Yellow Magic Orchestra -- Gradated Grey

Considering the lyric analysis that will soon be shown below, I'm surprised that Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Gradated Grey" was never used for an ending scene of a particularly gritty thriller drama. A track from the band's November 1981 "Technodelic" LP, this was written by Haruomi Hosono（細野晴臣）and Peter Barakan with Hosono also taking care of the melody.

When it comes to my own personal adventure with the music of YMO, I've divided their discography into two halves. The first half, which is the one that I've preferred, happens to be the songs from the early years in the late 1970s with songs like "Firecracker" and "Rydeen" when the guys were enjoying filtering various music genres through the wonders of synths and emulators. Meanwhile, the second half which continued from the early 1980s seemed to be the band's flight of fancy into pure artistic techno and less of the pop. For me, it was OK but some songs never grabbed me.

"Gradated Grey" is one song that seems more into the avant-garde part although I think it's still approachable. There is that feeling of waking up in a haze of uncertainty and possibility with the periodic siren-like blasts. As for the lyric analysis, I will have to give credit to one of the commenters for the above video on YouTube, @kunwarbedi3882, for his summary as follows:

Yellow Magic Orchestra's song Gradated Grey is a melancholic yet hopeful masterpiece that explores the complexities of human emotions and the concept of change. The song starts with a description of the singer's current state of mind while driving and listening to a song that makes him feel uneasy and unsure. As the song progresses, the lyrics talk about how the singer has been through many experiences that have made him see many shades of grey. He has seen sadness, despair, and hopelessness but has also seen beauty and hope.

The landscape that the singer drives through is described as unique and unfamiliar, with shades of grey that he has never seen before. This suggests that the singer is in a transitional phase of life, experiencing new and unfamiliar emotions and situations. However, the song also hints at a sense of hope and anticipation for what is to come. The last line of the song talks about racing towards a point where grey meets white, which could symbolize a new beginning or a fresh start.

Overall, Gradated Grey can be interpreted as a reflection on the complexities of human emotions and the constant evolution of our lives. The song acknowledges the inevitability of change and the importance of embracing the unknown, even if it makes us feel uneasy.

If I'm not mistaken, I think among the three key YMO members, Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto（坂本龍一）and Yukihiro Takahashi（高橋幸宏）, Hosono is the only one who hasn't gotten himself in front of a camera for a movie or TV show. Try to imagine him in the driver's seat in a movie as he has been driving for many hours, wondering what has befallen him and what is to become of him. I keep thinking that Michael Mann would have to direct this film.

Considering that this is the last day of November, a month that perhaps has that greyness compared to the gold and orange hues of October and the white and red colours of December, "Gradated Grey" seems to be the appropriate entry to end this month of KKP entries. Plus, as hinted in the song, that grey looks to be shifting into something brighter hopefully.