Rickie Lee Jones -- Chuck E.'s in Love

 

First off, I will have to apologize to all of those Rickie Lee Jones fans out there. When it comes to the Chicago-born singer, songwriter and musician, there are only two things that I remember about her. One is the "SCTV" parody of that K-Tel album containing all of the cover versions of "Stairway to Heaven" in which Catherine O'Hara was emulating Jones' scatting jazz style for her take at around 1:07 above.

The other thing that I remember about Rickie Lee is "Chuck E.'s in Love", and if I have to remember anything about her, it should be this song. And I was surprised to find out that this song that had been created around a friend's (songwriter Charles E. Weiss) sudden telephone declaration of love as transmitted via her then-boyfriend Tom Waits was her first single from April 1979. I had assumed that Jones had been around for some years before that since that saucy drawl of a delivery was something that could only have come about through years of singing and playing and experience-building, but the rookie apparently hit it out of the ballpark like Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani.

It occasionally got onto the radio and what I remember along with Jones' singing is the slow playful strut of an arrangement as if the music were representing a pixie-ish Jones herself shuffling happily in her most comfortable neighbourhood one afternoon, greeting all of the neighbours and smiling to herself in some satisfaction after Chuck E. finally made that confession. In a way, I think "Chuck E.'s in Love" is a bit of a cousin to Billy Joel's earlier "Rosalinda's Eyes" in that with both I get that friendly and family-like atmosphere within an American inner-city community. Everyone knows each other and no secret stays secret for long...and she's perfectly fine with that.

Both in America and Canada, "Chuck E.'s in Love" did very well with it hitting No. 4 and No. 5 respectively on their countries' music charts. At the 1980 Grammys, Jones won Best New Artist and was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for the song. 

"Chuck E.'s in Love" was released on April 28th  1979. I could find the April 30th Oricon rankings, so let's see what the Top 3 songs were that day.

1. Judy Ongg -- Miserarete（魅せられて）

2. Jiro Atsumi -- Yume Oi Zake（夢追い酒）

3. Godiego -- Beautiful Name

Oricon Top Ten Singles for October 24th 1994

 

The photo above is the one that I took at our favourite izakaya in Toronto, Kingyo, back on Boxing Day 2018. That was indeed a pretty sumptuous tonkatsu dinner. I actually met up with an old friend there earlier today for lunch and in the intervening years which included those dealing with the pandemic, Kingyo has converted from a whole restaurant into a smaller restaurant with a store. I don't think we can have the year-end parties that we used to have there but it is still nice to go there for lunch once in a while.

Anyways, I still have my three articles (including the weekly ROY) to post up today as would usually be the case for a Thursday but I'm still digesting my mighty meal at Kingyo and therefore I'm not exactly overflowing with energy right now, so I'm starting with an Oricon Rankings article, and I was able to find a Top 10 from exactly thirty years ago.

1.  Chisato Moritaka                            Suteki na Tanjoubi

2.  Maki Ohguro                                   Eien no Yume ni Mukatte

3.  TUBE                                               Melodies & Memories

4.  Ryoko Shinohara                            Koishisa to Setsunasa to Kokorotsuyosa to

5.  Kome Kome Club                           Ore Iro ni Somare

6.  T-BOLAN                                        Maria

7.  LUNA SEA                                      True Blue

8.  Arisa Mizuki                                    Happy Wake Up!

9.  TOKIO                                             LOVE YOU ONLY

10.  Hikaru Genji Supers                     Melody Five

Fruit Tart -- Nezumi Sentai Nezu Ranger（ネズミ戦隊ネズレンジャー）

 

I was doing some maintenance with hard drives and stuff, and I got to my anime one where I got to see the first episode of  "Ochikobore Fruit Tart"（おちこぼれフルーツタルト...Dropout Idol Fruit Tart） for the first time in a few years. This 2020 coming-of-age comedy starring a quintet of girls trying to become an aidoru group was funny and it came out at a time when all of us could do with a lot of funny somehow, somewhere and sometime.

The last time I wrote anything having to do with the anime was back in late 2021 when I provided the article for the ending theme "Wonder!"（ワンダー!）. Of course, there were a few other insert songs which I covered, but I had completely forgotten one that showed up near the end of the first episode. "Nezumi Sentai Nezu Ranger" (The Mouse Rangers of the Mouse Squadron). Initially introduced as the unofficial theme song for the girls' dormitory, Mouse House, the four (at the time) residents got together to perform this adorable tokusatsu tune as their first Fruit Tart tune in front of the neighbourhood train station. Lyricist Sasa Ando（安藤紗々）and composer Eiko Shimamiya（島みやえい子）took care of the song.

The Works of Koji Tamaki（玉置浩二）

 

Once again, we've reached Hump Day or the doldrums of a weekly Wednesday, so as such, I wanted to something a little different. I haven't done a Creator article since "The Works of Ayumi Date"（伊達歩）back last November, so I decided to go with that today. And today's Creator contribution will be on the works of singer-songwriter Koji Tamaki. 

Of course, everyone has known him for decades as the vocalist of successful pop-rock group Anzen Chitai（安全地帯） and as a wonderful solo singer who has the ability to make granite weep. However, he has also provided many songs for other singers over the years as well. His band had developed a certain recognizable sound in their music in the early days but I've found that Tamaki the composer was more wide-ranging in the melodies that he has concocted for others.

(1983) Mariko Takahashi -- Gokai（誤解）

The second track from Mariko Takahashi's（高橋真梨子）"Garland" album, "Gokai" (Misunderstandings) wasn't a song that was a hit with me initially. I was still in my early phases of appreciating music from all over, and this mix of playfully sultry pop strut and light reggae was perhaps a little much for me at the time, but fortunately, time and experience have proven fruitful. I could easily imagine Tamaki handling this solo but he can still be heard backing Takahashi.

(1984) Akina Nakamori -- Southern Wind （サザンウインド）

To be honest, if you had told me in the old days that Tamaki had been responsible in creating the melody for one of Akina's（中森明菜）biggest early hits, I would have just scoffed. Perhaps it was due to the arrangement and of course the singer's then-high vocals, but it sounded like a typically dramatic aidoru tune and nothing related at all to Anzen Chitai. However, I've learned that being able to go beyond the sound that a singer has been recognized for and provide something that fits the other singer's style is an asset.

(1986) Yuki Saito -- Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa （悲しみよこんにちは）

I would have said the same thing that I did for the above Akina tune for one of Yuki Saito's（斉藤由貴）most famous songs, "Kanashimi yo Konnichiwa", and it also happens to be one of the most famous anison for one of the more beloved anime "Maison Ikkoku"（めぞん一刻）. Mind you, the first few measures of the song has reminded me a bit of the old Anzen Chitai sound but the rest of it is pure breezy melodic optimism.

(1985) Seri Ishikawa -- Ai no Bunryo（愛の分量）

The technopop aside, there is something rather Tamaki-esque in the melody for Seri Ishikawa's（石川セリ）"Ai no Bunryo" (Amount of Love). In some of those Anzen Chitai songs and Tamaki's own solo discography, there have been signs of secrecy or sneakiness, and in fact, Tamaki's own countenance has had those certain saturnine qualities. I think "Ai no Bunryo" has a dollop of that as well as some of that racing guitar which reminds me of him, too. 

(1993) Kaori Kozai -- Mugonzaka（無言坂）

Now, the whole impetus behind me putting up a Creator article for Tamaki is this song right here. When I was watching "Uta Con"（うたコン）yesterday, the show devoted some of its minutes on the Japanese utahime who included enka singer Kaori Kozai（香西かおり）. Ironically, although the Kozai file on KKP is quite healthy, I realized that I had yet to include what is arguably one of her greatest hits, so here it is.

"Mugonzaka" (The Silent Hills) was indeed composed by Tamaki, so he can provide music for enka as well. And the melody is sweeping and earthy (perfect for a go-touchi song) as it envelops the lyrics of Mitsuhiko Kuze（久世光彦） (although he went by the pen name of Mutsuki Ichikawa「市川睦月」 for "Mugonzaka") who came up with them based on the hills within his hometown of Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture. Kuze's lyrics talk of a local romance that has gone so far off the rails that one can no longer go home again in all meanings of the phrase.

Released as Kozai's 6th single in March 1993, "Mugonzaka" won the Grand Prize at the Japan Record Awards that year as it hit No. 10 on Oricon. It would end up being performed five times at the Kohaku Utagassen between 1993 and 2007, and as the biggest tribute, "Mugonzaka" has been covered by a number of artists including Tamaki himself in his 2012 "Offer Music Box".

Yoko Nakamura -- Natsu Iro My Heart（夏色マイハート）

 

Well over a year ago, I introduced a brief-career aidoru by the name of Yoko Nakamura（中村容子）via her 1984 debut single "Teenage Soldier"（ティーンエイジ・ソルジャー）. I also compared her slightly with 90s singing star Kohmi Hirose（広瀬香美）due to those high and clear bell-like tones.

Now, allow me to take you to her fourth and final single "Natsu Iro My Heart" (Summer Color My Heart) which was released in June 1985. Written by Hiromi Fukunaga（福永ひろみ）, composed by Hideya Nakazaki（中崎英也）and arranged by Shiro Sagisu（鷺巣詩郎）, she doesn't quite sound like Hirose here as her vocals are somewhat more reserved but still girlish. There's something also kinda Seiko Matsuda（松田聖子）as well when Nakamura sings those verses along with Sagisu's arrangements and the wailing electric guitar and those gliding strings giving a certain refinement to everything. 

Kozo Murashita -- Yataizake（屋台酒）

 

I've mentioned this once before, but I've always found it fascinating whenever I get to hear or see something that has had a long and venerable reputation in their earliest days because that is when I get to hear and see elements that existed back then but have since been smoothed out or eliminated immediately. That can be true from anything or anyone from a beloved TV series to a veteran singer.

Recently, I also discovered this as well with the late singer-songwriter Kozo Murashita（村下孝蔵）. For literally decades, I've been accustomed to listening to Murashita with his mellow and reassuring vocals which will always be recognizable to me. However, I learned that though his official discography began in 1980, he had released a self-produced album in 1979 titled "Sorezore no Kaze"（それぞれの風...Every Wind）, and on that album is the track "Yataizake" (A Drink at the Yatai).

by Eejyanaika
at Wikimedia Commons

Now, as a quick aside...for those who may not know what a yatai（屋台）is, it's the traditional old wooden cart selling particular dishes whether it be ramen or oden. It's been seen as a mobile people's plaza, especially if it sets up shop regularly at night at a particular spot such as in front of a train station. 

Anyways, "Yataizake" is a warmhearted country-style folk ballad about returning to that beloved yatai after some time away. The interesting part of this early Murashita song isn't the genre since folk was something that was naturally born to the singer, but it was his voice. It wasn't the familiar gliding voice but something that had a bit more of a rasp to it (maybe to reflect the time at the yatai). He was dipping down into the lower registers a bit more than usual but once he reached the main chorus, there were the hints for that amazing Murashita voice that I first got to know in the 1980s. 

It's been mentioned that "Sorezore no Kaze", though it still exists as a rare LP, it's yet to get its release on other media including compact disc. Perhaps after 45 years, maybe it's time to do so.

Hachiro Kasuga in One Word (春日八郎のイメージを漢字一文字で表す)

From "Mikasa"

I was flipping through one of the recent Hachiro Kasuga posthumous fan club (全国春日八郎偲ぶ会… Zenkoku Kasuga Hachiro Shinobu Kai) magazines when I came across a rather interesting column: Kasuga Hachiro no Imēji wo Kanji Hito-moji de Arawasu. This survey asks its members to dig deep into their love for dear Kasuga Sensei and transform that love into a single kanji character. It’s supposed to be a fun little take on the annual Japanese (?) tradition of picking a kanji character that best represents the year as it comes to a close.

The results, drawn from 86 votes, were fascinating. Considering his status as the top of the enka world, it didn’t come as a surprise for the man said to be enka himself to described with “艶” and “演”, both in first and third place respectively. Sharing third place with “演” was “心”, “情”, “美” and “粋”. However, I was quite surprised to see second place as “誠”. While it can mean “truth”, it can also mean “sincerity”. Considering Hachi’s dedication to his craft and closeness to his fans, I can understand why it was chosen.

This got me thinking: What does Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) mean to me and how would I describe him in a single word? I wracked simple brain to come up with something, but it came up with too many. Hachi means a lot to me, so I'm unable to reduce that into a singular word. But I’ve managed to narrow it down to three, and I would like to share them here together with some songs that encompass their meanings. I thought it'd be a good way to commemorate his death anniversary, which falls on 22nd October. Today would mark 33 years since he left mortal coil.

From "Shinobu"

A few of the songs that appeared on my updated favourites list contributed to my choice of kanji, but since I’ve already talked about them, I will feature other songs that missed out on the Top 10 (this time around) here.

慰: Uramachi Yakyoku (裏町夜曲) (1954)

Nakazu ni okure to ii nagara (Please don't cry, I say)

Itsuka oira mo naiteita (As I, at some point, also begin to cry)

Comfort when I hit some of my roughest patches. Among the singers I love, Hachi's gentle vocals come across as the most empathetic, and sometimes that's exactly what you need to feel better.

援: Kore ga Jinsei (これが人生) (1964)

Doko de nani shite kurasou to (Whatever you do and where ever you go)

Ame wa furu furu haru wa kuru (The rain will fall and fall, spring will come)

Seku na isogu na ningen wa (Don't hurry, don't rush. Us, people)

Ikiteiru ucha shinu monoka (Don't live just to die)

Encouragement to propel me forward, reminding me that the bad times won't last. Encouragement to do my best, but also reminding me to take it easy sometimes.

夢: Ashita no Tame ni (明日のために) (1969)

Omae ga nakushita shiawase wa (The happiness you've lost)

Kono te de kitto torikaesu (Will be returned by these hands)

Motto sugare yo tsumetai yubi da (Hang on a little more, those cold fingers)

Ore no makoto de atatamete (Will be warmed by my sincerity)

Ni do to nakaseru ni do to nakaseru ashita ni shinai (I won't make a tomorrow that'll make you cry again)

My dream was to study my favourite singer. By divine power, that dream became a reality, but it wasn't without it's challenges. At a very early stage, I didn't think it was even possible and actually wanted to give up and do my thesis on something else. But then, I remembered that the whole reason I chose academia was to bring the singer, Hachiro Kasuga into the spotlight for more to see and appreciate. More than a year later, it's finally coming together. I've joked that Hachi being my main study subject gives me almost no respite from him. But it's also exactly because it's Hachi, so I'm able to trudge forward in my research endeavors and do things I didn't think I was capable of.

八: Naa Hacchan (なァ八っちゃん) (1962)

At the end of the day, everyone has their own way of perceiving Hachiro Kasuga. Like many others, the few kanji I picked leaned towards seeing the singer as a source of encouragement, but also the reason why I chose the path I'm on right now. Others see him as the embodiment of enka, or a father figure. Or, maybe, all of the above. Whatever it is, he will be everyone's Hacchan, Kasuga Sensei, and Hachi. 

Sore de iin da. Naa, Hacchan  (That's also fine. Hey, Hacchan)

Hoshi ni mo kikasete utaou ka (Let's sing for the the stars to hear too)