Friday, October 5, 2018

Akira Kurosawa & Los Primos -- Yogiri no Imperial Road(夜霧のインペリアル・ロード)


It's been a while since I've put up a good ol' Mood Kayo number up here, and it is Friday night which should mean the peak evening for the bars and other drinking establishments.


Here is "Yogiri no Imperial Road" (Imperial Road in the Night Fog), the 13th single of Mood Kayo group Akira Kurosawa & Los Primos(黒沢明とロス・プリモス), released in August 1969. It's a tad ironic that the song was released when it was since a Tokyo night in August is far from being cool and foggy. Folks living there would probably be praying for weather that comfortable in the dog days of summer.

"Yogiri no Imperial Road" is a straight-ahead Mood Kayo: bluesy sax intro, plucky Latin guitar and lyrics of love for that woman and the city. I think the NHK Creative Library definitely knew what to do with their video tribute. Written by Takao Saeki(佐伯孝夫)and composed by Masanobu Tokuchi(渡久地政信), this is the type of song to accompany you on your kayo adventures through the drinking neighbourhoods of Tokyo, or perhaps something to try out in karaoke.

I was trying to find out where this Imperial Road was, though. At first, I thought it was another nicknamed side street in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo since there is the famous Golden Gai of narrow nomiya. But perhaps it may just be a romantic concoction made up by Saeki and Tokuchi. After all, what better-named road to have that wonderful guy or lady on your arm as you slowly walk in the fog among the bright lights and neon signs during a luxurious night?

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