This is another obscure singer that I came across one day during the usual browsings of YouTube. Very little information exists on Kaoru Hibiki（響かおる）and so far, the only data that I could glean online is her relatively short discography at "Showa Pops Encyclopedia",
So what I could find is her debut single which was her April 1968 "Taiyo ga Kowai no" (Scared of the Sun). And no, it doesn't have anything to do with UV rays and the desperate need for Coppertone. What the lyrics by Yukiko Marimura（万里村ゆき子）deal with is a woman who has that fear of all things solar since it reminds her of a certain summer in which she met a certain man to have a certain affair. But that affair is over and done with, but she can't quite let go.
Gendai Kanou（叶弦大）composed "Taiyo ga Kowai no" and one commenter said that there was something very Group Sounds about it, although she wasn't leading a band here. It was just her behind the mike so I would categorize as some really twangy guitar pop of those late 1960s...good enough to have folks doing their go-go dances on the stage. Quite the haunting intro, too. Hibiki also delivers some pretty low vocals, too, which reminded me of another more famous singer kick stepping her own kayo about the sun.
Looking at that discography at "Showa Pops Encyclopedia", it looks like Hibiki released 6 singles up to 1970.
This song was recently used during the end credits of episode 6 of "Pachinko" - a Korean and Japanese drama on Apple+. I liked the song enough to Google it and discover this very blog.
ReplyDeleteHello, roytheodd, and thanks for your comments. Hope you can continue to explore KKP.
DeleteJust discovered this song and this blog too! Am stuck in the 60s no matter the language. It's got that old Western feel in the beginning then goes into the driving beat. Love the low register in her voice and she's got that enka lilt in some parts. Amazingly rich song in tones and layers.
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