Miyako Chaki -- Maboroshi no Hito（幻の人）

 

"Maboroshi no Hito" (Mystery Man) is a May 1977 single by singer-songwriter Miyako Chaki（茶木みやこ）. I've already had a few articles up for this distinctive singer but this is probably one of her most atmospheric works.

For one thing, there is that relentless rhythm with the drums and something that sounds really funky like boots walking at a syncopated beat. Then, there is that repeated synthesizer riff that sends that feeling of a mystery afoot. According to the lyrics by Toshikazu Terayama（寺山寿和）, it involves a remote train station and various hints at something having happened with only the most oblique of references to the mystery man. Chaki's haunting vocals also help although from the release date of "Maboroshi no Hito", there was no intention for this to be a Halloween song (I'm not even sure whether Halloween was really celebrated all the way back then in Japan).

Adding to the mystery, at least for me, is that despite the brevity of "Maboroshi no Hito" at 2:47, it feels like a much longer song and that isn't any accusation of it having gone on too long. The arrangement, which includes a sudden feeling of happiness thanks to a guitar that sounds like a ray of sunshine breaking through the gloom, is just so filled with those sounds and Chaki's vocals that it feels like a filling and satisfying meal all done within a very short period of time.