Sanma Akashiya -- Makka na Uso（真赤なウソ）

 

Well, it took almost ten years, but comedian/actor Sanma Akashiya（明石家さんま）has finally come on board "Kayo Kyoku Plus". I've known this fellow for decades and he's grown his reputation to the point that he's now known as one of the Owarai Big 3（お笑いBIG3...The Big 3 Comedians）, joining Tamori（タモリ）and Beat Takeshi（ビートたけし）. He's loud, brash, short-tempered and guffaws a lot. When I was living in Japan, he was popping up most everywhere but nowadays being home in Toronto, I basically only see him now through his regular weekly show "HONMADEKKA!?TV"（ホンマでっか!?TV） via TV Japan.

Watching that show, I've noticed that Sanma gets good-naturedly lobbed some beanballs from his fellow tarento regarding his predilection for the ladies, something that even he's poked himself for from time to time. I'm not sure if his supposed playboy peccadilloes are true or not but he was married at one point to actress Shinobu Otake（大竹しのぶ）in the late 1980s, and whenever either ex-spouse has had the other mentioned to him or her, there's usually been a moment of discomfort and maybe even some eye-rolling.

I actually encountered this song purely by happenstance some months ago through a YouTube video featuring one of the Hello Project aidoru doing a cover of it on a Sanma-hosted Xmas special which brought some rare embarrassment to the host. The main reason for the embarrassment is that it was one of Akashiya's singles from the 1980s, "Makka na Uso" (Barefaced Lies). In fact, I was quite surprised to find out that he actually released quite a few singles, nine to be exact, between 1979 and 1989.

"Makka na Uso" was his 5th single released in February 1987, and it kinda reflects that Lothario side to him. Words and music were provided by Toshihiko Takamizawa（高見沢俊彦）from rock band ALFEE and the song portrays a cynical fellow who surmises that it's the lies that keep all romance, whether it be pure or illicit, moving around. That fast-paced rock beat (maybe even some ska in there?) by Takamizawa reminds me of a couple of songs actually: Masahiko Kondo's（近藤真彦）"Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" （ギンギラギンにさりげなく）and Checkers' "Gizagiza Heart no Komori Uta"（ギザギザハートの子守唄）. Incidentally, aidoru Mamiko Takai（高井麻巳子）provides the backup chorus according to J-Wiki. The single did fairly well by peaking at No. 17.

Takamizawa himself performed a cover of "Makka na Uso" during an ALFEE concert. Of course, I have to leave this with a live performance of Sanma himself.