The above video shows a variety of entrance ceremonies for the new recruits at various companies throughout Japan, including All Nippon Airways at 1:55. Yes, it is April and so the corporate entities are throwing out the red carpet and all of the rigamarole to welcome the fresh newbies
I was watching the NHK morning news earlier tonight and there was a feature on the ceremonies, and the reporters did an interesting thing by showing the evolution of the corporate entrance ceremony throughout the decades from the 1960s to the 1990s, and for each decade, they put up a representative pop song. Just out of my sense of whimsy, I'm going to put these up here, too.
(1960s) Yukio Hashi and Sayuri Yoshinaga -- Itsudemo Yume wo（いつでも夢を）
(1970s) Koichi Morita and The Top Gallants -- Seishun Jidai （青春時代）
(1980s) Akina Nakamori -- Shojo A （少女Ａ）
(1990s) KAN -- Ai wa Katsu (愛は勝つ）
Now, the above were selected by NHK so they wouldn't come under Author's Picks. That label is for us KKP writers. However, I am throwing in my lone choice for an inspiring song to help encourage the new workers.
(1990s) Daiji Man Brothers Band -- Sore ga Daiji （それが大事）
Some interesting comments I found under the Shoujo A video :
ReplyDelete「明菜ちゃん、この曲は絶対歌いたくなかったという話は有名ですよね。スローモーションも素適な曲でしたけど、２曲目もバラードでは、いまの人気はなかった気がします。。当時のスタッフの方々、明菜ちゃんの魅力引き出すの成功され、素晴らしいとおもいます」
and
「これって3テイクしか録音しなかった、つまりほぼ生歌。。。しかもジャケット写真も休憩時間に不貞腐れている時の写真を使ってヤサグレ感を演出。。。明菜さんは本意じゃないかもしれないけど、プロデューサーはすごいですね。。。」
and
「なんか、この曲を収録するとき中森明菜って怒りながら歌ったらしいね。テレビで前やってたけどでも怒りながらこれは凄いわ。」
and
「この曲が聴きたい時はカッコよ過ぎるイントロと中盤の間奏が聴きたくなる時！」
Morning, Brian. The one comment that struck me was the one where the commenter had felt that Akina was truly singing it angrily. I'd read that she was never quite happy with the image that had been wrapped around her as a misunderstood teen punk and that when she gained more influence and power, she got rid of that image as soon as possible.
DeleteI think she recorded this song in like two or three takes, and if she is angry, that is truly impressive! When I first saw the cover and heard this song, I thought she was cool and did not pick up on her dissatisfaction. However, I do like some of her more cheerful hits like “Southern Wind“; she looks so happy when she is singing that song. Well, anyway, I think Akina, figuratively speaking, wore more than one hat or she did change her image a few times.
Delete