This must be a coincidence that would have the appropriate fans prostrating themselves in front of the City Pop gods in joy and gratitude. Singer-songwriters Taeko Ohnuki（大貫妙子）and Miki Matsubara（松原みき）share a birthday (November 28th), and though I am a day late, I would like to give my well wishes to the both of them although I know that Ms. Matsubara left this mortal coil around eighteen years ago.
It was a little over a week ago that I put up an article for a Taeko Ohnuki song, so let's go with Matsubara tonight. I was just scanning through the BEST compilation of hers when I discovered "Bay City Romance" which was originally a track on her 5th studio album, "Aya"（彩...Brilliance）, from December 1982. Lyricist Akira Ohtsu（大津あきら）and composer/arranger Jun Sato（佐藤準）were behind this spritely nighttime adventure of a date bayside; I'm assuming that it's Yokohama which is why I've got the googly photo of Yokohama Bay and Minato Mirai up on top.
Yup, the City Pop is in there but especially at the beginning, I also get those funky notes reminiscent of the Dazz Band. Although I think that all of us City Pop fans are lucky to be alive now since we have access to all of this melodic goodness, when I hear the lyrics regarding the lucky couple enjoying a wonderful evening, I can actually begin to understand when some of those fans wish that they were around in Japan in those early 1980s. Well, I was in Japan in 1981 but I certainly didn't have the appreciation of the time and place that I do now.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to provide any comments (pro or con). Just be civil about it.