Hiroshi Itsuki -- Dakedo Yokohama（だけどYOKOHAMA）

 

Kayo kyoku legend Hiroshi Itsuki（五木ひろし）appeared once more on "Uta Con"（うたコン）a few nights ago where he and the hosts talked a little about all of those songs that were centered on the international port of Yokohama. It was intriguing to find out that at least four of those Yokohama-based tunes had the title city written in different script. For example, Itsuki's 1971 breakthrough hit "Yokohama Tasogare"（よこはま・たそがれ）had Yokohama written in hiragana whereas "Aete...Yokohama"（逢えて･･･横浜）from 2003 had the city written in kanji form. Apparently, there is another song where Yokohama has been written in katakana but I've yet to cover that one.

Itsuki then introduced his March 2023 latest single, his 133rd in fact, "Dakedo Yokohama" (But It's Still Yokohama) which has the city all decked out in full-cap romaji. Written by novelist Hiroyuki Itsuki（五木寛之）, the source for the singer's final and most famous stage name, and composed by Hiroshi himself, the boldness of YOKOHAMA is reflected in the snazzy Mood Kayo arrangement which seems to have that Junretsu（純烈）flair.

Meanwhile, the lyrics have a somewhat bittersweet tint as Itsuki sings about how things have changed over the decades although the city of his songs has remained steady and stalwart. Of course, with any kayo centering on a specific geographical area within Japan (i.e. a go-touchi song), there will be the shoutouts to the area, and "Dakedo Yokohama" is no different as Itsuki croons about Honmoku, Minato Mirai, the Bay Bridge and the late Bund Hotel.

Interestingly enough, the 2023 single has been called the New Version and that's because there had been an original take created as a track for the 2005 album "Itsuki Hiroyuki/Itsuki Hiroshi Sakuhinshuu ~ Furimukeba Nihon Kai"（五木寛之・五木ひろし 作品集～ふりむけば日本海～...Hiroyuki Itsuki/Hiroshi Itsuki Collection ~ Looking Back at the Sea of Japan）. This original version is basically a boisterous rock/funk number.