Saori Minami - Jyunana Sai (1971)

Artist: Saori Minami / 南沙織
Title: Jyunana Sai / 17才
Released: June 1, 1971
Oricon Peak Rank: 2
B-Side: 島の伝説

(download)


Saori Minami was at the forefront of a shift in the early 1970s towards giving attention and exposure to artists at younger ages, usually around 14 to 16 years old. Prior to that, in the 1960s and before, it is expected for singers to start around that age, but only reach their stride by the time they were in their late teens or early twenties through a few years of climbing up the ranks. However, with the growing trends of youth culture getting a stronger influence in Japan, their new stars now had to hit the ground running, thus giving rise to the first generation of "idols".

Saori's debut single "Jyunana Sai" (Seventeen Years Old) is appropriately titled, as she was to turn 17 the month after the single's release date. On first listen, it is clear that composer Kyohei Tsutsumi was heavily influenced by "Rose Garden" by country singer Lynn Anderson from the year before. The story goes that with Tsutsumi in charge of writing the music to Saori's songs (as was also soon becoming a trend for songwriters and lyricists to be tasked to write songs almost exclusively for a suite of artists), he asked her what she liked to sing, and "Rose Garden" was her answer, thus he gave her his own way of writing a "Rose Garden"-esque song. Paired with Mieko Arima's coastal-themed lyrics, the song rose to 2nd on the Oricon charts winning a couple prizes from the Japan Record Awards and Kayo Grand Prix for that year. The song soon became one of her standards, as well as a standard in the Japanese songbook, inspiring many other songwriters in the coming years to use 17 as a special age in their songs, reinforcing the prevalence of teenagerhood that was sweeping the nation. Saori Minami's strong start in her singing career set a high bar for future singers who wish to make their mark in music.


(22nd NHK Red White Song Competition [第22回NHK紅白歌合戦])

17才 (Jyunana Sai)

Music: Kyohei Tsutsumi / 筒美京平
Lyrics: Mieko Arima / 有馬三恵子

誰もいない海
二人の愛を　確かめたくて
あなたの腕を　すりぬけてみたの
走る水辺のまぶしさ
息も出来ないくらい
早く　強く　つかまえに来て
好きなんだもの
私は今　生きている

青い空の下
二人の愛を抱きしめたくて
光の中へ　溶けこんでみたの
ふたり　鴎になるのよ
風は大きいけれど
動かないで　おねがいだから
好きなんだもの
私は今　生きている

あつい生命にまかせて
そっとキスしていい
空も海も　みつめる中で
好きなんだもの
私は今　生きている
私は今　生きている . . .

Momoe Yamaguchi - Hito Natsu no Keiken (1974)

Artist: Momoe Yamaguchi / 山口百恵
Title: Hito Natsu no Keiken / ひと夏の経験
Released: June 1, 1974
Oricon Peak Rank: 3
B-Side: 太陽の友達

(download)


The most famous and successful Japanese idol of the 1970s started out with humble origins. One of three girls who gotten top marks at the famous Star Tanjou! television talent show, she grew in the hearts of the Japanese with her sullen image yet mature and powerful singing. "Hito Natsu no Keiken" (A Summer Experience) was her first smash hit, even though it was her 5th single to be released. As was typical at the time, many lyricists would often push their lyrics, very sensual and sometimes lurid to the point of scandal, onto these singers, who are only in their mid teens. For example, the beginning lyrics of the song "あなたに女の子の一番 / 大切なものをあげるわ" translates roughly to "I'll give you the most precious thing a girl has" and the end of the chorus "誰でも一度だけ　経験するのよ / 誘惑の甘い罠" means "Everyone experiences it at least once, The sweet trap of temptation". Even though the lyrics for this song were suggestive, she chose this as the song to sing in the New Year's Eve gala Red-White Song Competition since it was one of the least suggestive songs in her repertoire! Regardless, this song, with its soaring melody and ardent momentum, won her prizes in the Japan Record Awards and Kayo Grand Prix, and firmly planted her in the world of Japanese music, her career just getting ready to run into full blossom.


(25th NHK Red White Song Competition [第25回NHK紅白歌合戦])

ひと夏の経験 (Hito Natsu no Keiken)

Music: Shunichi Tokura / 都倉俊一
Lyrics: Kazuya Senke / 千家和也

あなたに女の子の一番
大切なものをあげるわ
小さな胸の奥にしまった
大切なものをあげるわ
愛する人に　捧げるため
守ってきたのよ
汚れてもいい　泣いてもいい
愛は尊いわ――
誰でも一度だけ　経験するのよ
誘惑の甘い罠

あなたに女の子の一番
大切なものをあげるわ
綺麗な泪色に輝く
大切なものをあげるわ
愛する人が喜ぶなら
それで倖せよ
こわれてもいい　捨ててもいい
愛は尊いわ――
誰でも一度だけ　経験するのよ
誘惑の甘い罠

Nana Okada - Jogakusei (1975)

Artist: Nana Okada / 岡田奈々
Title: Jogakusei / 女学生
Released: August 25, 1975
Oricon Peak Rank:
B-Side: 放課後

(download)


Nana Okada was one of the minor idol singers of the 1970s, a product of the TV talent show circuit, she gained recognition as an actress, photo model, and a singer, all simultaneously (nowadays wrapped together in the term "tarento"). Her 2nd single (and we seem to be talking quite a bit about those aren't we?) "Jogakusei" (Schoolgirl) typifies the cute girl image her production company cultivated around her. Frankly I don't know much about the content of the lyrics to justify it, but just listening to the song along, the swinging momentum, the matter-of-fact singing, and the general "innocentness" of the music in the song brings out in the mind a girl in a sailor suit singing about some sort of secret love. Nevertheless, the unadorned and honest sound to the song speaks out to those who finds contentment in simple things.

女学生 (Jogakusei)

Music: Shunichi Tokura / 都倉俊一
Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto / 松本隆

あなたの写真をそっと
定期入れにかくしたら
放課後友達にふと見られました
恋人でしょうと聞かれ
夢中で奪りあううちに
破けてしまいます　あなたの笑顔

いつでも逢えないと
淋しさばかり
写真にくちびる　そっと寄せます
誰にも秘密
言えない秘密
心にめざめます

夕暮れ通りでバスを
待ってる横顔みつけ
人影かくれて遠く見つめました
制服姿の私
あなたに見られたくない
そんなはじらいさえ　知らされました

あなたに逢うたびに
変わるの私
恋する想いがあふれそうです
誰にも秘密
言えない秘密
心にめざめます

The Checkers - Namida no Request (1984)

Artist: The Checkers / チェッカーズ
Title: Namida no Request /
涙のリクエスト
Released: January 21, 1984
Oricon Peak Rank: 2
B-Side: あの娘とマッシュポテト

(download)

Much like in the rest of the world during the early and mid 1980s, there was a wave of nostalgia for the 1950s. This was just as so in Japan at the time, although unlike the more genuine "5-10 years lag" that created actual songs of that vein, it became a form of pastiche in the 1980s. In comes the The Checkers. After Rats & Star (formerly Chanels), The Checkers were the most visible of retro groups in 1980s Japan, and was wildly popular with the young girls at the time. As can be seen in the EP cover here, they commonly sported checkered blazers to help reinforce their image associated with the name. Their breakthrough came with their 2nd single "Namida no Request" (Tears of Request) which exemplified the the 50s pastiche a great deal, replete with simple chord structure, wailing saxophones, and rebellious-then-but-tame-today tones, an earnest love song in the backdrop of a sock hop. By the end of 1984, this single became the 4th most popular song, giving them the base to further stardom (much like how Akina Nakamori had with her 2nd single in the post previous).


(The Top Ten [ザ・トップテン])

涙のリクエスト (Namida no Request)

Music: Hiroaki Serizawa / 芹澤廣明
Lyrics: Misao Urino / 売野雅勇

涙のリクエスト 最後のリクエスト

最後のコインに 祈りをこめて Midnight D.J
ダイヤル回す あの娘に伝えて まだ好きだよと
トランジスタのヴォリューム上げて 初めて二人
躍った曲さサヨナラなんて
冷めたすぎるね ヒドイ仕打ちさ
オレの送った 銀のロケット
今では違う 誰かの写真
イイサそいつと 抱き合いながら
悲しい恋を 笑ってくれよ

涙のリクエスト 最後のリクエスト
涙のリクエスト 最後のリクエスト for you

波間に消える まぶしい夏さ 引き際せめて
カッコつけるぜ あのメロディ 口笛にして
もしも あいつに ふられた時は 同じ歌を
ダイヤルしろよ 夜中の街を
おまえをむかえに 駆けて行くから
愛を誓った メモリーリング
曲に合わせて 海に投げるよ
サヨナラがわり 二人に送る
悲しい恋のリクエストだよ

涙のリクエスト 最後のリクエスト
涙のリクエスト 最後のリクエスト for you