Last week on NHK's "Uta Con"（うたコン）, there was the theme of graduation since March has been the month for the annual school tradition. Of course, then folk group Kaientai（海援隊）led by actor/singer Tetsuya Takeda（武田鉄矢）had to come on to sing their graduation favourite "Okuru Kotoba"（贈る言葉）from 1979. It is a folk song that gets eyes a-waterin' and hearts a-swellin' each and every time, and it's the classic that everyone knows the group for.
I have put up other songs by Kaientai since my first article for them back in March 2012, but I think this time, this one song of theirs stands out by a fair bit in comparison to the sentimental "Okuru Kotoba". Titled "Cabaret Night Blues", this was a Kaientai song that was released in October 1978 as their 13th single, and from the title, it's certainly not a song that should have any connection with tear-stained kids graduating from junior high or senior high school.
This time around, it's not Takeda singing the blues here but rhythm guitar member Toshio Nakamuta（中牟田俊男）. It's indeed his song since he came up with the melody, while Takeda wrote the lyrics and support member Yasuo Sako（佐孝康夫）arranged it. "Cabaret Night Blues" possesses that tough-street vibe thanks to that sibilant electric guitar and tight & snappy drum, while Nakamuta gives that weary seen-it-all, done-it-all account of hitting those cabaret clubs filled with hostesses all over the nation. His long hunt for companionship has ironically given him deep loneliness instead.
"Cabaret Night Blues" was also a track on Kaientai's November 1978 6th album "Darakuhen"（墜落編...Corruption）.
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