By the late 1980s, I'd gotten the distinct impression that the multi-week megahit on video shows and radio programs was beginning to fade in frequency. It wasn't quite like the early 1980s when there would be a song by a music superstar taking the baton from the previous artist to be the new No. 1 (or slightly below) person for the next little while. But perhaps that was just my perception.
So, it was something when Brenda Russell's "Piano in the Dark" first appeared in the pop culture zeitgeist as a single in February 1988. I'd never heard of this singer-songwriter before and to be honest, I never quite heard from her again. But for a long time that year, this soulful song was getting the heavy rotation on radio and TV. Created by Russell, Jeff Hull and Scott Cutler, it was this melancholy tune about wondering whether to leave a guy, only for his piano playing to draw the protagonist back in (kinda reminded of a famous "The Godfather Part III" quote here). The moody and smoky arrangement was such that it had me thinking of Quiet Storm again along the lines of Anita Baker.
In Canada, "Piano in the Dark" did OK by scoring a No. 23 ranking on RPM but did far better in the United States where it reached No. 6 on Billboard. It was also a track on Russell's fourth studio album "Get Here" which came out in the same year.
So, what else was coming out as singles in Japan in February 1988?
Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi -- Kanpai （乾杯）
Miho Nakayama -- You're My Only Shinin' Star
Noriko Sakai -- GUANBARE
This is one of those interesting posts where I, when I am finished reading, assume that I have never heard any of these songs, but then when I take the time to listen to the track, I realize that I have, in fact, actually heard all of the songs at one time or another.
ReplyDeleteI think it could be one of those things where so much time has passed that the songs may not make initial contact with those memory engrams but then when they do...!
DeleteThere has to be somebody who has used their OCD to compile a list of Japanese versions of soulful songs like "Piano in the Dark" and "Get Here". Either in English or Japanese lyrics, the latter might challenging to not butcher the rhythm.
ReplyDelete"Get Here" by Oleta Adams is top notch and too powerful to listen to it casually.
It would be interesting if such a list has shown up on YouTube.
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