Ruiko Kurahashi -- Chuo Line（中央ライン）

When I think of the crosstown JR lines cutting through Tokyo, I usually think of the Sobu (Yellow) Line and the Chuo (Orange) Line. The Sobu Line was the one that I took most often as one of my early assignments had me taking that particular train all the way from midtown Tokyo to the eastern terminus at Chiba Station. Comparatively though, I never rode on the Chuo all that much. Seeing how packed it got was a pretty good deterrent. But there was that one time when some teachers (including myself) and students got on the Chuo one Sunday morning and headed all the way out to the western terminus of Takao for a hike and picnic. Yes, people who aren't longtime residents might be surprised to realize that the Takao area is that one region in the megalopolis which comes off as rugged and mountainous, relatively speaking.

All that preamble to talk about "Chuo Line", the second track from Ruiko Kurahashi's（倉橋ルイ子）"Main Course" album of 1986. Being a big Ruiko fan, whenever I find a new YouTube video with her, I don't hesitate; I love to talk about it. At one point, the whole album or at least several of her tracks from that album were up on the video-sharing site but they were taken down by the powers-that-be, so it's nice when a few of them make their return.

"Main Course" is one fine album from beginning to end, but still with "Chuo Line", this is the particularly sophisticated mid-tempo track whose melody by Kimio Mizutani（水谷公生）and jazzy arrangement seem to elevate the Chuo from its regular status as a commuter line up to the level of the Orient Express. Instead of a canister of Chip Star and a can of beer from a vending machine, it's more caviar and champagne on this run. And considering that he also provided a wonderful solo on one of the other tracks, "Gas Tou"（ガス燈）, I do believe that it is Jake H. Concepcion handling the sax on "Chuo Line" as well.

However, in Fumiko Okada's（岡田富美子）lyrics, Kurahashi, who can provide some wonderful high-class ennui of the jet set, sings about taking the Chuo bound for Takao and back into the arms of what looks like a real cad. She would have left him already except that she still seems to have feelings for him. Consternation done classy! I do like that. Since I've been more of a melody guy instead of lyrics all these years, I had assumed that "Chuo Line" was all about the high life as the bright night lights of Tokyo passed on by.