Artist: Yu Hayami / 早見優Title: Love Light
Released: July 21, 1982
Oricon Peak Rank: 38
B-Side: ガラスの街角
(download)
There has always been an issue with how much English can be used in Japanese songs, whether the singer can pronounce them as is or render them into katakana for ease of pronunciation. At times it leads to some rather awkward sounding music, but this is generally not the case for Yu Hayami, who was one of the handful of exceptions during the Golden Age of Idols.
Having lived in Guam and Hawaii in her childhood and preteen years, her handling of English was on an advanced level and with only a slight accent. This skill gave her some advantages with songwriters as they could include more English (whether that is a good or bad thing) to her songs. Her second single "Love Light" was one of the more extreme examples, where the chorus was entirely in English. Its provenance was likely a European dance-pop song that has since disappeared from public memory, so the Japanese adaptation remains. Here her ability to sing fluently between Japanese and English is audible. Musically, it has a strong beat, and decent melody, although Yu has slight trouble with the vocal acrobatics in the lead to the chorus and the chorus itself. Otherwise, it is fine for a song, and would work well in a dance hall context.
(15th Shinjuku Music Festival [第15回新宿音楽祭])
Love Light
Music: Jimmy Jackson
Lyrics: Pia Jackson
Japanese Adaptation: Yoshiko Miura / 三浦徳子
雨降る街角 ひとつの傘
彼女とあなたを 見かけたのよ
小さな この胸は つぶれそうで
雨に濡れたまま さ迷い歩いたのよ
欲しいのは love light
あなたの愛の陽ざし
どうぞ気づいて pick me up
抱きしめて欲しいのよ
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me be the one you need
I'm like a little flower
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me share your joy and pain
I'm like a little flower, flower
傷つけたくない 誰のことも
だけど好きな気持ち 変えられない
どうぞ お願いよ she's not the girl for you
あなたから 私を愛してると言ってね
欲しいのは love light
あなたの愛の陽ざし
どうぞ気づいて pick me up
抱きしめて欲しいのよ
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me be the one you need
I'm like a little flower
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me share your joy and pain
I'm like a little flower
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me be the one you need
I'm like a little flower
Let me, let me be the one you love
Let me share your joy and pain
I'm like a little flower . . .
3 comments:
fantastic site! I just came across it through google. I am a MASSIVE fan of japanese music of this period and enjoyed all the files you shared so far. Do you have any plans to resume this blog? I also have some files to share that are on your initial want list if you still need them =)
Yes, I do plan on resuming to make more entries in this blog. Just that work and other obligations have taken a bunch of time up.
Sure, I'd be interested in what you have to fill in my list. I'd be more than happy to provide any artist or song you seek as well.
Thank you for commenting!
link update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1_nsxXIzAE
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