Ginji Ito -- Kaze ni Narerunara（風になれるなら）

With the possibility of a dusting of snow tomorrow, Summer 2018 is now one for the history books. However, perhaps some of those warmer and happier times can be regained through this particular article.

It's been a good long while since I put up a Ginji Ito（伊藤銀次）article with him actually performing a song, so nice to welcome him back to the blog. I found this song by him titled "Kaze ni Narerunara" (If I Can Become The Wind) through the above video, and the uploader mentioned that this was Track 2 of one of his BEST compilations, "Changes: History of Ginji" which came out in 1988.

But "Kaze ni Narerunara" definitely sounds like it came from a time even further back, so a little search revealed that it was originally Ito's 4th single from May 1977. Ito composed and wrote this one along with Taeko Ohnuki（大貫妙子）who had also contributed to the lyrics (and backing vocals), and it's a breezy summery number about him wishing that he could become like the wind and race over to his beloved's home to let her know he's around. It's definitely one nice song for the car radio during a drive in the hot season. Do love the sax solo by Kazumi Takahashi（高橋知己）.

According to the J-Wiki write-up on Ito's debut studio album "Deadly Drive" which had come out in the same month as the single itself and also contains "Kaze", the basic melody had been inspired by Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown". Apparently, the album only got as high as No. 99 at the time, but I'm sure that "Deadly Drive" has been getting more attention and love from the newcomers to the J-AOR/City Pop genres.

The top video's version has several seconds cut off from the end so here is the full version. Another song by Ito that I wrote about some years ago is also included in the album, "Konuka Ame"（こぬか雨）, and this particular number was actually the B-side to the single version of "Kaze".

Since it was mentioned, have a listen to "Lowdown" (1976). Oh, man...it's been so long since I've heard this one. I'd forgotten how amazing that burst of horns is. Now I can imagine where Jamiroquai may have gotten some of his inspiration.