I see that those marathons are still taking place at the Metro Zoo in Toronto. Over forty years ago, I actually ran a couple of those in successive years as a high school student. Yes, it's hard to believe, but I, J-Canuck, did something healthy by training and then running what was actually half-marathons. Those were still enough to nearly kill me.
Jogging was starting to become a thing sometime in the mid to late 1970s as I recall, and I guess that may have also been true in Japan according to this song by Yuko Kawamura（川村ゆうこ）. Compared to her cool and refreshing debut single "Kaze ni Naritai"（風になりたい）from April 1976, her second single "Kodoku na Runner" (Lonely Runner) which was released later in September is a bit more jaunty as if the song itself were on its own jog in the countryside. In terms of tempo, I'd probably put it above a languid folk tune but not quite at the same level as an upbeat aidoru song. Kawamura is a songwriter but this time, "Kodoku na Runner" was handled by lyricist Takashi Matsumoto（松本隆）, composer Katsuo Ono（大野克夫）and arranger Mitsuo Hagita（萩田光雄）. Her first two singles were placed onto her debut album, released in November, "Konna ni Sora ga Aokute wa"（こんなに空が青くては...For the Sky to Be This Blue）.
We, like this a lot and not just because it if from 1976! There’s actually unusually good evidence for the release date: an archived For Life radio commercial preserved by the Tokyo Copywriters Club announces September 25 as the release date. That makes J-Canuck September dating considerably more convincing than some collector discographies that give other dates! And, if September 25 is true that would mean a whole lot to me, because that year and that day is my day! And J-Canuck you caught its unusual middle tempo nicely: it has more forward motion than contemplative folk, but it isn’t exuberant idol pop either. I’d put it approximately here:
ReplyDeleteJapanese folk → New Music → “Kodoku na Runner” → sophisticated kayō/pop → late-’70s City Pop.
Not because the song itself is City Pop—it really isn’t—but because the distinction between “singer-songwriter folk” and professionally arranged pop is starting to dissolve. So maybe it has take on this evolutionary path: 1970s folk/New Music becoming polished Japanese pop. It’s one of the tributaries that eventually flows into City Pop rather than an early City Pop record in itself. BUT whatever, this is a cool sounding song, released durning a very cool year, and on a very special day! So, thank you for posting this one!
Well, happy early birthday, Brian. Admittedly, the genre walls for this one can be somewhat porous as is the case with a number of songs in the 1970s onwards. It might explain how a lot of folk singers made that leap into City Pop years into their careers.
DeleteThank you, and I will also take this song suggestion as a present! However, I am probably also going to be searching for other songs that were released on September 25th. Yeah, I think some folk made the leap, and others just sort of changed or melted into City pop. I wonder if anyone has done any research on this! I would love to read it if someone has.
ReplyDeleteI would like to interview Iruka and ask her directly about why she made the jump from folk to City Pop.
DeleteIf you ever get the chance to do that please let me know I am curious about that, too!
DeleteWell, any opportunity to do that would fall into the realm of fantasy so it's doubtful, but I'll keep you informed. :)
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