Perhaps it's a day early for the weekly round of City Pop but I figure that one such song today wouldn't be too painful. Besides, this one kinda stands on a nexus among that genre, the laconic Fashion Music and straight pop.
I'm talking about Yumi Takigawa's（多岐川裕美）"Minami no Yoru no Ohanashi" (Southern Night Talk) which was a track on her October 1981 3rd album "Sayo II"（小夜II）. Written by Yoshiko Miura（三浦徳子）and composed by Hiroshi Yasukawa（安川ひろし）, it does sound like something from the sophisticated pop side of City Pop but it also has that tropical mood (thanks to the percussion and the arrangement) to go along with the title. At the same time, there is also a slow serenity that brings back the Fashion Music chaise lounge and simply asking for the grapes, one by one.
Takigawa released 12 singles, 3 duet singles and 6 original albums between 1976 and 1992 but she's had a longer career as an actress. Born Kaoru Ouchi（大内薫）in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, she was a college student working part-time near Tokyo Station in 1974 when she was scouted by director Noribumi Suzuki（鈴木則文）for a nunsploitation movie called "Seijuu Gakuen"（聖獣学園...School of the Holy Beast） to play the lead character (viewer discretion advised). Yeah, that's quite a start to a film career.
Minami no Yoru no Ohanashi is nice easy listening music and makes me imagine some Hawaiian beach scene.
ReplyDeleteYeah, especially after watching some of those scenes from Takigawa's film debut, I felt like I needed to listen to "Minami no Yoru no Ohanashi" to feel better about myself again.
DeleteWoa! I just watched some clips from 聖獣学園 on Youtube you were right that there are some disturbing and shocking scenes in that short video. By the way I will tell you what if your ever need any encouragement I will try and provide some.
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