Aya Shimazu -- Natsu Tsubaki（夏つばき）

 

Somehow, I think that the Japanese names for certain plants and flowers lend quite a bit more warmth than their English-language equivalents. For instance, natsu tsubaki（夏椿）is known officially on Wikipedia as Stewartia pseudocamellia. Gesundheit! However, translating it directly brings out the more romantic summer camellia.

As well, enka singer Aya Shimazu（島津亜矢）also provides some justice through her rendition of "Natsu Tsubaki", her 70th single released in July 2021. Being one of the most well-known female singers of her genre, comparing her to some of her contemporaries is quite interesting. Sayuri Ishikawa（石川さゆり）always struck me as the representative of steel under silk whenever she sings while Yoshimi Tendo（天童よしみ）has had that Kansai robustness. Shimazu seems to possess that tenderheartedness that she wears quite openly on her sleeve whenever she sings of affairs of the heart. I don't see her often cry during a performance but the tears are still there in her voice, no matter the song, and that also has had her singing English-language soul ballads quite effectively, too.

"Natsu Tsubaki", which was written by Makoto Kitajo（喜多條忠）and composed by Tetsuya Watari（渡哲也）, has the titular flower being the backdrop of the aftermath of a torrid romance that has clearly come to an end with the protagonist probably picking up the pieces in the form of camellia petals. It does start off with an electric guitar riffing away followed by some horns booming (perhaps reflecting the past affair) before Shimazu softly but clearly describes the scene. This can be just one of those enka examples for taking that lonely drink in a quiet bar somewhere.

(short version)