I've been a fan of Japanese popular music for 40 years, and have managed to collect a lot of material during that time. So I decided I wanted to talk about Showa Era music with like-minded fans. My particular era is the 70s and 80s (thus the "kayo kyoku"). The plus part includes a number of songs and artists from the last 30 years and also the early kayo. So, let's talk about New Music, aidoru, City Pop and enka.
Credits
I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
I've encountered a number of tropes within Japanese pop music over the years of doing "Kayo Kyoku Plus". Another one has to do with aikagi or duplicate key/passkey. I've noticed that there are quite a few songs with the title "Aikagi". One was by Hatsumi Shibata（しばたはつみ）which happened to be her debut single in 1974 and there's another one by Mayumi Itsuwa（五輪真弓）that I have yet to cover.
The whole rigamarole regarding passkeys has to do with the illicit affair which is a common lyrical plot in the various romantic ballads, enka and Mood Kayo numbers. Fans have loved to listen vicariously and dangerously as men and women throw caution to the wind and have those romances in their special hotels or homes...of course, accessible by that guilty duplicate key. 🔑
It was just last weekend on NHK's "Shin BS Nihon no Uta"（新BS日本の歌）when I heard enka singer Misaki Iwasa（岩佐美咲）perform her latest single titled naturally enough "Aikagi". Released in February this year, her 12th single is a bittersweet ballad about the aftermath of an affair in which the heroine has kept the titular key although there is no longer anyone to meet in the secret love nest. Written by AKB 48 mastermind Yasushi Akimoto（秋元康）and composed by Saburo Takada（高田三郎）, I guess it's safe to say that this could be considered a Neo-enka or New Adult Music with some Latin and sophisticated pop mixed in with the traditional stuff. Strangely enough, Akimoto weaves a very similar story to the one concocted by Fumiko Okada（岡田冨美子）for Shibata's "Aikagi", so I guess that anything titled "Aikagi" isn't going to be necessarily very happy.
I've also come to realize that this is only the second Iwasa article that I've written with her name on the byline after my first posting of her 4th single"Hatsuzake"（初酒）back in 2015. The scary thing is that my articles on "Hatsuzake" and Shibata's "Aikagi" were posted within a day of each other in February of that year. Cue spooky music. Anyways, Iwasa's "Aikagi" broke through the Oricon Top 10 to peak at No. 7.
Well, allow Kayo Grace Kyoku and me to wish "Kayo Kyoku Plus" a Happy 12th birthday today. Yup, a dozen years ago, I launched the blog with a posting on one of the big hits of 1981, Jun Horie's（堀江淳）"Memory Glass"（メモリーグラス）and haven't looked back. As usual, I'd like to express my thanks to everyone who's helped out over the years with their own articles: JTM, nikala, jari, Marcos, Noelle, Larry, Joana, HRLE92, Oliver and T-Cat as well as commenters including Michael, YMOfan04, Jim, Brian and Fireminer for their recommendations and insights. Last but not least, I am also grateful for all those who have stopped by for a spell and taken a look at some of the 10,000+ articles we've put up since January 30th 2012.
I was kinda wondering what I would do to commemorate No. 12. At first, I had thought about posting songs with the number 12 in their titles but all I got were tunes involving the month of December which would be somewhat confusing since we are near the end of January. Then, a light bulb came over my head regarding silk which is the traditional gift for a 12th anniversary but nothing popped up on the search engines about kayo kyoku with that relationship.
Finally, I opted for any singer who was born on January 30th just like KKP. Well in that situation, I did hit pay dirt. I was able to find three singers who fit the profile. And so, Happy Birthday to them as well (I've listed their birth years below. As for the years of release for the songs, you can check the Labels below the article or go to the original articles via the links).
The 80s to 90s shift was too big for most of the
bubble era superstars. Shizuka Kudo (工藤静香) probably didn’t feel it right away, but, by 1991~1992,
she had to try harder to release a timeless classic that could rival with her
string of successful singles from the late 80s. She did hit it big in 1993 with
“Doukoku” (慟哭), but the following one, “Watashi wa Knife”, just
skipped the mark entirely, turning, in retrospect, into one of her most obscure
and underrated singles (the song wasn’t included in any of her original albums,
only appearing in a couple of compilations over the years, and, besides the
usual TV performances, was performed only in one of her major tours).
Curious as it is, “Watashi wa Knife” is my favorite
among Kudo’s 90s singles, even though I agree it’s far from being her best.
However, there’s something about the lively synths and horns that always get
me, and I like how she had already matured into a sexy 90s aidoru both in the
vocals and image at the time of its release.
Alessandra
Mussolini -- Tokyo Fantasy / Amai Kioku
Yeah, we’re talking about Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter
here, Alessandra Mussolini, who is now a politician in her country, Italy. However,
during the 80s, she ventured into modeling, acting and, of course, music. Also,
if it wasn’t enough, the whole story becomes even more unusual when we learn
that her first and final album, “Amore” (1982), was sold only in Japan, and
that she sang a couple of songs in Japanese as well, with “Tokyo Fantasy”, probably
the main single, being the best example of it.
A melancholic disco song that can even be labeled City
Pop by the most enthusiasts, “Tokyo Fantasy” is, surprisingly, a very
solid song. The whole atmosphere, drenched in this strange mix of dreamy
romantic naivety with bits of sadness (the sharp keyboard notes after the
chorus), coupled with the sexy early 80s disco beat, is something hard to
absorb, but it’s kinda rewarding. And the coupling song, a melancholic tune
called “Amai Kioku”, deserves a listen as well.
Recently, Alessandra suddenly became known to the
English-speaking world, but not because of her almost forgotten music career.
Apparently, Jim Carrey posted something regarding her grandfather on Twitter
and she became angry about it, resulting in a quick discussion or something
like that. As a Brazilian, well…, let’s say I already have my own right-wing problems
here in my country right now, so I will not try to understand how Alessandra keeps her grandfather’s
political history alive in today’s Italy. The only thing I can say is that I quite
like the Alessandra Mussolini who sings sad love songs in Japanese atop of a
light disco beat. She seems like the queen of this alternative universe where it’s
totally okay to have the granddaughter of a famous fascist dictator trying to
be a songstress in Japan. Not strange at all.
Chisato Moritaka -- SO BLUE
When it comes to Chisato Moritaka (森高千里), I
like her 80s and very early 90s songs way more than the mid-to-late 90s stuff. The exception to
this rule is “SO BLUE”, which was released as a single in 1996, and reveals one of Chisato's main influences aside from the Euro/Aidoru stuff: 60s pop-rock and, more specifically, The Beatles.
In “SO BLUE”, we can easily hear some nods to “Hey
Bulldog”, one of the songs released by The Fab Four in the “Yellow Submarine”
soundtrack back in 1969, and considered a throwaway by John Lennon.
I’m no Beatles fan (but my father is a huge one, by
the way), but if I had to choose one of their songs, “Hey Bulldog” would be the
one, just because of how funky and cool it sounds. Now, in the case of “SO BLUE”,
I like how Chisato creatively uses parts of a song from one of her favorite bands and
turns it into something else. The addition of strings is also a big plus, and
combined with the constant piano, it helps creating the whole classic European
feel, yet with a rock-y twist.
Misaki
Iwasa -- Koi no Owari Sangenjaya (恋の終わり三軒茶屋)
About
a month or two, when I was watching an episode of NHK Nodo Jiman (NHKのど自慢) on TV, ex-AKB48-member-turned-into-Enka-singer
Misaki Iwasa (岩佐美咲) was the female guest on the
show. At the end, as usual
for the guest singers, she sang one of her own songs, which happened to be the
latest single “Koi no Owari Sangenjaya”.
Released back in early 2019, “Koi no Owari Sangenjaya” is
not that heavy and more traditional Enka song we are all familiar with, being
rather a Showa-Era ballad with a gorgeous arrangement and a slightly Latin feel
in the background. The melody is quite romantic and I like Iwasa’s vocals since
I first listened to her rendition of the classic “Ringo no Uta” (リンゴの唄) a
couple of years ago, so this song is a big winner in my book.
Hitomi Tohyama -- Goodbye~Sharp ni Daite (グッバイ~シャープに抱いて)
I wanted to finish this kinda eclectic collection of
songs with something mellower, and, from what I’ve selected before writing the
post, Hitomi Tohyama’s (当山ひとみ) “Goodbye~Sharp ni Daite” seemed like the obvious
choice here.
My first time listening to Penny was five years ago, thanks
to J-Canuck here, and, since then, some of her songs have become an
integral part of my oldies playlists, with my favorite being “Instant Polaroid”,
taken from the first album “Just Call Me Penny”. Another personal highlight, and
the one being introduced here, is called “Goodbye~Sharp ni Daite”, which was
released in 1983 as a part of the “Next Door” album.
A typical mid-tempo and groovy City Pop ballad with
some nice jazzy bits, what I like the most here is the chorus and how she
intonates the word goodbye in many different ways. I don’t really know what she
wants when she sings ‘sharp ni daite’, but it seems like she wants to be hugged
in a passionate way before parting away with her lover. I don’t know, since I
didn’t take my time to carefully translate the song, but that’s how I like to
feel it anyway. Other than that, the song is beautifully arranged, and Penny’s soulful
rendition makes it even more special. A great night listen, in my opinion.
Just a PS on my (J-Canuck) comment on Alessandra Musolini's"Amai Kioku"...I actually did find a Vaporwave version.
Somewhere in the piles and piles of photos from yesteryear in old dusty drawers, there are a few of those photos that I took as a high school student of the Gion Festival（祇園祭）in Kyoto during my July 1981 trip. However, since I don't have the time or energy to go into excavation mode, I have decided to upload this photo of one of the many floats used in the highlight parade from the festival.
I distinctly remember seeing those grand floats slowly going down the street from my particular vantage point deep in the crowds on the sidewalk as I valiantly took photos on my dinky little camera. Being the middle of summer, and a Kyoto summer at that, it was a miracle that I didn't end up being transported to a hospital due to heatstroke. Still, I survived although I also remember taking a long nap in my hotel room afterwards.
The song for this article, "Gion Kouta" (Ballad of Gion), is one that I first heard on a recent "Uta Kon" (うたコン). Elegantly performed by Misaki Iwasa（岩佐美咲）, formerly of AKB48, I was intrigued as to its origins, so I did a bit of investigation and found that it had first been sung all the way back in 1930. Not only that, it was performed by a geisha by the name of Fumikichi Fujimoto（藤本二三吉）(1897-1976). Born in Tokyo, the singer was born as Fumi Fujimoto（藤本婦美）and became an apprentice geisha in 1909 under the name of Hanko（はん子）before getting her official geisha name of Fumikichi in 1915. From 1924, she began recording songs in a number of the traditional genres such as min'yo with her first hit being "Naniwa Kouta"（浪花小唄...Ballad of Naniwa） in 1929.
However, her huge hit was "Gion Kouta" which was recorded in 1930 as the theme song for the movie "Ehigasa"（絵日傘...The Decorated Parasol）. Written by Mikihito Nagata（長田幹彦）and composed by Kouka Sassa（佐々紅華）, Fujimoto sings descriptively about her love for the Gion district in Kyoto. Instead of importing the video directly, I have left the link above since going to it, you will find an English translation of the lyrics by the uploader.
Now to be honest, I am very hazy about some of the very old genres of Japanese music but apparently along with min'yo（民謡...folk songs） and the early examples of enka, there were other genres including hauta（端唄...short love songs）, zokkyoku（俗曲...another form of folk song） and kouta（小唄...ballads）. I was going to categorize this ballad as a min'yo but seeing the title, I can only surmise that fans of this song would probably want me to place this in the correct category of a kouta although I would need some education in differentiating these genres. Good grief. And here I thought it was just the various techno genres that I needed help with.
"Gion Kouta" has probably been covered by just about every enka singer and I was able to find this version by the late Keiko Fuji（藤圭子）which has that more familiar enka arrangement.
(Sorry but the video has been taken down.)
Well, whaddaya know? Here is that performance by Misaki Iwasa.
Heck, even The Peanuts（ザ・ピーナッツ）contributed their own very slightly jazzy take on "Gion Kouta" as a single in 1963.
Carrying on the good vibes from "Kayo Concert"（歌謡コンサート）tonight, I got to hear some very pleasant and relaxing enka from an AKB48 member, Misaki Iwasa（岩佐美咲）. Airi Suzuki（鈴木愛理）from the Hello Project group ℃-ute was also on for the duets portion but when Iwasa appeared on the stage in her kimono, I didn't have any idea that she was part of AKB48 until I listened to her brief interview with the host. Suddenly memories of aidoru/enka singers came to mind such as Yuko Nakazawa（中澤裕子）from Morning Musume（モーニング娘。）and Sanae Jonouchi（城之内早苗）from Onyanko Club（おニャン子クラブ）.
"Hatsuzake" (First Drink) is Iwasa's 4th single as a solo singer from April 2015. The lyrics were provided by Yasushi Akimoto（秋元康）and Kyosuke Hayakawa（早川響介）provided the music. The song involves a woman's musings about all of the tough times leading up to adulthood (officially 20 years of age in Japan) and then having her wonder about taking that first sip of the good stuff as a spiritual rite of passage. Of course, "Kayo Concert" host Tetsuya Takayama asked Iwasa, who had turned 20 earlier in January, whether she had already taken her first drink to which the Chiba native replied that she had indeed bought a can of beer and guzzled it down. She added that it tasted a lot better than she had expected. Iwasa was definitely a whole lot more successful than I ever was.
In any case, "Hatsuzake" peaked at No. 13 on Oricon but on the Oricon enka charts, it hit the No. 1 spot. In its initial release, the song was able to sell over 10,000 copies.
In my early years in Ichikawa, I recollect a Fuji-TV Thursday night romance drama that starred Narumi Yasuda （安田成美）and SMAP's resident goofy guy, Shingo Katori（香取慎吾）. Titled "Doc"（ドク）, the first scene had Yasuda playing a Japanese-language teacher traveling in Vietnam who wanted to cross a street, only to be wholly intimidated by the crazy traffic. Then, Katori as the titular Vietnamese character rather nonchalantly and suddenly came to her assistance and navigated a miraculous path across. Just as miraculously, the two crossed paths again in Tokyo when Doc decided to go up to Japan to learn the language at Yasuda's school. The drama debuted in December 1996 but it didn't take long for a lot of year-end and New Year's parties to have the resident cut-ups pretend to be Katori pretending to be a young man from Vietnam.
However, I think the more lasting legacy connected with "Doc" was its theme song. Miki Imai's （今井美樹）12th single, "Pride", was actually released some weeks before the premiere of the drama in November. And as written and composed by future hubby Tomoyasu Hotei（布袋寅泰）, it's a quietly joyful ballad about the pride of a woman as she is in love with that special somebody. According to the J-Wiki article on the song, the lyrics especially hit a soft spot with young women and karaoke fans which led the song to a No. 1 ranking on Oricon not just once but twice. It first got to the top spot a couple of weeks after its release, and then about a month later, it hit No. 1 again for 2 weeks straight just after "Doc" made its own debut. It ended up selling over 1.6 million copies and would become Imai's greatest hit up to now. To put the cherry on top of things, "Pride" became the 6th-ranked song for 1997.
The song has been covered by a number of other singers and the above video has Hotei himself giving his own piano version. And below is a cover by AKB48 member Misaki Iwasa（岩佐美咲）.
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