Hideki Saijo - Jounetsu no Arashi (1973)

Artist: Hideki Saijo / 西城秀樹
Title: Jounetsu no Arashi / 情熱の嵐
Released: May 25, 1973
Oricon Peak Rank: 6
B-Side: 夏の日の出来事

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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

君が望むなら　生命をあげてもいい
恋のためなら　悪魔に心
わたしても　悔やまない
その瞳　僕のもの
この体　君のもの
太陽が燃えるように　二人は愛を
永遠にきざもう
君が望むなら　たとえ火の中も
恋のためなら　怖れはしない
情熱の嵐よ

噂のつぶても　かまいはしないさ
体を張って　愛する君を
赤い血が燃えるよ
その笑顔　僕のもの
この若さ　君のもの
太陽が燃えるように　二人は愛を
永遠にきざもう
君が望むなら　たとえ火の中も
恋のためなら　怖れはしないさ
情熱の嵐よ