Showing posts with label One Hit Wonder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label One Hit Wonder. Show all posts

Nov 6, 2010

Tomoko Kuwae - Watashi no Heart wa Stop Motion (1979)

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

Dec 31, 2008

Kazuko Matsumura - Kaette Koi yo (1980)

Artist: Kazuko Matsumura / 松村和子
Title:
Kaette Koi yo / 帰ってこいよ
Released:
April 21, 1980
Oricon Peak Rank:
5
B-Side:
やん衆哀歌

(download)


Kazuko Matsumura was somewhat of a flash-in-the-pan when she came into the music world plucking merrily on her shamisen in her debut song "Kaette Koi yo" (Come Back, My Love); a veritable youngster at the age of eighteen for a singer of an Enka tune. The song slowly grew on the Japanese populace through the end of 1980 and well into 1981. Although one may consider this to be a more pop-friendly kind of Enka song, the slightly melancholy aspect of the lyrics washed over in its rollicking melody, and the shamisen twanging away not in yearning, but just as accents. Regardless, the song proved popular enough to grant her a coveted spot in the New Year's Eve Red-White Song Competition in 1981, and that was the capstone for her musical career. Although she would continue recording into the decade, she is best known for this song, one of Japan's most treasured one-hit wonders.

帰ってこいよ (Kaette Koi yo)


Music:
Noboru Ichidai / 一代のぼる
Lyrics:
Tadao Hirayama / 平山忠夫

きっと帰って くるんだと

お岩木山で 手を振れば

あの娘は小さく うなずいた

茜の空で 誓った恋を

東京ぐらしで 忘れたか

帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ


白いリンゴの 花かげで

遊んだ頃が なつかしい

気立てのやさしい 娘だったよ

お前の嫁に 欲しかったねと

おふくろ今夜も ひとりごと

帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ


可愛いあの娘の 帰る日を

お岩木山で 今日もまた

津軽の風と 待っている

忘れはしまい あの約束の

こんなにきれいな 茜空

帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ 帰ってこいよ