Hakucho-za -- Himekuri（日めくり）

Warwick Publishing

I know that the daily pad calendars exist everywhere on Earth but since I first saw them in Japan when I went there in 1972, they've been imprinted upon me as a part of Japanese décor. If I'm not mistaken, there was one in my grandparents' house in Wakayama Prefecture. However, I've never used them in my home either here or in Japan because I needed to have calendars with plenty of space for me to write down scheduled events.

Well, I've got one of the most wistful songs ever made in the kayo kyoku era. "Himekuri" (Daily Pad Calendar) was the B-side to Hakucho-za's（白鳥座）June 1981 debut single "Kamome"（かもめ...Seagull） and it was written and composed by band member Yutaka Takahira（高比良豊）. Using the concept of ripping off each sheet as the days come and go, it's an allegory for a couple who lived day-by-day in their own humble little abode until the time arrived that they had to finally break up for whatever reason. It seems like the woman in the relationship was left in the apartment while the man has opted to return to his hometown, but the former is going by the calendar and taking things day-by-day to recover although things are currently still a little tender and raw.

The music by Takahira is led by a poignancy-heavy piano, silky strings and Reiko Sada's（佐田玲子）somewhat weary vocals in a folksy arrangement. And I certainly can't forget that wailing electric guitar. There is that feeling of a sunset leading the now parted lovers into the night but also a new morning. If you have a chance, have a listen to Hakucho-za's 1982 "Yonjuu-ni Kilo no Seishun"（42キロの青春）for a different angle in their sound.

The Bangles -- Manic Monday

Good Free Photos

I'll never not marvel at the observation that Canada's Thanksgiving and Japan's Sports Day fall on the same day...the second Monday in October, considering one nation feasts while the other nation promotes strenuous physical activity. Regardless, I wish my fellow Canadians a Happy Thanksgiving. Our family had the regular get-together last night but since I'm the only person who likes turkey, it was sushi for dinner. 

I figure that depending on the family and the logistics (or lack of them), there will be those who are having a pretty manic Monday getting ready to greet extended family after spending time, money and energy to create that traditional turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. So, as such on the usual special holiday edition of Reminiscings of Youth, I give you "Manic Monday" by The Bangles.

According to the Wikipedia article regarding the song, although it had originally been written and composed by Prince in 1984 as a duet between him and Apollonia 6, the deal with "Manic Monday" didn't quite make it, and a couple of years later, he offered it under the pseudonym Christopher to The Bangles. It was released as the band's single at the end of January 1986.

I remember first seeing the music video showing Susanna Hoffs singing while her fellow bandmates were making like regular folks trying to start off their Monday mornings. The lyrics and the music both come across as a relatable happy-go-lucky day-in-the-life pop tune about resignedly schlumping off to work while wishing that the weekend hadn't ended. 

For both the American and Canadian charts, "Manic Monday" hit No. 2, and even in Japan, it managed to get as high as No. 56 on Oricon. 

Interestingly enough, although I'd planned to consult the Oricon Top 10 for January 1986 for the comparative hits in Japan, I realized that I had already done so a couple of weeks ago for Sade's "Is It a Crime?" which was also released in that month. Therefore, let's go with the singles that were released back then.

Hideaki Tokunaga -- Rainy Blue

Misato Watanabe -- My Revolution

Yukiko Okada -- Kuchibiru Network (くちびる Network)

Masami Tsuchiya feat. Ryuichi Sakamoto -- KAFKA

 

I've heard of author Franz Kafka and the adjective that he left us all: Kafkaesque meaning (according to the "Encyclopedia Britannica") to describe "...isolated protagonists facing bizarre or surrealistic predicaments and incomprehensible socio-bureaucratic powers. It has been interpreted as exploring themes of alienation, existential anxiety, guilt, and absurdity". 

Catching Kafkaesque movies was never one of my pointed priorities in pop culture life but I think I have heard or seen a few such as Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" and then there was the B-plot in the overall OK "Ocean's Thirteen" with the poor hotel inspector going through his own existential hell as part of Danny's overall plan of revenge (happily, he gets a handsome reward in literally the final scene).

Strangely enough, I figured that if Kafkaesque ever deserved a soundtrack, there would be either a sinister French accordion or a boppy technopop layer. Well, I have apparently won the lottery since Masami Tsuchiya's（土屋昌巳）"KAFKA" featuring the Professor himself, Ryuichi Sakamoto（坂本龍一）, has both (well, the accordion was actually a pianica). Sakamoto wrote, composed and arranged (and played most of the instruments for) this song with Tsuchiya on the electric guitar and Sakamoto intoning some lyrics hinting at a garbled incomplete message driving any Kafkaesque victim insane with frustration. The music also hints that the poor schlub must be going through some really horrendous battles.

"KAFKA" was placed onto Tsuchiya's June 1982 debut album "Rice Music". Might I say that Tsuchiya looks very handsome/pretty on that cover? He looks like a New Wave bellboy!

Arisa Mizuki/Ami Ozaki -- Kagami no Naka no Utopia（鏡の中のUTOPIA）

 

Well, as I've always said, never forget about those B-sides...or coupling songs when it comes to the CD single. It's been close to eleven years since I first posted Arisa Mizuki's（観月ありさ）dreamy May 1991 debut single "Densetsu no Shojo"（伝説の少女）as created by singer-songwriter Ami Ozaki（尾崎亜美）. Yup, I bought that one used for a grand total of 357 yen.

The coupling song for "Densetsu no Shojo" was "Kagami no Naka no Utopia" (Utopia in the Mirror) as also created by Ozaki and arranged by Jun Sato（佐藤準）. It's an interesting song in that it starts out sounding like something that should have been inserted in a Studio Ghibli soundtrack but then the chorus goes into a more contemporary pop mode. I think I can understand why it didn't achieve its own A-side status but the contrast between the two aspects keeps things interesting.

Ozaki recorded a cover of "Kagami no Naka no Utopia" for her March 1992 3rd album of self-covers titled "Points-3". Her version keeps the contemporary pop arrangement throughout the song and even throws in a bit of rock under Motohiro Tomita's（富田素弘）aegis.

Junko Hirotani -- Jasmine Tea Dream（ジャスミン・ティー・ドリーム）

 

Not surprisingly in a nation which has its own long history of tea, I was able to sample a lot of other teas that weren't simply the Orange Pekoe and the Green teas in Canada. There was Oolong, Chamomile and even Rooibos. I probably did have Jasmine tea at one point although I can't quite remember how it tasted. There was a tea shop near one of my schools that I frequented so often that the owner and waitresses not only recognized who I was but also knew what I liked to order (the tuna sandwiches were to die for there). But anyways, feel free to enjoy the above video by Nioteas TV.

I gather that Jasmine tea must have a calming effect according to this track from Junko Hirotani's（広谷順子）3rd and final album "Enough" from February 1983. "Jasmine Tea Dream" is about as tender as those jasmine blossoms and though it's completely Japanese in its creation with Hirotani herself behind the composition, Machiko Ryu（竜真知子）on lyrics and Masataka Matsutoya（松任谷正隆）arranging everything, I can't help but feel that there is something David Foster in the song, especially with the rich piano. At first, I was wondering whether "Jasmine Tea Dream" would fall under either the City Pop or the AOR hemisphere but by the end, I was persuaded that this is a straight pop ballad.

Hayashi Tetsuji no Sekai -- The City Pop Chronicle（林哲司の世界）

 

The above is a distant photo of the Tokyo International Forum in the Sukibayashi neighbourhood, just five minutes' walk north of Ginza. Although I never got to see a concert there, I've passed through the building a number of times, and I believe the 2021 edition of NHK's Kohaku Utagassen was held there while the Shibuya hall for the national broadcaster was undergoing renovations.

Earlier this afternoon, I was talking with podcaster Rocket Brown and he was kind enough to send me an image of a poster advertising an event there which will be held on November 5th from 5 pm. It turns out to be a concert titled "Hayashi Tetsuji no Sekai -- The City Pop Chronicle" (The World of Tetsuji Hayashi) which is a one-night-only performance of Hayashi's creations as done by many of the original singers including Yurie Kokubu（国分友里恵）, Anri（杏里）, Omega Tribe（オメガトライブ）and Akira Terao（寺尾聰）. Prices are around 15,000 yen per seat according to the poster.

I usually don't advertise concerts here but I felt that this one was too tempting to not talk about. Mind you, being late to the party as usual, I came across a Reddit string which was already rapping about this Hayashi event a few months ago. And at the same time, I'm uncertain whether the concert is already sold out. But one never knows and perhaps some of you City Pop fans who may be in Tokyo in early November might have the opportunity to check it out. Of course, if you are able to catch it, maybe you can let us know how it all went.

Yutaka Kimura Speaks ~ Japanese City Pop Masterpieces 100: Yasuhiro Abe -- Close Your Eyes

 

Number: 026

Lyricist/Composer: Yasuhiro Abe

Arranger: Nobuyuki Shimizu

From Abe's 1985 album: "Frame of Mind"

"Close Your Eyes" is a gentle medium-tempo tune that brings a taste of that quintessential Abe（安部恭弘）mellowness. Because it's not especially a flashy song, it's prone to be overlooked but I think it is a highly refined work. I have to tip my hat off to the excellent sense of Nobuyuki Shimizu（清水信之）who was also the arranger for "Irene"（アイリーン）. This was the peak of their prime time together.

The above comes from "Disc Collection Japanese City Pop Revised" (2020).