Sometimes critical success doesn't guarantee lasting presence in the limelight, as is the case for Tomoko Kuwae whose fame rests on her debut single "Watashi no Heart wa Stop Motion", placing her amongst other equally ephemeral acts in the stage of one-hit-wonders. Even though Kuwae may not have made a lasting mark in the music world, she was of one the more prominent singers that came about the late 70s New Music revival that saw many acts come in from outside of the usual pop music sphere. The song itself is a pleasant one, with bright and light instrumentation coupled and contrasting with Kuwae's somewhat husky voice. A very nice touch in the song happens during the chorus where after she sings each half of the title, a flute flourish seemingly imitates the beating of a heart, giving the lyrics a moment of word painting. The song entered the Top 20 during the spring of 1979 and eventually by the end of the year she would also win the "Best New Artist" in that year's Japan Record Awards.
Fusion acts weren't uncommon during the 1970s as changing styles can often blend into one another. Hiromi Ohta is one such example of that fusion, between the worlds of pop music and that of the singer-songwriters that dominated the New Music scene. Having already launched her showbusiness career as a member of the singing and dancing youth troupe in the variety show Stage 101, she eventually became the most successful of the former members during her solo career. Though she didn't write her debut single "Amadare" (Raindrops), her input was noted by Kyohei Tsutsumi, who devoted a significant role in the song to the piano, her primary instrument. The motif of rain is present in the lyrics and in the music, from the small flourishes of the piano to the descending strings in the chorus. The minor key of the song gives it an air of somberness, her voice: gentle, a little frail, yet clear and persistent, deepens the effect of the lyric's description of separation and longing (seemingly a common trope in Japanese lyrics). Though released late in 1974, it eventually garnered enough attention the following year, earning her a respectable Top 20 hit in the charts as well a nomination for "Best New Artist" in the Japan Records Awards in 1975.
As mentioned earlier, Hideki Saijo was associated with a trio of young talent dubbed the "New Big Three" that included Hiromi Go and Goro Noguchi. In contrast with the other two, Hideki Saijo was cultivated to have an edgier, more rock-styled image, yet still comfortably within the confines of Japanese pop cultural norm. "Jounetsu no Arashi" (Passion Storm) was his 5th single and his most successful song up to that point in his career. Full of energy, the song throws its musical gales of guitar, drums and horns at the listener as the lyrics full of flustered metaphors whips up the literal storm of passion Saijo describes that exists between him and his love. It is no surprise then to hear screaming hordes of fans scream out his name whenever he sings this, as if begging to be the "one" he is singing about. For those who are huge fans of Hideki Saijo or may have seen videos of him performing this song, an interesting audience quirk can be noticed from a pseudo call-response effect where after each phrase in the beginning of the verse the fangirls shriek out his name "HIDEKIII!!!". This practice has been so attached to this song that it has become somewhat of an injoke for Saijo whenever he would perform it in later years, sometimes with the outburst of his name played up for comedic effect or used inappropriately in a few of his other songs.
情熱の嵐 (Jounetsu no Arashi)
Music: Kunihiko Suzuki / 鈴木邦彦 Lyrics: Takashi Taka / たかたかし
Near the latter end of the 1960s, Japanese popular music has started absorbing much of the styles and affectations that were in use in Western popular music during the decade prior, formally breaking away from the heavy influence of high jazz in favor of a fresh approach. Songwriters have now begun to be more creative with the new tools at their disposal and some of the earliest hit songs to define themselves as definitive pop has come out. "Tenshi no Yuuwaku" (Temptation Angel) is one of the more stellar examples. A very sunny and tropical-sounding piece, wonderfully invoked by the music and arrangement of Kunihiko Suzuki and the writing of Rei Nakanishi.
Here we hear a lamentation of a woman who thinks fondly of the brief encounter she had with someone, hoping someday he will return to her. One would think someone may take such a subject and inject a melancholy to it, as an opportunity lost, but here the approach is taken to a more optimistic track, the driving but rhythmic drums, the dreamscape strings, and gliding guitar effects, painting the orange-glow tropical paradise the song resides in. One can imagine this is a nostalgic recollection told to us with a smile. Surely it had charmed the public and critics alike, having sold more than 460,000 copies and garnering the top prize in the 10th Annual Japan Record Awards.
天使の誘惑 (Tenshi no Yuuwaku)
Music: Kunihiko Suzuki / 鈴木邦彦 Lyrics: Rei Nakanishi / なかにし礼
The new era of Japanese popular music was ushered in with those sweeping strings introducing the soaring voice of a nascent superstar in the first few lines of the song. "Blue Lagoon", Seiko Matsuda's second single quickly reached the second spot of the charts, and would be her last single to not reach No. 1 for years to come.
The song paints a bright picture of a seaside with a glittering coral reef, and the budding romance the singer shares with her love, comparing her feelings of love in the chorus to the rush of the south wind. Musically, the song is a good example of the transition from the 70s pop style to the 80s pop style, with tighter arrangements, more use of electric instruments and emphasis on a steady beat, but elements of more traditional song-making such as the the strings used still remain. The expressively reaching chorus and the more intimate verses display the melodic contrast used to help emphasize the tone of the lyrics. Matsuda's singing here is unabashed, strong, and yet at the same time exhibit a lighter touch when needed, elements that would show up in a more developed form later in her career.
By 1980, the previous era of pop stars, dominated by the likes of Momoe Yamaguchi and Pink Lady was fading fast, and while there were many fresh faces in the couple years prior, none had brought in the paradigm shift in music that Seiko Matsuda and her contemporaries did, creating a new song that would bring about what many would define the decade as the golden age of idols.
(Drif's Big Laugh [ドリフ大爆笑])
青い珊瑚礁 (Aoi Sangoshou)
Music: Yuichiro Oda / 小田裕一郎 Lyrics: Yoshiko Miura / 三浦徳子
For those of middle age who watch television in Japan, Ikue Sakakibara has been around since they started growing up. Though now a well-seasoned tarento, who can put various roles under her belt, her early career was that of a singer. Her slightly boyish looks and sweet voice that belies her firy personality endeared her to fans early on. Her fourth single was a breakthrough hit, placing in the Top 40 of Oricon and sending her around the television circuit for heavy promotion.
"Al Pacino Plus Alain Delon aren't as Great as You" was a rather provocative and lengthy title for a song. From the pen of a young Yukinojou Mori (a.k.a. Joe Lemon), the song's slightly teasing nature melds in well with its heartfelt verses. The singer compares her boyfriend to that of actors Al Pacino and Alain Delon, then quite popular names in the late 1970s, claiming that the two are still actors playing roles and couldn't possibly measure up to him who is more genuine. The music is breezy, punctuated by an accordion that gives it the atmosphere of something of a vignette. Sakakibara's singing is straightforward and unembellished, contributing to the sense of liberty of mind the song evokes. While it may not be a number one hit, the song proved to be a great testing ground for both a budding songwriter and a budding singer.
Momoe Yamaguchi's big break came with her second single "Aoi Kajitsu" [Green Fruit], her first Top Ten hit. As mentioned previously, she was slated to be the mature one of group, as a contrast to the conservative Masako Mori and the innocent Junko Sakurada. Much of the work done during her early days to cultivate that persona was due to lyricist Kazuya Senke, whose suggestive wording can turn heads in interest. He could transform what would otherwise be a typical pop number into something very different. If the title of the song didn't give you the metaphor up front, let's just say that it hints at the lyrical content concerning illicit romance at a young age. The chorus itself, repeated three times, does enough explaining: "You can do what ever you want with me; it's alright if rumors spread that I'm a bad girl". To put it in context, Momoe was only fourteen when the single was released, although, unlike France Gall, she was very aware of the nature of the lyrics she sang. During her early career she had little artistic control over her music. Eventually she grew to dislike this song saying that "it wasn't her". By the time her career matured, "Aoi Kajitsu" was rarely performed live.
The 1980s in Japanese music was prolific in the number of people who are tossed into the production mill, with most of them falling into total obscurity in short order. Despite her small musical output (six singles and one album), Miyuki Imori saved herself from that obscurity by diversifying her abilities to become the more general tarento, thus interest in her music will rise whenever she shows up in television. Her second single "99 Tsubu no Namida" [99 Teardrops] follows along the stylistic heels of her first single, an easy and soft pop ballad. Even though Imori's voice isn't the most polished or strong sounding, it still charms the listener with its natural and unassuming tone. The chorus is catchy and highly memorable albeit brief. The song may not be star material (in fact, the writers are highly prominent in their field), but it isn't something totally forgettable either.
99粒の涙(99 Tsubu no Namida)
Music: Tetsuji Hayashi / 林哲司 Lyrics: Chinfa Kan / 康珍化
If Seiko Matsuda ushered in the new era of female idols in the 1980s, her counterpart for male popstars would be Toshihiko Tahara. A product of the perennial Johnny & Associates talent group who are responsible for churning out boy bands and teen idols for the girls to fawn over, Toshihiko made a strong entrance with his debut single "Aishu Date", an adaptation of "New York City Nights", itself the B-Side to Leif Garret's 1979 single "Feel the Need". The Japanese cover is a cleaner production compared to its American original, removing some of the heavier disco elements for a brighter instrumentation that makes it sound a bit more up to date. Despite its major success, peaking at No. 2 in the Oricon charts and granting him a spot on that year's Kohaku Uta Gassen, it is pretty clear Tahara is still working on his voice. It won't be until his second single does he start to sing more clearly and convincingly.
哀愁でいと (Aishu Date)
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Joesph di Taranto & Guy Hemric Japanese Adaptation: Kazuko Kobayashi / 小林和子
We've already been introduced to Momoe Yamaguchi and Masako Mori, two of the three middle-schoolers who graduated from the Star Tanjou! talent program together as the "Hana no Chusan Trio". Junko Sakurada was the second of the three to make her official debut, but unlike her fellow graduates took a bit longer to reach popular and critical acclaim. Her third single "Watashi no Aoi Tori" [My Bluebird] is a well-contained song, with Junko's clear voice singing the melody with an ease and strength not heard in her earlier two singles. It was at this point she became more confident with her abilities and asserted her sound directly. The song takes on one of the more common conceits of romantic Japanese writing, comparing one's love to a bluebird, although lyricist Yuu Aku took certain liberties by using the "coo-coo" sound, which is not realistic but plays the point across portraying Junko as the girl singing for her bluebird to come. As such, it was a critical success, netting Junko the Best Newcomer at the 15th Japan Record Awards.
わたしの青い鳥 (Watashi no Aoi Tori)
Music: Yasushi Nakamura / 中村泰士 Lyrics: Yuu Aku / 阿久悠
Artist: Tomoko Kuwae / 桑江知子
