Mio Takagi -- Heart ~ Futte mo Harete mo（ハート〜降っても晴れても〜）

My shoulders are taking on a more granite-like texture thanks to several hours of translating today. Yes, I realize that it is the weekend and the due date isn't until Tuesday but I'm never too crazy about leaving something half-done. I simply get a little jittery when that happens. This probably explains why I've been doing "Kayo Kyoku Plus" for so long on nearly a daily basis. Anyways, it's done and I can now enjoy my Saturday...at least until my English lesson tonight.

Mio Takagi（高樹澪）is an actress and singer but I've only known her for just her version of the sultry song "Dance wa Umaku Odorenai"（ダンスはうまく踊れない）. Well, I did find another single of hers recently. This would be her 6th single "Heart ~ Futte mo Hareto mo" (Come Rain Or Shine) from October 1983.

It's a nice and light synth-based ditty that was written and created by Yoshihiro Kai（甲斐祥弘）of the Kai Band（甲斐バンド）as the theme song for the NTV comedy-drama "Minna ga Daisuki!"（みんな大好き!...I Adore Everyone!）. The slightly doo-wop beat reminds me of Billy Joel's "The Longest Time" from his 1983 album "An Innocent Man", a release whose tracks I've listened to over and over again on the radio until I finally got the CD years later. It is pretty cheerful which goes in keeping with the program's premise of a fellow from the countryside coming into Tokyo for a round of unplanned hijinks while trying to keep his upbeat attitude. The song still manages to retain a bit of sultriness thanks to Takagi's delivery.