Goro Noguchi -- Kirameki（きらめき）

Commenter Jim Laker recently informed me about this one by 70s aidoru Goro Noguchi（野口五郎）. Speaking about Goro, I just saw him on the latest episode of NHK's "Nodo Jiman"（のど自慢）as guest performer, and he got all embarrassed when one of his biggest fans sang one of his old hits while holding and showing off an album of his idol to everyone in the audience. What was impressive was that as he was singing, the fellow opened up the album to show a pretty gorgeous picture of young Goro with some massive field in the background. There was absolutely no need for the singer to get all red in the face there.

Anyways, what Jim was asking about was Noguchi's 20th single from June 1976, "Kirameki" (Sparkle). It is very appropriately sparkly in tone and message as he sings about a couple having their dream date in town...things are looking really good for them. All sunshine all the time and all that. I gather that it's a nice kayo to have around you as you and your significant other are traipsing through the shopping streets.

Lyricist Michio Yamagami（山上路夫）and composer Kyohei Tsutsumi（筒美京平）were behind the very relaxing and optimistic "Kirameki". It hit No. 2 on the Oricon weeklies and ended up as the 33rd-ranked single of 1976.