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Artist: Tomoko Kuwae / 桑江知子
Title: Watashi no Heart wa Stop Motion /
私のハートはストップモーション
Released: January 25, 1979
Oricon Peak Rank: 12
B-Side: たずねびと
(download)
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.
私のハートはストップモーション
(Watashi no Heart wa Stop Motion)
Music: Shunichi Tokura / 都倉俊一
Lyrics: Machiko Ryu / 竜真知子
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
あなたに出逢ったまぶしさに
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
通りすぎるなんて できないわ
ノックもなしに飛びこんできた恋
私あなたをはなさいわ
マンションのエレベーター降りたとたん
出逢いがしら はじけた熱い視線
春先によくある アクシデントなのに
感じたときめき ああ せつなすぎる
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
あなたに出逢った ときめきに
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
こんな熱いショックはじめてよ
春と一緒に舞こんできた恋
私あなたをはなさないわ
あなたのその燃える胸に飛び込むまで
冬のコート着ていた私の心
暖かな陽ざしにブラインド降ろして
恋するやさしさ ああ 忘れていた
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
あなたに出逢ったまぶしさに
ああ 私のハートはストップ・モーション
通りすぎるなんてできないわ
ノックもなしに飛びこんできた恋
私あなたをはなさいわ
Artist: Hiromi Ohta / 太田裕美
Title: Amadare / 雨だれ
Released: November 1, 1974
Oricon Peak Rank: 14
B-Side: 白い季節
(download)
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.
(17th Japan Record Awards [第17回日本レコード大賞])
雨だれ
(Amadare)
Music: Kyohei Tsutsumi / 筒美京平
Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto / 松本隆
ひとり 雨だれは淋しすぎて
あなた 呼びだしたりしてみたの
ふたりに傘がひとつ
冬の街をはしゃぐ風のように
寒くはないかと気づかうあなたの
さりげない仕草に気持がときめく
淋しがりやどうし 肩よせあって
つたえあうのよ 弾む恋の芽ばえ
何故か あなたに甘えたくなって
そっと 腕を組んだ街角よ
ふたりの影はひとつ
いつか愛に優しく包まれて
見つめる瞳にふれあい探すの
心がほのかに高まってゆくのよ
淋しがりやどうし そっと寄りそい
感じあうのよ 熱い恋の芽ばえ
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
(download)
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
Artist: Jun Mayuzumi / 黛ジュン
Title: Tenshi no Yuuwaku / 天使の誘惑
Released: May 1, 1968
Oricon Peak Rank: 3
B-Side: ブラック・ルーム
(download)
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
好きなのにあの人はいない
話し相手は涙だけなの
幸せはオレンジ色の
雲の流れに流れて消えた
私の唇に人さし指で
くちづけしてあきらめた人
ごめんなさいねあの日のことは
恋の意味さえ知らずにいたの
砂浜で泣きまねをすると
やさしい声が流れてくるの
思い出はオレンジ色の
雲のかなたに浮かんでいるの
私の唇に人さし指で
くちづけしてあきらめた人
今ここにあの人がいたら
陽にやけた胸に飛び込むでしょう
飛び込むでしょう
飛び込むでしょう
飛び込むでしょう . . .
Artist: Tomoko Kuwae / 桑江知子
