Every now and again, I would pick up a popular do-enka (a very “enka-like” enka, if you will) song out of curiosity or nostalgia, realise or remember why it was a massive hit, and then have a phase of obsessively listening to it. It had been a while since that's happened, but my recent enka obsession has been Osaka Shigure.
This was one of the many jewels in the crown of enka royal Harumi Miyako (都はるみ). Written by Osamu Yoshioka (吉岡治) and composed by Shosuke Ichikawa (市川昭介), it was released on 1st February 1980 during the genre's and the singer's golden ages. It's a languid tune with a nice rhythm based in a rainy Osaka. Miyako plays the role of woman who would give her all to the one she loves even if it hurts her because she can't live without him. It ticks all the boxes for a quintessential enka song, and it's really easy on the ears. I've owned a Miyako compilation album for quite some time now, and Osaka Shigure was always one track I've enjoyed when I remember that it's there. However, what sparked my recent hyper-fixation on it?
Na Hoon-a (羅勲児/ナフナ).
A little while ago, I talked about my introduction to the South Korean trot star, and I've been getting into his music as of late. Having broken into the Japanese enka scene in the mid-1980s, Na covered a number of well-known enka/kayo hits in his distinct, highly emotive style that somewhat resembles the do-enka manner of singing. Among these covers, I picked Osaka Shigure to sample first simply because of the aforementioned fact that I know I enjoyed Miyako's original. Boy, was I hooked immediately by the way Na handled the song.
In terms of vocal delivery, Miyako very lightly glides over the words, and her signature high-pitched trill is not as prevalent here as it is in some of her other hardcore enka hits. It paints our protagonist as delicate, but still having the resolve to devote herself to her lover. Na, on the other hand, takes his time with each word and pours them out with great deliberation, the effect of which makes the protagonist's aforementioned desire and anguish stemming from her self-perceived ineptitude feeling a lot more raw and heavy. I’d been told that one of Na’s appeals is that he can sound as though he’s sobbing, which I assume serves to accentuate a song protagonist’s sadness and longing. In the case of this cover, at least, you can certainly feel this effect. His voice is cathartic to listen to, and at least for me, it can feel a little like a proxy for releasing pent-up feelings.
I'm not certain as to when Na released his cover of Osaka Shigure, but I know that it was at least included in his some of his Japanese album releases between the late 1980s and 1990s
Na Hoon-a (Choi Hong-gi ) was kind of a pioneer and is a living legend in both Korea and Japan.
ReplyDeleteHi, Noelle. Na Hoon-a struck quite the handsome figure back in those days...especially in that suit with the wide shoulders. Indeed, there is a different feeling in his cover of "Osaka Shigure"; definitely more emotional and less wistful
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