Yuji Ohno And King Kong Hunters - Soul King Kong - Part 1 + Part 2（ソウル・キングコング）

 

Although there was indeed a "King Kong vs. Godzilla" movie in 1962, that "Lost Films" book that JTM had given me also reported on other attempts to get the Ape and the Lizard to go into another city-destroying tussle. Would be interesting but first I have to actually see the original movie.

Anyhow, I can say that this is the second song that I've put onto "Kayo Kyoku Plus" that has King Kong in the title. The first was Kahimi Karie's（カヒミ・カリィ）"Tiny King Kong" from 1997 and now I have "Soul King Kong" by Yuji Ohno And King Kong Hunters（大野雄二とキングコング・ハンターズ）, a single released sometime in 1976. For some reason, the single isn't listed at all on the prolific Ohno's J-Wikipedia page or even on his website, but it's been given some space at Merurido Records. I gather that the jazz pianist and arranger really enjoyed collaborating with different groups right from the beginning, considering that along with his time with King Kong Hunters, he's also gone with the Explosion Band and then the Lupintic Five.

From listening to Part 1 a few times and then checking with Merurido, I've indeed been reassured that it wasn't a figment of my imagination that the dynamic first half is considered to be the prototype for Ohno's far more famous theme song for "Lupin the 3rd" made in 1978. Godzilla makes a congenial cameo right at the beginning before the disco horns and strings come rolling on in and a familiar American voiceover (maybe it was the same guy behind Paul Hardcastle's "19") intones "KING KONG" a few times. The drama then turns into something soaring and happy thanks to a sax solo as if King Kong joyfully reacquaints himself with Ann Darrow.

Part 2 is the complete opposite as Ohno and the band go for a quieter and prettier lark in the park. I can imagine Kong and Darrow having that romantic walk as this is playing, and I've heard similar melodic sequences in some anime such as "Uchuusenkan Yamato"（宇宙戦艦ヤマト）and "Macross"（マクロス）during the quieter scenes. It's almost downright Muzak!