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.
On the cusp of her 60th anniversary in show business, veteran singer Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）appeared on one of the last episodes of "Uta Con"（うたコン）for 2024 and performed this song.
"Jinsei wa Subarashii"(Life is Wonderful) is her 66th single from April 2024 and it seems to absorb a number of musical styles: a bit of bossa here, a bit of AOR there and some sweet orchestral pop. The title is a big hint but I gather that this is a song of reassurance for everyone which encourages folks to stop and smell the roses once in a while. It was written by Goro Matsui（松井五郎）, composed by Gioacchino Maurici and arranged by Masayuki Sakamoto（坂本昌之）.
About a week ago, I heard that veteran Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, born in New Brunswick and trained at the University of Toronto, passed away last week at the age of 88. I've known him for his huge presence, that wide-as-a-mile Cheshire Cat grin and that distinct voice which reminded me of a slow-burning crackling fire.
I remember seeing him as the youngest member of "The Dirty Dozen" and then as one of the many doomed characters on the 1978 remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Of course, in recent years, Sutherland gained a new generation of fans for his portrayal of President Snow in "The Hunger Games" franchise. Still one other cackling evil role he had that still pops up in my memories whenever the actor's name is mentioned is the one for homicidal pyromaniac Ronald Bartel in "Backdraft": child-like and axe-crazy.
One other movie that I associate Sutherland with is the original movie version of the war comedy "M*A*S*H". For years and years, I had been accustomed to watching the CBS adaptation on TV on Monday nights and then reruns with Alan Alda as the snarky surgeon Captain Hawkeye Pierce and his buddies. At the time, I'd only remembered that there had been a movie version with the famous poster of a peace sign-giving hand under an army helmet and over a couple of woman's legs.
Then, I finally got to see the 1970 movie by Robert Altman on telly one night and got to see Sutherland's original take on Hawkeye. It was a bit weird seeing not only these familiar roles such as Pierce, Trapper John, Frank Burns, Father Mulcahy and Hot Lips being played by different thespians (although always-dependable Radar O'Reilly was played by Gary Burghoff in both the movie and television show) but getting this very rough-and-ready version of the M*A*S*H 4077. If anything, Sutherland's Hawkeye was even more flippant with a sense of a slithery demeanor, and it's far better having him as your friend and not your enemy.
Though the TV show gradually changed from a sitcom with dramatic elements to a drama with comedic elements through its eleven seasons (with the cast changes, to boot), the one thing that basically stayed constant (other than a few scenes here and there) was the opening credits with the famous instrumental theme song. I would always see the choppers bringing patients into the 4077, the overhead shot of the hospital, and the doctors and nurses rushing to triage them and have them go through the best of their meatball surgery. Meanwhile, the theme song was about as far from being a brass march that one could get for a show based in the middle of the Korean War.
But then when I did watch the original movie, I was surprised to find out that the theme song actually had a title, "Suicide is Painless" and lyrics that were sung by an uncredited foursome: John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin, and Ian Freebairn-Smith. With harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys and a wistful and slightly mournful melody by Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman, I realized that the theme back then was a hymn of sorts for the futility of war and the price paid in body counts, something that didn't quite translate to the weekly instrumental version in the TV series, especially when it was given the cheery arrangement during the ending credits.
Interestingly, "Suicide is Painless" was also released in Japan as a single with the title "Moshi mo, Ano Yo ni Yuketara"（もしも、あの世にゆけたら...If I Could Go to the Afterlife） in March 1970, just a couple of months following the movie's release. As for my even more personal connection to the song, our junior high school band regularly performed the song during concerts. It was getting to the point that "Suicide is Painless" was actually painful.
My condolences to Sutherland's family, friends and many fans.
Now, what had won the Best Performance prizes at the Japan Record Awards in 1970?
I did mention on Mariko Takahashi's（高橋真梨子）old-fashioned 50s-style country waltz"Futari de Slow Dance"（二人でスローダンス）earlier this week that the upcoming ROY article would also deal with a song that is country in genre. Well, Thursday has arrived, so it's time for another Reminiscings of Youth entry. And it's for a song that wasn't obviously part of my parents' kayo collection, but neither was it a representative of the American standards that my folks also owned. In fact, to this day, we've never even purchased a copy of it.
And yet, Anne Murray's"Snowbird" has remained a part of my early musical memories ever since it was released as a single in June 1970. I already devoted a paragraph to it in Miki Asakura's（麻倉未稀）"Snowbird" which was a far different song released a dozen years later. Just to repeat myself, I did refer to it as a pop hit for the Canadian institution that is Murray who hails from Nova Scotia, but it's been categorized on Wikipedia also as a folk song and an example of soft rock. Reading through that article, I got the impression that even Murray and all those connected in the production of "Snowbird" were surprised that it even ranked very well as a country tune.
Written and composed by Gene MacLellan while he was apparently talking a walk along a beach on Prince Edward Island (which is a most Canadian origin, I'm proud to say), even though my Mom and Dad never bought the single or an Anne Murray record, "Snowbird" was pretty much everywhere else thanks to the heavy rotation airplay that it got on the radio and through TV shows such as the country music-oriented "Tommy Hunter" here in Canada. And it's no surprise since Murray had such a lovely voice paired with the very amenable melody. I have been so attached to that melody that it came as a shock when I realized that the lyrics weren't exactly the happiest.
I've also read that "Snowbird" has been covered by many artists, but I have never heard those versions and to be honest, I can't really fathom the song being sung by anyone other than Murray. My eternal image of the lass will be of her in that short and shaggy haircut wearing bell-bottoms singing her most recognizable hit. "Snowbird" sold well over a million records, hitting No. 2 on Canada's RPM singles chart and No. 8 on America's Billboard singles chart. According to Wikipedia, Murray became the first female Canadian singer to be given an American Gold record.
So, what was coming out at approximately the same time as "Snowbird"?
I only found out the news a few days ago via a chance Twitter browsing and then it was further reiterated by commenter Jim Laker, but unfortunately another veteran songwriter has left this mortal coil. Composer and arranger Makoto Kawaguchi passed away at the age of 83 on October 20th due to sepsis.
Kawaguchi has had a fairly long list of songs represented on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", but I've yet to come across any official media reports of his death on YouTube which is unusual. There have been a few personal YouTube accounts that did cite his passing but for a composer like Kawaguchi who did create a lot of classic kayo including Mieko Hirota's（弘田三枝子）1969"Ningyo no Ie"（人形の家）above, it's a little surprising that NHK hasn't mentioned anything although perhaps some of the commercial networks may have done so.
The composer/arranger was born Masahiro Kawaguchi（川口眞弘）in the city of Kobe on November 5th 1937 but grew up in the city of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. According to his J-Wiki profile, while studying in the Music Department at Tokyo University of the Arts, he became a part of chanson singer Fubuki Koshiji's（越路吹雪）backing band Claire de Charme as a pianist and then worked part time for composer Taku Izumi's（いずみたく）office. Kawaguchi dropped out of university in his senior year seeing that his job was becoming more of a full-time gig.
Although in 1966, he helped arrange The Ventures' version of "Futari no Ginza"（二人の銀座）, his official debut as a composer was in 1969 with the successful "Ningyo no Ie" with Rei Nakanishi（なかにし礼） providing the lyrics. "Ningyo no Ie" was Kawaguchi's third-most successful creation which was followed by Saori Yuki's（由紀さおり）1970 hit"Tegami"（手紙）and Akira Fuse's（布施明）1974 hit"Tsumiki no Heya"（積木の部屋）at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively.
I haven't really delved too deeply into what made Kawaguchi tick in terms of his preferences for songs but my surface impression at this writing is that in the early part of his career at least, he seems to have been drawn into the darker or sadder aspects of romance just judging from the songs including the ones above. Basically, he composed his music in the kayo realm with some stretches into aidoru and tokusatsu and even City Pop.
I'd like to introduce some of the other songs that Kawaguchi created that I had yet to put onto KKP, beginning with the late Kiyohiko Ozaki's（尾崎紀世彦）July 1971"Sayonara wo Mou Ichido"（さよならをもう一度...Farewell, One More Time）, the great singer's follow-up single to the iconic "Mata Au Hi Made"（また逢う日まで）. With lyrics by Yu Aku（阿久悠）, a frequent songwriting partner, I guess that another observation is that Kawaguchi liked to go brassy and proud with his compositions, and that fit hand-in-glove with the booming voices of Ozaki and, for that matter, the aforementioned Fuse.
"Sayonara wo Mou Ichido" is the tough-but-tender song of sweet parting since although the couple may not have Paris, they will always have tomorrow to get back together to talk of old times. The arrangement is indeed brassy and proud, and the song reminds me of folks like Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck. With an Oricon weekly ranking of No. 2 and an end-of-year ranking of No. 14, I'm sure that all involved were very proud of this one.
In the previous year, Aku and Kawaguchi had teamed up to provide Teruhiko Saigo（西郷輝彦）with his August 1970 56th single, "Manatsu no Arashi"（真夏のあらし...Midsummer Maelstrom）, a story of being majorly distracted by the beautiful bodies around during the hot (and bothered) season. I believe that I mentioned Tom Jones above; well, I think that this is the wilder side of Jones singing through Saigo, and if I may be so bold, I think that Saigo's performance is rather similar to what soon-to-arrive Hideki Saijo（西城秀樹）would bring to the kayo zeitgeist of the decade. Strangely enough, Kawaguchi would compose songs for Saijo soon enough.
(5:07)
Kawaguchi delved into the aidoru realm alongside lyricist Mieko Arima（有馬三恵子）for 70s teenybopper singer Yuko Asano（浅野ゆう子）for a couple of songs, her debut single"Tobidase Hatsukoi"（とびだせ初恋）and the follow-up, "Koi wa Dan Dan"（恋はダン・ダン）, both released in 1974. Asano's third and final single for that year was "Hitoribocchi no Kisetsu"（ひとりぽっちの季節...A Season of Loneliness） from December. Once again, tackled by Kawaguchi and Arima, those strings and what I think are an ocarina and an accordion bring forward a lot of spring innocence from a case of puppy love that doesn't seem to be heading to its happy end.
One more song that I'll put up on his tribute here is "Doyoubi no Cinderella"（土曜日のシンデレラ...Saturday Cinderella） sung by Sawako Kitahara（北原佐和子）as her 3rd single in September 1982. It's another aidoru tune and the arrangement is perfectly suited to the time of the early 80s teenyboppers, with the swift strings this time and the jingly synthesizers. This time, Kawaguchi's songwriting partner was lyricist Masako Arikawa（有川正沙子）whose words almost make me wish the title was more along the lines of "The Taming of the Cinderella" as a young lady is, comically and physically or figuratively, poking a strong finger into her Prince Charming and demanding where the love and the glass slipper are. Again, I haven't explored the world of Kawaguchi in full but at first blush, it's remarkable how his melodies may have adjusted for the times and demands in music. Still, lyrically speaking, this seems to be along the lines of Kawaguchi's attraction to the not-so-happy themes in love.
Of course, there are the other Kawaguchi creations that you can cruise through under his name in the Labels section, but also if your Japanese ability is up to it, you can also look through his J-Wiki profile for a more complete list of his compositions. I never even touched his arrangements which is a separate list. Regardless, his accomplishments since the 1960s merit a tribute in kayo history.
Commenter Jim Laker gave me some trivia that I was surprised that I hadn't come across when it came to the Jun Mayuzumi（黛ジュン）file. Her older brother just happened to be prolific composer Takashi Miki（三木たかし）who unfortunately passed away back in 2009 at the age of 64.
Also, because I haven't written anything about Mayuzumi since 2016, I thought I should give her some more spotlight once more through her 5th single,"Yuzuki" (Evening Moon) which was put out to the masses in September 1968. It's quite the interesting song since I can't quite categorize it in terms of genre all that easily. Obviously with the introductory koto and then the later addition of a shakuhachi, I'm thinking enka but with the dramatic background chorus and the melancholy rhythm, I'm also imagining Mood Kayo. But at the same time, I'm just wondering whether the traditional stuff is simply adorning what is really a straight-ahead pop kayo.
Mayuzumi's brother, Takashi Miki, was indeed behind the music and arrangement while Rei Nakanishi（なかにし礼）supplied the lyrics of a romance that has to come to an end despite the enduring love due to various circumstances. "Yuzuki" definitely hit the right nerves among the kayo-listening public as it peaked at No. 2 on Oricon, became the 20th-ranked single for 1968 and hung on longer to become the 46th-ranked single for 1969. It sold a little more than 660,000 records (her most best-selling single) and interestingly enough, it was to have been the song that Mayuzumi was to perform at her 2nd appearance on NHK's Kohaku Utagassen, but her preceding single, "Tenshi no Yuwaku" （天使の誘惑）had just won the Grand Prize at the Japan Record Awards that year on December 21st, so the singer ended up singing "Tenshi no Yuwaku" instead.
Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）would do a cover of "Yuzuki" much later for her late 2011 album"1969" in a collaboration with the American jazz ensemble Pink Martini. "1969" was an album of kayo covers from the 1960s that got a lot of acclaim in Japan and abroad. On Oricon, the album peaked at No. 4 and after becoming the 99th-ranked release for 2011, its popularity would raise it to the status of 26th-ranked album of 2012. It even topped certain charts on iTunes in Canada, America and Japan.
As for Mayuzumi, some other trivia that I could get from her J-Wiki article is that she's a huge fan of Canadian jazz pianist/singer Diana Krall, loves Atsushi from EXILE, and enjoys dining on beef and pork.
One thing that I hadn't known about The Carpenters before I started this Reminiscings of Youth article tonight is that Richard and Karen didn't have their first TV special until 1976! I was close to eleven years of age by that point, and the reason that I am surprised is that in my increasingly hazy memories of my early childhood is that I'd assumed that the famous duo were having specials since the 1970s and their career began. They just seemed to be ubiquitous on television and radio with their easy listening songs such as "Sing", "We've Only Just Begun" and "Yesterday Once More".
I'm not sure how The Carpenters are remembered in their native United States or up here in Canada. The fact that I've barely heard anything about them on this side of the Pacific in decades is quite telling, though, since in Japan, they're adored as pop legends along the same lines as The Ventures and The Beatles. I basically had my reunion with Richard and Karen and their music thanks to my life in Japan.
A couple of their songs have become theme tunes verbatim for Japanese dramas, a lot of their tunes were part of commercials, and even a Fuji-TV nostalgic music show is now permanently intertwined with "Yesterday Once More". Plus, there's the fact that the longer one goes to karaoke with friends, the higher the chances that a Carpenters song will be sung.... that is from personal experience. I've even bought a couple of their BEST compilations.
I think the last Carpenters reference I saw on this side of the Pacific was a montage sequence on "The Simpsons" when Homer first set eyes on Marge. "(They Long to Be) Close to You" was probably meant as a humourous counterpoint but it ended up for me at least being surprisingly poignant and moving.
And I guess that's why out of the entire Carpenters discography, "Close to You" will be the song for me by Karen and Richard. Released in May 1970, I was surprised to discover that this Burt Bacharach and Hal David creation didn't get its first rodeo with The Carpenters. Actor Richard ("Dr. Kildare") Chamberlain, Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield all had their turns at it in the 1960s before The Carpenters recorded the definitive version of the ballad. I mean, perhaps I'm dating myself considerably more here but this would be an ideal (if a tad cornball) tune at the end of a prom. Mind you, "It's Been a Long, Long Time" might have taken over for about a year since "Avengers: Endgame" (that movie still packs a mighty Thor wallop).
So, what were the big hits during that time in Japan? Well, unfortunately, I couldn't track down any of the May 1970 Oricon hits so I'm once again going with certain award winners at that year's Japan Record Awards (its 12th, to be specific).
Best Performance Award: Hiroshi Uchiyamada and The Cool Five -- Uwasa no Onna
As I've mentioned before, COVID-19 has most likely affected TV programming all over the planet, including that of Japan. This morning, I got to see NHK's"Uta Kon"（うたコン）for the first time in a couple of weeks, and from its usual stage spectaculars in front of an audience, it's been changed to those performances in front of no audience, and apparently as of today, it's been aired with just the two hosts in separate locations, phone conversations with a couple of singers and then clips from past episodes and the Kohaku Utagassen. It's too bad, of course, but under the circumstances, everyone has to be kept safe.
Among the clips was a Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）song that I hadn't heard before. Titled "Room Light", this was the veteran singer's 15th single from March 1973, and it's a gentle folk/kayo ballad about heading home. The impression that I got from Osami Okamoto's（岡本おさみ）lyrics was that it was perhaps being expressed from a new bride's point of view as she and her husband eventually arrive in a taxi at their new home together.
Folk legend Takuro Yoshida（吉田拓郎）was responsible for the melody punctuated by that mellow horn, and the way that Yuki sings it, I can hear Yoshida's voice as well with that certain way he delivers the words in those short clipped phrases. "Room Light" peaked at No. 23 on Oricon, and the single was also placed in her 11th album from April 1973, "Room Light ~ Original A La Carte".
Usually when I categorize a song in Labels, it's no surprise to have one or two genres listed in there, but on occasion, I do have three genres listed. And that's often but not always because I'm letting the song dance around my head trying to settle on a genre, but as it turns out, I can't really definitively resolve the categorization angst. It's not really angst though since I think such songs are even more intriguing.
I found another song that describes what I'm talking about, and it's good because I haven't had veteran Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）on KKP in a good while. Of course, Yuki will always be known for her late 1960s number, "Yoake no Scat"（夜明けのスキャット）, but I've come across this single, her 42nd from May 1984, "Kono Mama ga Ii no" (Good The Way It Is) that has her exploring something a bit more than kayo kyoku.
From my impression of Yuki, I always thought that she would be an ideal ambassador for the genres of jazz and bossa nova, and sure enough, with "Kono Mama ga Ii no", that latter genre comes out nice and classy with that pristine high-toned voice of hers. However, my so-called "dilemma" has had me wondering whether there's also something in the song that evokes the urban contemporary setting of City Pop and even Mood Kayo from a certain balcony on the Riviera. In the end, I just went "Oh, the heck with it", and slapped all three genres down.
My compliments to New J Channel's radio since that's how I first heard it and going way back, allow me to thank lyricist Rieko Zanma（残間里江子）and composer Toshiyuki Kimori（木森敏之）. According to Zanma's J-Wiki bio, she's now actually a producer of publishing and cultural events.
Last night, I was writing about Hiromi Go's（郷ひろみ）"Samui Yoake"（寒い夜明け）and mentioned that I couldn't find a number by the fellow that had been written by Tokiko Iwatani（岩谷時子）who was given that lovely tribute on "Uta Kon"（うたコン）on Tuesday night. Well, there was one song by her that got featured on the show and it is a lovely kayo ballad.
I'm happy to introduce this one, too, since it would be my second song on the blog belonging to Naomi Sagara（佐良直美）, someone whom I had only known thus far for the classic "Sekai wa Futari no Tame ni"（世界は二人のために）, "Ii Janai no Shiawase Naraba" (Why Not As Long As She's Happy),her 9th single from July 1969.
However, I didn't just opt for this song purely for quota's sake. "Ii Janai no Shiawase Naraba" is also a beautiful, bittersweet and haunting kayo that contrasts rather nicely with "Sekai wa Futari no Tame ni". Sagara's debut is gently optimistic but this particular entry in her discography is gently sad and wistful as the protagonist describes his ultimate parting from a woman who may have a bit of history behind her. Perhaps the relationship couldn't continue because of the innuendo surrounding her or she's dumped him for someone else but his love still remains for her. As long as she's happy, that will be fine with the fellow (I hope).
Listening to the original at the top, Sagara's deeper vocals and the tempo really give "Ii Janai no Shiawase Naraba" that gravity as heavy as the footsteps of the sad fellow as he schlumps through the streets mourning his loss. As I said, Iwatani was responsible for the lyrics and Taku Izumi（いずみたく）took care of the introspective melody.
The song was fully in the age of Oricon so it actually hit No. 2 and became the 22nd-ranked single for 1969. It also won a Japan Record Award for Best Song and earned Sagara her 3rd straight invitation to the Kohaku Utagassen.
There have been a lot of covers done of "Ii Janai no Shiawase Naraba". Fellow singer Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）provided her own version of the ballad in her 2011 album"1969" with Pink Martini. The album hit No. 4 on the Oricon weeklies. It would later become the 99th-ranked album of the year and even greatly improved its ranking the following year as it hit No. 26. On iTunes, it actually even hit No. 1 in Japan, Canada and the United States!
As well, Masako Mori's（森昌子）version amped up the Latin jazz flavour. It appeared on her album "Ano Koro"（あのころ...Those Days） which was released in August 2007.
One of the most famous traditional Japanese children's songs, "Aka Tombo" (Red Dragonflies) usually reminds me of my early childhood trip to seaside Wakayama Prefecture where my grandparents had lived. The rice paddies that my grandfather tended were always visited by dragonflies that were the size of small gliders (at least to the eyes of this city boy). As I warn anyone who goes to that area of the Kansai, there are plenty of BIG insects flitting and crawling. One reason for my arachnophobia of several years was seeing these huge black-and-yellow spiders basically anywhere and everywhere around the farm. Some of their legs probably had tattoos.
In any case, "Aka Tombo" was written by poet and children's songwriter Rofu Miki（三木露風）for publishing in a children's book in 1921 with the idea that the image of dragonflies flying about in the early evening would bring nostalgic feelings of home. Miki wrote the lyrics based on his memories of his childhood home of present-day Tatsuno City in Hyogo Prefecture. Then in 1927, composer and conductor Kosaku Yamada（山田耕筰）created the melody to go with the words.
Now, Saori Yuki （由紀さおり）is just one of the many, many singers who have sung "Aka Tonbo" over the past century, along with millions and millions of kids and adults, but I decided to use her name as part of the title since her version is just wonderful. In the above video, she's singing with her sister, Shoko Yasuda（安田祥子）. The video below is one of the early recordings of the song. I'm not 100% sure but according to what I see on the record itself, I think it is sung by Maiko Tsuji（辻舞子）.
An English version of "Aka Tombo" was also created under the title of "Dragonflies". This is Greg Irwin. In 2007, the song was selected to be part of the Nihon no Uta Hyakusen（日本の歌百選...Collection of 100 Japanese Songs）which was sponsored by the government's Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Once again, NHK's"Kayo Concert" has come to the rescue as my adjunct memory by having veteran kayo kyoku singer, Saori Yuki（由紀さおり）, appear to sing a song that I hadn't heard in years. "Tegami" (The Letter) is this fairly brisk song with a bit of Latin in it, but like a lot of tunes from that era, the deceptively upbeat melody supports lyrics that are pretty sad....kinda like"Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto（坂本九） a decade earlier.
Written by Rei Nakanishi（なかにし礼） and composed by Makoto Kawaguchi（川口真）,Yuki sings about a relationship that has just ended, wondering where it all went wrong. The ending refrain is especially poignant as she phrases about that "goodbye letter finished off in tears". Again, the music may be cheerful but the lyrics for her 5th single sound about as haunting as the opening to her debut hit single,"Yoake no Scat"（夜明けのスキャット）.
Released in July 1970, "Tegami" went to the top of the Oricon charts where it stayed for 6 weeks, and it would end up becoming the 6th-ranked song of the year. Yuki won a prize at the Japan Record Awards and she was invited onto the Kohaku Utagassen for the 2nd straight year to perform it.
One of the most recognizable songs in kayo kyoku by intro if not by title, "Yoake no Scat" (Scat in the Dark) was Saori Yuki's （由紀さおり）debut single and is probably her trademark song. Usually if she appears on any show, it's to sing this one. As were most songs way back then, it goes for 3 minutes, with the first third devoted to Yuki giving one of the most laid-back scats (Lu, lu, lu...) in music.
Released in March 1969, it reached the top spot on the Oricon weeklies and became the No. 1 song of the year. Oricon had actually started in 1968, so "Yoake no Scat" is the 2nd song to get this honour. It also has the record for being the song with the shortest lyrics to ever become the No. 1 song of the year. It also earned a Japan Record Award, and Yuki got her first opportunity to appear on the 1969 Kohaku Utagassen.
Last year, Yuki (whose real name is Akiko Yasuda...安田章子) collaborated with the Portland, Oregon-based orchestra, Pink Martini, to release an album, "1969", a collection of kayo kyoku covers of that year, which included "Yoake no Scat" and Ayumi Ishida's"Blue Light Yokohama" which is listed in the enka section of this blog. The album garnered critical praise on both sides of the Pacific. In fact, in Japan, the album peaked at No. 4 on the Oricon weeklies after it had been released in October 2011. Yuki also became the oldest female singer to have broken into the Top 10 at the age of 63, and became the female singer to have had the longest gap between Top 5 hits (album or single) at a little over 41 years...her last Top 5 hit was in 1970.
