Yoichi Sugawara -- Anata dake nano（あなただけなの）

 

As I mentioned in the preceding article with Junko Ohashi（大橋純子）, it was a pretty auspicious episode for "Uta Con"（うたコン）that I saw tonight. I loved the nearly full tribute to the kayo and I wouldn't mind some more of that in the future.

It was definitely poignant beginning with singer Yoichi Sugawara's（菅原洋一）"Shiritakunaino" （知りたくないの）and when I saw Kanji Ishimaru（石丸幹二）up on the stage, I'd assumed that it would just be him singing Sugawara's 1965 trademark tune since Sugawara is at an advanced age. But then the camera showed both Ishimaru and Sugawara sharing the stage with the latter in his usual dapper tuxedo. Sugawara almost looked like he was about to break into tears, and though I hope that this isn't the case even considering that he is 88, it seemed like that this could be his final time on TV. If it is, the veteran singer comported himself with aplomb.

Perhaps I can offer another song of his to finish off this broadcasting day of "Kayo Kyoku Plus". Another of Sugawara's famous songs was "Kyo de Owakare"（今日でお別れ）of which there are two versions, one done in 1967 and then the second try in 1969. I want to look at the 1969 version's B-side, "Anata dake nano" (It's Only You). A thematically happier song compared to the A-side, Sugawara is singing a love song to his beloved with an orchestra including lower brass, shimmery strings, the quintessential marimba and a lightly-played piano. Written by Keiko Oguro（小黒惠子）and composed by Koji Shimomura（下村耕史）, Sugawara recorded it with his usual splendidly tenderhearted and caressing voice.