Credits

I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.

Friday, March 29, 2019

Kenji Sawada/Motoharu Sano -- Vanity Factory


Had another listen to singer-songwriter Motoharu Sano's(佐野元春)classic album "Someday" from 1982 again and got myself re-acquainted with a lot of the tracks. Of course, I already know the title track and the absolutely fun "Sugar Time".


One track from "Someday" that I got to know again was "Vanity Factory". Originally given to the iconic kayo chameleon Kenji Sawada(沢田研二)by Sano for his 15th album "G.S. I LOVE YOU" from December 1980, this rock blaster seems to describe that persona of Julie as the preening and pompous "man of culture" of his time. The lyrics describe the setting of one January Wednesday in the big city as a fellow (executive who may have risen too fast and too high) gets ready to paint the town a gorgeous red. Reading through Sano's lyrics, that's what "Vanity Factory" is about: setting but not substance. "G.S. I LOVE YOU" got as high as No. 23 on Oricon.


Sano provided a cover of "Vanity Factory" in the "Someday" album. His version is a tad mellower but it's still got that quick delivery and the feeling of hustle and bustle in the megalopolis.


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