi, J-Canuck.
DeleteAlthough next week sounds like it'd be pretty good, experience has told me that it'll probably be "meh" again because, just as you said, the dramas will most likely be NHK stuff... which I find kinda boring (no offence, NHK). Oh well, I'll be keeping an open mind, and I'm just hoping for some Wakadaisho or Yujiro clips.
By the way, I've got the inquiry form thing down already. Turns out the forms have been going into my secondary email, which explains why I said that I hadn't gotten any inquiries (I'm always using my first email). With that said, I'll bear in mind what you mentioned about the potential perils.