Hachiro Kasuga -- Ai no Nokoribi (愛の残り火)

"Do you still like Kasuga as much as before?"

 "Yeah." ( ；∀；)

From Shinobu

At the end of my thesis defense, I was asked if I still liked Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) as much as I did before I embarked on my research journey. It would be natural if I ended up getting sick of him after toiling away on the biggest project I've done thus far with him as my focal point for 2 years. There were times when it felt tedious. I'd often joke that studying my favourite singer meant that there was not a time when I could take a break from him: In work mode, I would be analysing his songs; in rest mode, I would be listening to his songs. But I also felt that because it was Hachi, I was able to continue toiling away at my work. So, as you saw in the introduction, I gave an affirmative to my professor's query.

I came across "Ai no Nokoribi" (Embers of Love) at a Kasuga Enka Denshokai session, sung by one of the members, not long before that examination. Its melody caught my attention immediately and I knew I had to look it up once I got home. I soon found out that even though "Ai no Nokoribi" was recorded in March 1969, it only left the King Records storage almost 30 years later on 24th April 1998 via the album Kasuga Hachiro Zoku Hizo Mihappyo Meikyoku Shu (春日八郎 続・秘蔵未発表名曲集... Precious Unreleased Masterpiece Compilation Part II), a compilation of his unreleased works.

That said, its melody was just as I had remembered from the club: A mellow pop sound with a hint of Mood Kayo that creates a warm, cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a nice spring afternoon. Making this tune was Kenji Yoshidaya (吉田矢健治), the man often cited as the origin of the Kasuga Bushi (春日節... Kasuga's signature type of song). The Yoshidaya-made Kasuga Bushi is generally identifiable by its plaintive mood, i.e. opposite to "Ai no Nokoribi". Yoshidaya was responsible for a large chunk of Hachi's discography and made stuff based on trending music styles, so my initial surprise upon seeing his name attached to this tune quickly dissipated.   

And then Hachi's delivery. "Ai no Nokoribi" has the singer tackling the lower range of his vocals, contrary to the clear high tone he was most known for. It was different to hear Hachi sing in such a low register for at least 50% of a song and not hear his high tone, but I think kinda works for this song. From my understanding, Haruki Tango's (丹古晴巳) words tell of a man who is taken aback after discovering that the woman he broke up with is still in love with him. Her dedication seems to stoke the embers of love in his heart, long dormant after all the time that had passed. The protagonist's feelings of disbelief and regret are conveyed in Hachi's soft vocals, and one can feel a faint desire to start anew, particularly when the singer's voice swells then peters out with the strings at the chorus. It’s a song that doesn’t express a particularly extreme emotion and the character is more introspective, yet Hachi’s lower voice still managed to aptly convey what our main character must be feeling.

After the defense, I reflected on my answers to the panel, including that for the last question. In hindsight, I actually don't like Kasuga as I once did 2 years ago. No, after all that, I'd say that I've come to like him even more than I used to. While my research made me doubt and push away his enka-ness, meeting some of his biggest fans during this process allowed me to accept this crucial element of "Hachiro Kasuga". I gained a greater appreciation for the artist who shaped both kayokyoku and enka, and I was finally able to enjoy Hachi as a whole once again.