Masayoshi Tsuruoka & Tokyo Romantica -- Buenos Noches Tokyo（ブェナス・ノーチェス東京）

 

First off, my congratulations to Lionel Messi and the Argentinian team for winning it all at the World Cup earlier today. In addition, I also give my thanks to both Argentina and France for what could have been the best finale to a World Cup ever witnessed, and I'm not usually a soccer fan.

In tribute, I was actually looking all over YouTube for a kayo kyoku that would have something to do with Argentina or Buenos Aires, but I couldn't find anything. I wasn't even able to track down a tango kayo. Eventually, though, I could find "Buenos Noches Tokyo" (Good Evening Tokyo) by Mood Kayo group Masayoshi Tsuruoka & Tokyo Romantica（鶴岡雅義と東京ロマンチカ）, just because of the Spanish used in the title; my apologies but that was the best that I could do under the circumstances. I realize that it has nothing to do with Argentina or soccer.

Still, Argentinian nationals living in the Tokyo area probably did or do have the need to celebrate their nation's win (although the final game was held overnight according to Japan Standard Time), much like the couple in "Buenos Noches Tokyo". The pair are painting the night red in all of the fun areas of Akasaka, Aoyama and Shinjuku. I wouldn't think that either of the lovebirds would be carrying credit cards back in those old days; cold hard yen was probably stuffed solid in their wallets.

"Buenos Noches Tokyo" was the follow-up single to Tokyo Romantica's September 1967 hit, "Otaru no Hito yo" （小樽のひとよ）, and this particular record was released just a couple of months later in November. As was the case with "Otaru no Hito yo", band leader Tsuruoka was behind the bouncy Latin melody while Mitsuo Ikeda（池田充男）took care of the lyrics for "Buenos Noches Tokyo" with Masato Sanjo（三条正人）as the vocalist.