Thursday, March 3, 2022

Hitomi Ishikawa -- Kurumiwari Ningyo(くるみ割り人形)

 

Well, it's once again March 3rd which means it's time for Hina Matsuri(ひな祭り...Doll Festival) in Japan. A couple of years ago, I commemorated that observed holiday by writing about Mini-Moni's "Mini-Moni. Hina Matsuri!"(ミニモニ。ひなまつり!), so you can take a look there to find out a little more about it or you can check out the above video created by YouTuber Café Alisa. I got my reminder on Sunday while we were watching "Chibi Maruko-chan"(ちびまる子ちゃん)and there was an episode on the holiday.

Obviously since I have "Mini-Moni. Hina Matsuri!" up there already, I had to search for another doll-themed kayo, and although it doesn't have any direct connection with Hina Matsuri, I did find something that's in my spirit of celebration. This would be Hitomi Ishikawa's(石川ひとみ)"Kurumiwari Ningyo" (Nutcracker Doll).

Her second single following "Migi Muke Migi"(右向け右), "Kurumiwari Ningyo" was released in September 1978, and thanks to Koji Makaino's(馬飼野康二)melody and Masaaki Omura's(大村雅朗)arrangement, the song has that late 1970s jaunty disco feeling that I've often associated with the aidoru music of that time. Not sure if I read them correctly, but Yoshiko Miura's(三浦徳子)lyrics seem to talk about a doll coming to life and exploring love and the world. Along with the beat, I was also won over by Ishikawa's spirited and clear-as-a-bell delivery here.

The song did somewhat OK on Oricon by peaking at No. 42. "Kurumiwari Ningyo" was also the title for Ishikawa's first album which came out in December 1978.

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