Nothing like those Mom-and-Pop cafés in Japan. I mean, Starbucks and Excelsior are fine enough but I think that there is something more special with the individually owned establishments because the owners truly want coffee appreciation along with the other goodies that are provided such as cakes and pies and sandwiches. I'm not sure though whether a business worker can hide out from the boss and corporate life there for hours as would be the case in a family restaurant or one of the franchise branches. Plus, the coffee shop fare in the independent places might be quite a bit more expensive.
Not sure if a Japanese coffee shop would offer something like peanuts, but what I have here is "Chiisa na Kissaten" (The Little Coffee Shop) by The Peanuts (yes Dad joke segue right here). Apparently, it wasn't a single but it was a song that was most likely included in one of the duo's compilation albums circa 1970 according to the YouTube uploader rujaka.
Provided a warm and innocent arrangement, Emi and Yumi harmoniously relate the story of a couple so much in love with each other that they are content just staring at each other silently for hours in their favourite coffee shop (sounds like a couple I once knew back in university...sheesh, I felt like such a third wheel!). The European tango element was in there right from the beginning since "Chiisa na Kissaten" is a cover of a 1928 song originally created in Germany under the title of "In einer kleinen Konditorei" (In a Small Pastry Shop). Written by Ernst Neubach and composed by Fred Raymond, it was introduced to Japan in 1934 with lyrics and translator Sou Aoki（青木爽）responsible for the Japanese lyrics.
Now, this is a very unique sounding song it reminds me of some 1960's era French song I once heard playing in the background at a department store.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brian. With the café theme, I'd thought it was originally French myself. It's quite dainty, isn't it?
Delete