EVE -- Joseph Joseph

 

Going back into the time vaults for this one since the first time that "Joseph Joseph" got its due from the record player was all the way back in 1938 thanks to The Andrews Sisters.

Actress/singer Nellie Casman and her husband, playwright Schlomo Steinberg, first came up with their big hit "Yossel, Yossel" in 1923 but it got a name change years later and popularized through The Andrews Sisters. The whole story involves a maid who's getting more and more frustrated over the fact that her beau Joseph won't state the obvious and settle down with her. Sounds like many an anime female character.

Back in late July, I noted that the Shinzato sisters under their vocal group name of EVE tackled an emotion-drenched Mood Kayo song with an 80s urban contemporary twist titled "Namida no Night in Tokyo"（涙のNIGHT IN TOKYO）. Well, this time around as their 7th single in October 1990, EVE decided to take a page out of The Andrews Sisters' playbook and go with some jazz in their own cover of "Joseph Joseph". 

With Japanese lyrics by Neko Oikawa（及川眠子）and arrangement by Shiro Sagisu（鷺巣詩郎）, EVE's take on "Joseph Joseph" isn't just about the jazz. There is some of what sounds like New Jack Swing thrown in there and a growling electric guitar for a teaspoon of rock. Maybe this was one of the ancestors for all of that Electro Swing that got hatched years later just before I returned from Japan for good. "Joseph Joseph" was also included in the trio's 5th original album "EVE" released at the same time as the single.

Before I finish off, though, I also have to say that I really enjoy this gypsy jazz version of "Joseph Joseph" by the Gypsy Swing Revue through their "I Love Paris" album of October 2016.