Well, it's Canadian Thanksgiving so I hope everyone in the Great White North is enjoying the holiday Monday with loved ones over the usual turkey and pumpkin pie. Won't be having that here since I'm practically the only one who likes turkey in my family. Meanwhile, I hope that folks in Japan enjoyed their Sports Day through the appropriate activities, and for those who participated in the school Sports Day events, maybe they had their fun at the drinking parties afterwards.
A few days ago on Urban Contemporary Fridays on KKP, I posted an article regarding PANTA's "Laser Shock"（レーザー・ショック）from 1982 which was this New Wave rock tune. I also mentioned that PANTA had been one-half of a folk-rock duo (plus others) called Zunou Keisatsu（頭脳警察...Brain Police） in the early 1970s. He and partner Toshiaki TOSHI Ishizuka（石塚俊明）apparently gained some notoriety during their stage performances (I'll probably have to see whether I can see some of that via YouTube).
Furthermore, their band name had first struck me as something rather psychedelic but this particular song, "Ochiba no Sasayaki" (Whispers of Fallen Leaves), from their 6th album released in November 1974, "Akutare Kouzou"（悪たれ小僧...Mischievous Brat） is anything but. Sounding like their band description with perhaps more emphasis on the folk part, it's a very calming tune that comes across as something very seasonal and singalong during October...maybe something to be performed around the campfire on a cool night with s'mores being the dessert of choice. According to JASRAC, the songwriter was Pantax's World which I assume is just another name for Zunou Keisatsu.
Although the title of this song sounds like something I might expect from a sentimental 1970s folk ballad, 落葉のささやき seems to be a melancholy reflection on fading revolutionary idealism, disillusionment, and the passing of an era! different recordings particularly interesting. Oh, and there is more than one version of this song available. (1) The Original studio album recording of 1974 — 悪たれ小僧, (2) Archival theatrical material, including an instrumental version 2004 — MUSIC FOR 不連続線 , (3) Newly recorded extended Original Version 2010 — 無冠の帝王 and (4) Standalone reissue of the 2010 recording 2015 — 間違いだらけの歌.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an interesting point about Japanese folk music from the 1970s. A lot of that emphasized more about personal situations such as a humble life in ramshackle surroundings and getting married, compared to the more militant causes sung about in 60s folk.
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