Rumiko Koyanagi -- Sayonara Shibai（サヨナラ芝居）

 

When I first heard this song, I had initially thought that this would be a City Pop tune but then on repeated listenings, I now feel that this is something else although there is something quite urban and urbane about it.

Singer and actress Rumiko Koyanagi（小柳ルミ子）has delved into a number of styles whether it be her early aidoru tunes of the early 1970s such as "Watashi no Joukamachi" (わたしの城下町）, her sexier stuff starting with her 1984 kayo hit "Ohisashiburi ne" (お久しぶりね）and a bit of Mood Kayo thanks to her "Midare Gami"（みだれ髪）. Therefore, there was initial excitement from me when I first heard "Sayonara Shibai" (The Goodbye Game) since I'd thought "Oooh, even Koyanagi was getting on board the City Pop bandwagon!".

However on second and third thoughts, I have to change my mind. Now I believe that her "Sayonara Shibai" is maybe more appropriate to that chaise lounge-friendly and more European-sounding Fashion Music from around the turn of the decade from the 1970s into the 1980s. A few years ago, I actually wrote up an article talking about that very sub-genre with sample singers so have a gander at that, if you so desire.

For me, "Sayonara Shibai", which was created by lyricist Fumiko Okada（岡田冨美子）and composer Kimio Mizutani（水谷公生）, begins with that languid rhythm that feels quite French and fairly jaunty for something that I have described as Fashion Music but I did envisage that representative chaise lounge with its inhabitant asking for those grapes, one at a time. Then again, I could also imagine Koyanagi acting as that veteran hostess tying each of her paramours around her well-manicured pinkie at the same time. 

Interestingly enough, that combination of synthesizers and bass reminds me of another singer with the same initials as Rumiko Koyanagi: Ruiko Kurahashi（倉橋ルイ子）. And Kurahashi is another member of the Fashion Music sorority.

It took quite the effort to track down when "Sayonara Shibai" made its premiere but I finally found out that it was a track on Koyanagi's April 1980 album "Limelight"（来夢来人）.