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, December 18, 2020

Rajie -- Goodbye Transfer(グッド・バイ・トランスファー)

 

Welcome to the penultimate Friday for 2020 and as would usually be the case for a Friday here at "Kayo Kyoku Plus", I'm providing some City Pop/J-AOR for your listening pleasure.

A few days ago, citypoper 234 was kind enough to inform me about the joys of one of Rajie's(ラジー)songs "Goodbye Transfer", and I do agree that it's a smooth City Pop ballad about love lost. Kazuko Kobayashi(小林和子)wrote the lyrics of the realization of an end of a romantic relationship while at the airport, a setting that has popped up in many a kayo over the various genres. It's often been the case that travel to places domestic and international has attempted to be a salve for broken hearts.

But for me, the interesting thing is the arrangement of the melody by singer-songwriter Kingo Hamada(濱田金吾)which has these tenderhearted keyboard passages laid over a galloping percussive beat. It's a tasty lasagna of City Pop music, folks. In a way, it sounds rather EPO-esque and happily mellow about a bittersweet topic. 

"Goodbye Transfer" is available on that 2nd CD of Rajie's "All-Time Selection" BEST compilation but was originally recorded on the singer's October 1984 album "Gogo no Relief"(午後のレリーフ...Afternoon Relief).

5 comments:

  1. somehow I've found it a little bit different from usual city pop music and you made it clear that it sounds EPo-esque and mellow music!
    Recently youtube algorism recommended me Rajie 紫苑 (シオン) and I want to hear your opinion about this wonderful song. it seems, unfortuantely, this song is not so famous but hope you enjoy this song as well.

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    1. Hi there. Good to hear that the magical YouTube algorithm is still spinning its gold. I'll have to check out "Shion" sometime and let you know. It's been a while since I've put up a Rajie tune. Thanks!

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  2. I'm actually curious about the meaning of the phrase 'goodbye transfer.' I'm not a native English speaker, and I couldn't fully understand. I searched a little, but I didn't find anything useful, to be honest. Can anyone explain it to me?

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    1. Hello there. The Japanese love to do imaginative things with the English language so I don't think the phrase "goodbye transfer" exists in English. However, since the lyrics show a couple parting sadly at an airport, I can only guess that the transfer refers to one of them departing.

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    2. Makes sense, I was being too literal and didn't notice the obvious hahaa. Thank you so much!

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