Two powerful singers from 70es

Every once in a while, I feel the urge that I should let you know how the Japanese popular songs are. To do that, I sure will try to compare some technicality of it with jazz. If I say the popular, don't forget that I'm an old man. The Jazz is still one of the popular songs for me. So, the popular song can't be one of those anime songs that have been around with those cyber-creatures nonsenses.

During 1970es, well, allow me to repeat that I was young and full of hope to take over the corporation that my father established, or the blood and sweat and tears of his creation. There were, or should I say, are two ladies in this world who was singing with such powerful breathing and beautiful lyrics. Yes I can broaden the limits of each definition so that the area for jazz has been widened to include Ms. Streisand.

One was Ms. Barbara Streisand, singing "Where we were" and Ms. Sayuri Ishikawa, singing "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyu-geshiki", meaning "The impression of Tsugaru Channel in Winter". The song is classified as one of the best Enka, Enka is the designation to this kind of music.

Tsugaru Channel in Winter


It may require a little explanation what this means. Tsugaru Channel is the northern most Channel running in between the Honshu Island and the Hokkaido Island. The point is that the Channel is used as the symbol of depressing loneliness in the dark cold winter.

The lyric may be in contrast each other. But both are quite sentimental. Barbara tells you her memory with someone, Sayuri tells her own depressing thinking and what she sees in her mind while traveling back to her homeland. It is nice to listen to good music and nice singers sing beautiful songs regardless of its category. That is the beauty of the art, right?

I cry over those Japanese Enkas, for the songs are too fit to my sentiment. I just cannot stop tearing. I don't know what it is. It may be the regret that I have over my past, or mere sentiment to the people I lost contact with, some may have been dead now...

Let me hear what you say on this Japaense song that have been marketed specifically in Japan

Where we were, Remember? that has passed 30 years now

I started from Helen Merrill, I mean jazz vocal. Then got into Cris Conner, and what was the other two who were called as the three daughters of that famous band leader?

My goodness, my memory is getting worse everyday. Sooner or later I might find difficult to remember own name.

Well, the thing is, when I heard Barbara Streisand first time, I was astounded by the high notes she went.

She wasn't my favorite anyway. For one thing is that her back band had always been full orchestra. Never a combo, or is there?



The way we were, remember Robert Redford? I was very much impressed with this song. Reason? yeah she had feeling. or rather, I'd put it that her voice has the expression.

I cannot recall what was with me though, I got tear comes down every time I hear this song with her. . .

It's nice. My mother died in 1973 at her age of 58, too young. I met a girl who is my present wife in 1974. My father died of cancer in 1978. It's been the best years of my life, yeah. And? I ws 30 years old then.