Earlier in the spring, I wrote about this perhaps little-known singer-songwriter named Eddy Yamamoto（エディ山本）and this catchy and funky City Pop, "Making Love" from his 1984 "Dream Hunter" album.
Well, cue back some 4 years and here is his debut single "Ai wo Kokoro ni" (Love In Your Heart) from 1980. Compared to that somewhat daring cover for "Making Love" where Yamamoto in his short cut is munching on a tomato after popping out of the shower, the cover for "Ai wo Kokoro ni" has the lad looking like a Japanese Rick Springfield posing for a high school photo.
The difference doesn't end there. Compared to "Making Love" the song itself, "Ai wo Kokoro ni" is much more of a wistful kayo and Yamamoto, who wrote and composed the ballad, performs it with a delivery that is more reminiscent of large-lunged singers of the 1970s such as Akira Fuse（布施明）and Kiyohiko Ozaki（尾崎紀世彦）than Gino Vannelli. With the piano and strings in there, it's the type of song that would adorn some sort of cigarette commercial with the fellow puffing away while staring at the sunset after a long day at work. Since I have never smoked a day in my life, I'll probably go with my image of being on an airplane at the same time of day while either arriving or departing Haneda Airport.
My images aside, Yamamoto did win the grand prize at the 20th annual Yamaha Popular Song Contest and then another prize at the 11th World Popular Song Festival that year for "Ai wo Kokoro ni".
The top image in this post is making me think of the Mandom commercial.
ReplyDeleteA minor correction: between 1973 and 1986, the Popular Song Contest was actually SEMI-annual, with Popcon Grand Final editions in the spring and fall of each year, held at Yamaha's Tsumagoi resort. Some award winners were also offered the chance to take part at the World Popular Song Festival (usually held in October/November), but some Grand Prix winners chose not to defend their title at the WPSF (notably Kyoko Kosaka, Toshihiro Itoh and Aming).
Incidentally, someone posted pretty much the entire televised portion of the 20th Popcon to Youtube. This edition also featured another KKP veteran, Eri Kojima, performing with her band TRYAL*SPOT. She also composed the music and wrote the lyrics to their song: "Koisuru Lolita." Other notable performers at the 20th Popcon: singer-songwriter Haruhi Aiso (making her second of three Popcon appearances) and rock band Cadillac Slim. It also features what might be the most Popcon thing ever, the Wakakusa Children’s Association and their song about traffic safety!
Hello, Mike.
DeleteAs for the top image, thank the good people at Samsung since the images came with the computer.:)
Thanks very much for the correction on the frequency of PopCon as well!