Some days ago, I received a query on Japanese songs that had that 1950s flavour from the 1970s and 1980s, so names such as Mariya Takeuchi(竹内まりや), Momoe Yamaguchi(山口百恵), Checkers(チェッカーズ)and Mizue Takada(高田みづえ)popped up.
The fellow who gave me that initial question would be happy with this one as well. "I Love You, OK" has that love song atmosphere of "American Graffiti" and "Happy Days", and this was Yazawa's first solo single after the breakup of his band Carol(キャロル). Released in September 1975, the song was actually composed by Yazawa and written by vocalist Yukio Aizawa(相沢行夫)of the band NOBODY. Originally, this had been created by a teenage Yazawa with him writing English lyrics, some of which were used in his live album "Super Live Nippon Budokan"(スーパーライブ 日本武道館)from July 1977.
However, any antipathy against the song has perhaps disappeared over the decades. Another version of "I Love You, OK" was put onto his 1990 27th single "Pure Gold" which hit No. 1 on Oricon and became the 64th-ranked single of the year. And I think the song was still quite precious to Yazawa; at one concert to commemorate his 50th birthday at the current Nissan Stadium in Yokohama in 1999, he was performing his old single when he was overcome with emotion halfway through.
The song became the title track for Yazawa's debut album which was also released in September 1975.
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