Monday, January 2, 2017

Listening to an old Japanese song, Jidai Okure/ Carlos Pueblo

Listening to an old Japanese song, Jidai Okure/ Carlos Pueblo

Recently I have enjoyed very much by listening to an old Japanese
Song called Jidai Okure, means an old timer, I want to be an old
timer, Jidai okure no otoko ni nalitai which is the last sentence of
the lyric. Even though I don’t quite understand the poem written
by the famous poet, Yu Aku, yet I fully appreciate the melody
composed by Koichi Morite, first sang by a 34 years old male singer
, Eigo Kawashima who was deceased 14 years later with lever disease
at age 48. It is a sad song which I admit to release my stress from my
last European trip. There are records of several famous singers, male
or female, to sing with Kawashima before his death including my
favorite, Sayuri Ishikawa for their two individual hit songs of 1976,
the winter scenery of the Straight of Tsunalu and  the Tear and Sake
and Man and Woman by Ishikawa and Kawashima accordingly. I love
this brief piece very much.

What is the song about? I cannot find the translation both in English
and Chinese language and my Japanese is not sufficient to understand
the poem; however, an internet report by an audient indicates that
NHK has an introduction of the motive of Aku for his sorry feeling
toward the new generation of Japanese in the Bubble era, traveling
and consuming at hostess restaurant etc. He wrote the piece and with
the help of Morite. Kawashima was a singer and movie star due to his
hit song the tear and sake and man and woman which is a passion song
as well. It becomes a commercial for sake product yet not quite reach
the top ranking roll of Japanese billboard. Kawashima had talent in
music could play several instruments such as piano, guitar, and harmonic.
He was tall, 6’2”, and handsome and before his death, many famous lady
singers singing with him with the Tear song while after his death, many
famous male singers singing his Jidai in memory of him, especially one
that caught my attention, Takeo Horiuchi, a fellow composer, singer, and
movie star. I watch a piece on the You tube which seems that he is singing
to him and ask him to come back and many audients wipe their tear.

I was sorry for his early death and the loss to his family; however, it seemed
to me that he had a very happy family and a very successful career with a
steady income from his singing, acting, and business venture.




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