[Relaxed Bossa]
No.87 "JE M’NNUIE" by Hi-Fi Set
Hi. Today's song is "Je m'nnuie" (Feel languid) by "Hi-Fi Set".
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Index
1. Song data
| Title | Je m'nnuie (Feel languid) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Hi-Fi Set |
| Album Title | Fashionable Lover |
| Catalog Number | MHCL-30029 |
| Track No. | 3 |
| Duration | 4:23 |
| Released | 1976 |
| Publisher | Alfa records |
| Lyricist | Yumi Arai |
| Composer | Toshiyuki Watanabe |
| Arranger | Masataka Matsutōya |
- About the creators
Yumi Arai
"Yumi Arai" is the maiden name of a super singer-songwriter "Yumi Matsutoya".
We feel there is a boundary in between "before" and "after" Yumi Arai on the J-pop history.
Before Yumi Arai, Japan's pop music was mostly a orthodox and understood type music, or minor arrange version of the western pop-rock of '50s or '60s.
But the music she released in early '70s were totally new in terms of both in melodies and lyrics.
Many competent followers debuted after her, and her music quickly became an established style, which later called "New music".
It was like hearing the opening announcement of the new era for the J-pop.
We think we might be able to write on her in other opportunity. So please look forward to.
Here is an advertising clip of her 45 years anniversary best album, but contains the earliest songs when she was "Yumi Arai".
* Pure eyes
Toshiyuki Watanabe
Toshiyuki Watanabe is a composer, arranger, conductor, and a professor at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.
He has started his career as a drummer and keyboardist of a famous folk song group "Akai-tori" (red bird). After breakup of the band in 1975, he went to the US to study in Berklee College of Music.
After come back to Japan, he has written hundreds of movie and TV scores, and quite a few of them are for hit products.
At the same time, he has long been a music producer and arranger for a popular singer-songwriter "Masashi Sada". This is also a famous his job.
Masataka Matsutōya
Masataka Matsutōya is a producer, arranger, composer, car commentator and a former keyboardist of a legendary rock group Tin Pan Alley.
Additionally, he has been a partner for Yumi Matsutōya since they have married in 1976.
As an arranger, he has taken part in all the songs of "Yumi Matsutōya" since her early days.
He has also participated with the hundreds of popular songs of other artists, and the various TV or commercial theme musics as well.
Cover art
- Sound impressions
Relaxed Bossa
This is a lazy and relaxed Bossa nova song in slow tempo.
The main part is sang by a cool and soft voice of male, and the beautiful chorus of the other members create a fine resort atmosphere.
Simple & calm
Backing instrumentals are also simple and calm.
The drums, bass, acoustic guitar and the electric piano form an ensemble and play a gentle harmony.
In the bridge, a horn section takes part in but in controlled way, and adds a richness.
- Reference
- About the artist
Wonderful chorus
Hi-fi set was a 3 membered (1 woman plus 2 men) pops chorus group forked from popular band "Akai-tori" in 1974.
Hi-fi set
They debuted in 1975 with single "Sotsugyō shashin" (Graduation photo). Since then, 28 singles, and 20 original plus 14 best albums have been released until now.
Sotsugyō shashin
By the way, "Sotsugyō shashin" (Graduation photo, usually in a group) is a little sentimental slow vocal track, but one of the most well known graduation song in Japan.
As a proof, it has been covered by other professional singers at least 29 times until now.
This song was written by Yumi Arai as a debut single for Hi-fi set in 1975. But just in 3 months time, Yumi Arai released her own version in her album "Cobalt hour".
Both became a big hit song, and they are regarded as a standard number now a days.
Since this, Hi-fi set sang quite a few of Arai's songs, and the most of them became a smash hit. [Tsumetai-ame(cold rain), Chū-ō free way etc.)]
Here is a sample of Hi-fi set version. (Yumi Arai version is not available.)
"Sotsugyō shashin"
Feelings
In 1976, they covered Morris Albert's hit song "Feelings" in Japanese lyrics.
This little sentimental Japanese arranged version became a big hit in 1977.
And lucky enough, they were chosen as a participant of the prestigious special TV hit parade being broadcasted only once a year on the new year's eve.
(This was a status for the singers at that time, and usually associated with an economical advantage.)
Since then, they had been one of the most popular pop chorus group until their break up in 1994.
"Feelings"
The tree of chorus group
Japan is one of the countries where chorus groups in various styles are traditionally thriving.
In the 50s, several male chorus groups, such as "Dark ducks", "Bonny Jacks", originated from college chorus circle, debuted and performed high quality, fairly legitimate chorus ensembles.
There were few of good female chorus groups, like "The three graces", "Singers three" etc.
But they were more like a professional recording chorus team, and less visible compared with the male's.
In the 60s, the groups like "The wild ones", "Pinky & killers" released a several hit songs with more pops oriented arrangement.
And in the '70s, a mixed chorus group with fashionable music style finally debuted. That was our "Hi-fi set".
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Chorus group)
(It seems there are no official video clips for the above mentioned groups.
We wonder if the VEVO in the US like official clips become available.)
Please let us continue with them in the next opportunity. Thank you very much.
- 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
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Apple Music(jp)
3
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | ジュ マンニュイ (Je m'nnuie) |
|---|---|
| Artist | ハイ・ファイ・セット (Hi-Fi Set) |
| Album Title | Fashionable Lover |
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