[Light & brisk]
No.5 "Cruising On" by Bread&Butter

Small Yacht At Sea
Small Yacht At Sea Photo by Petr Kratochvil, publicdomainpictures.net under CC0 license

Hi. Today's song is "Cruising On" by "Bread & Butter".

The article might look differently for the revisited guests since we have updated.

Wish it could still be of some use to you.


Some articles have been put away in a " ▼Memo " tab in each section, so please click it to read.

If the " ▼Memo " tab does not open, please enable the Java script in your browser.


Thank you.


1.   Song data

1.   Song data
Title Cruising On
Artist Bread & Butter
Album Title Monday Morning
Catalog Number MHCL-642
Track No. 3
Duration 4:25
Released
Publisher Alfa records
Lyricist Michio Yamagami
Composer Satsuya Iwasawa
Arranger Masaki Matsubara

  1. About the creators

Michio Yamagami

Michio Yamagami is a great lyricist in the main stream popular song field active since late '60s.

He has written dozens of very famous hit songs to date, therefore the list of his works almost looks like a carbon copy of hit song list, particularly for the '70s.


* Yoake no Scat

Here is a one of his hit song of the '70s performed by "Saori Yuki".

This song "Yoake no Scat"(A scat singing in the dawn) had recently enjoyed a revival, and the singer Saori Yuki appeared on stage with an American "little orchestra" - Pink Martini.

This video clip is a part of it.

(Ref: Wikipedia, Michio Yamagami)


Satsuya Iwasawa

"Bread & Butter" is a band of "Iwasawa" brothers, and "Satsuya Iwasawa" is an elder.

We would like to come back on him later in the artist section.

(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Satsuya Iwasawa)


Masaki Matsubara

"Masaki Matsubara" was a legendary guitarist and arranger in J-pop and Jazz fusion field, active from mid '70s until recently.

He is perhaps the best known as a guitarist of "Parachute", which was one of the top fusion band in the '80s.

But, even after the band was broken up in 1982, he continued energetic and brilliant guitar play until he departed in 2016.

(Ref: Wikipedia, Masaki Matsubara)


* Video clip

Here is a picture of Mr. Masaki Matsubara from an advertising video of Digimart.

Please have a look.


Cover art

AD : Amazon.co.jp  (Via af.moshimo.com)

Monday Morning

(Digital music, Amazon.co.jp)
Bread and Butter, 1980.


  1. Song image & Lyrics


Link to the lyrics


  1. Sound impressions

Light & brisk

This seems to be a light, brisk and refreshing pop song in the middle speed on 8-beat.


A simple ensemble by the bass, drums, percussion, electric piano and the electric guitars start the introduction together with the vocal.

A beautiful chorus of Bread & Butter appears in the middle part of the song, and attracts us marvelously .

Nice solo play of the trumpet is in the bridge, and making the song pretty cool.


  1. Reference





  1. About the artist

Bread & ButterA pioneering pop duo

"Bread & Butter" is a pop duo formed by "Iwasawa" brothers, namely "Satsuya" and "Fuyumu" in 1969.

Their light, stylish and urban feel sound with sunny, seaside feeling is well known, and regarded as one of the pioneers of the category called "city-pop".


Discs

The debut single was "Kizu-darake no Karuizawa"(Heartache Karuizawa, "Karuizawa" is the name of the resort.). Since then, 41 singles, and 21 original, 2 live, and 22 best albums have been released until now.

(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Bread&Butter)

AD : Amazon.co.jp  (Via af.moshimo.com)

Organizing a band

Prior to graduation, "Satsuya Iwasawa" went to America on the pretext of "job searching" in the late '60s.

After breathing the air of freedom in the United States, he decided to become self-reliant, and not taking a job.


Simon & Garfunkel

During the travel, he had an opportunity to attend the concert of "Simon & Garfunkel" at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

This gave him inspiration. "Satsuya Iwasawa" started thinking about creating a folk duo formed by brothers.


Inviting Fuyumi and debut

After coming back to Japan, "Satsuya" asked his younger brother "Fuyumi" to join for his plan.

They then challenged for the audition to be a professional singer.

The team luckily past the test, and debuted in 1969.


From the debut to 1976

Since the beginning, the band was achieving moderate success.

But in 1976, they stopped singing, and opened a coffee shop in their home town called "Chigasaki", where is the place often referred to as Mecca of marine sports in Japan.


During a break

While they are enjoying running a coffee shop, a lot of various friends, including "Yumi Matsutōya" or "Monsieur Kamayatsu" visited their shop often, and gave a great stimulus to them.

This generated an energy to resume inside of them. And in 1979, they decided to restart their music activity.


From 1979 to now

It seems they have successfully established their music style during this 3 years break.

After the restart in 1979, they released their 6th album "Late Late Summer".

AD : Amazon.co.jp 

This was a very good, and epoch making album, since they have finally reached to the true "Bread & Butter" sound for the first time on their history.

(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Bread&Butter)

(Ref: Shokutaku On-gaku, 2008-09-26)

(Ref: En-tame station, Bread&Butter,2015-09-25)


For the next time

We would like to stop writing before the article becomes too long.

Please allow us to continue this for the next opportunity.


* Shall we live together?

Finally, here is a recent video clip of "Bread & Butter" for your interest.


  1. Samples from online music stores

About the samples

Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.3.

Trial button is on the left side of the song title.

AD : Free listening samples



8. Japanese Letters

8. Japanese Letters
Song Title クルージング・オン
(Cruising On)
Artist ブレッド & バター
(Bread & Butter)
Album Title Monday Morning








- Written by Satsuma -

Comments

Omar Copado said…
Hello I have been listening songs of this great Japanese group Bread & Butter and I´m triyng to find out the singer´s name? from the Japanese Woman, Monday Morning, Cruising On and so on

Thank you
Omar Copado said…
Hello I have been listening songs of this great duo Bread & Butter such as Japanese Woman, Monday Morning, Cruising On, and so on, and I would like to know the Singer´s name for these songs, I think she is not credited on the group´s information

Thank you

Greetings
Satsuma said…
Hi Omar,

Thank you for your comment.

A male pop duo "Bread & Butter" has been active since 1969, and its members are,

"Satsuya Iwasawa" & "Fuyumi Iwasawa".

As you see, they are brothers, and "Satsuya" is the elder one.

We just put on a link to their page on Japanese Wikipedia (via Google Translate), so please have a look.

Bread & Butter - Wikipedia

There are some possibly useful links also on the page, so please check them as well.

Finally, we are not sure who do you mean by "she". Could you clarify if necessary?

Thank you, and come again.

Satsuma