[Song Review #115] "22 shoku-no shū-matsu" by Tadao Inoue
Hi. Today's song is "22 shoku-no shū-matsu" (22 Colors of a weekend) by "Tadao Ino-ue".
This is a slightly tender and sentimental song compared with our regular post, but might go well with a cool autumn atmosphere.
By the way, his family name "Inoue" is pronounced as "I-no-u-e", so we put a hyphen in the middle (like "Ino-ue") for reading sake.
Some articles have been put away in a " ▼Memo " tab in each section, so please click it to read.
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Thank you.
1.Song data
| Title | 22 shoku-no shū-matsu (22 Colors Of Weekend) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Tadao Ino-ue |
| Album Title | Dancing Shadows (2014 Remaster) |
| Catalog Number | KICS-3089 |
| Track No. | 3 |
| Duration | 3:40 |
| Released | 1979 |
| Publisher | King records |
| Lyricist | Yōko Ino-ue |
| Composer | Tadao Ino-ue |
| Arranger | Mitsuo Hagita |
- About the creators
Yōko Ino-ueLyricist
"Yoko Ino-ue" was primarily a partner to "Tadao Ino-ue" who was a composer and singer of this song.
And it seems she had not written many lyrics, and the most of her lyrics were exclusively prepared for her husband "Tadao Ino-ue" to sing as far as we see.
Top model
In the late '60s, "Yoko Ino-ue", (or "Yoko Numazawa" in her maiden name), was a famous photo model, and often appearing on the women's magazines.
In 1970, after 4 years long of courtship, "Yoko Numazawa" finally married with "Tadao Ino-ue".
Since then it seems she began to wrote a few lyrics for her husband.
As long as we have read, her lyrics is very good.
They are poetic, literary and modest, so we think we were more happy if she could left more lyrics.
Yes. she was called to heaven in 2001.
Tadao Ino-ueComposer
Tadao Ino-ue was a singer, composer, arranger and saxophonist active from 1963 to 2000.
He was known as a member of the '60s popular band "Blue comets". And also famous as a talented composer wrote dozens of super hit songs for the various artists throughout his career.
Because he was the performer of today's song, we would like to come back on him later in "About the artist" section.
Mitsuo HagitaArranger
"Mitsuo Hagita" is a prolific and long serving arranger active since 1973. Some says he has arranged more than 4000 songs to date.
His contribution to the J-pop on song arrangement is enormous, and often named as one of the leading arranger.
Debut
"Mitsuo Hagita" started his career by arranging a song titled "Hitoribocchi-no heya" (My lonely room) in 1973, which was a debut single for "Masa Takagi" who later became a popular singer-songwriter.
The song was arranged in a country music style, which was quite popular in the early 70s in Japan.
Eventually, it became an "OK" hit song for a newly debuted singer.
For "Hagita" too. It was fair enough, and through this success, he was noticed as a capable novice arranger from the people around him.
In gear
From the next year(1974), "Hagita" began to arrange the melodies of a known composer and hit maker "Kyōhei Tsutsumi".
At that time, "Kyōhei Tsutsumi" was providing songs for high-potential new singers, namely "Hiromi Ohta" and "Hiromi Iwasaki".
"Hagita" took care of the debut songs of both singers. They were "Amadare" (Water drops on branches) for "H. Ohta" and "Duette" for "H. Iwasaki."
"Amadare" (1974)
by "Hiromi Ohta" &
"Duette" (1975)
by "Hiromi Iwasaki"
(You can still listen these songs by clicking the banner. Please select the track No.1(1st) or 5(2nd) once the page is open.)
Both are in minor key and straight forward melody. But it is reflecting the preference of the main stream market in the '70s.
Anyway, luckily, each tittle became a steady hit. And still have been the tunes well memorized by the people, as the debut songs of "H. Ohta" and "H. Iwasaki, who both have been big stars of J-pop for a long time.
And through this achievements, "Hagita" became a lot busier.
Top speed
"Hagita" is also known as a leading arranger for a '70s legendary vocalist "Momoe Yamaguchi"....
But sorry, we would like to take a break on the topic at this point, otherwise it gets too long. Please allow us to continue about him in other opportunities.
(Ref: Wikipedia, Mitsuo Hagita)
(Ref: music-calendar.jp,2016061601)🇯🇵
(Ref: rmaj.or.jp,talkplus No.8)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is small clip of a music event held by an NPO named RMAJ (Recording musicians Association Japan) in 2015.
A gentleman wearing white soft shirt is Mr. Hagita. The other gentleman wearing blue shirt is a violinist and chairman of RMAJ, Mr. "Masatsugu Shinozaki"
* "Talk plus live Vol.8"
Cover art today
- Sound impressions
Calm & tender
This song seems to be a calm and tender, acoustic ballad in moderated speed in 8th note rhythm.
Sweet and gentle voice
After the classical guitar keyboard (Fender rhodes?) and the vocal complete the slow and floating introduction, the drums, bass, and electric guitar join and begin the main part.
In the bridge, the string section also joins. And the alt sax performs a solo.
"Ino-ue"s sweet and gentle voice had been famous since "Blue comets" time. And it is still beautiful and has power to heal the listeners.
- Reference
- About the artist
Tadao Ino-ueA blue comet
Overview
"Tadao Ino-ue", or "Daisuke Ino-ue" (from 1981), was a singer, composer, arranger, flutist and saxophonist active from 1963 to 2000.
"Ino-ue" started his music career in 1963, by joining to a band called "Blue comets", which later became one of the most popular group in the '60s nation wide "GS" (Group sounds = Japanese English)* movement.
After left the group in 1972, he became a solo artist and an independent composer. And continued to be active until he departed in 2000.
During "blue comets" days, "Ino-ue" participated in 27 singles and 17 albums of the band.
As a solo singer, he released 2 singles, 12 original, and 4 best albums at least. But maybe there are some more.
So, In this section, we would like to write the article roughly in this flow.
- Blue comets time
(1963-1972) - As a composer
- As a solo singer
(1973-2000)
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Tadao Ino-ue)
"Blue comets"
As referred, "Ino-ue" entered music business in 1963 by joining a pop band called "Jackie Yoshikawa & Blue comets".
Someday, when "Ino-ue" was playing a Jazz at a music cafe, band leader "Jackie Yoshikawa" approached, and invited "Ino-ue" to his band "Blue comets as a lead vocalist and wind instrument(Sax & flute) player.
"Blue comets" is a band originally formed in 1957 to perform the latest Jazz and pop music by themselves, or worked as a backing band for various leading vocalists.
In 1962, "Jackie Yoshikawa" became a leader of the band, and began to hunt the suitable members for his music. And finally in 1966, they released their first single "Blue eyes".
This record became a big hit, and sold half a million disks at that time.(It was a great success indeed.)
And they say that "Blue eyes" was one of the origin of the "Group sounds (GS)" boom.
Group sounds (GS)
By the way, "Group sounds (GS)" is Japan's first intense band boom which was emerged in the mid '60s, and lasted until the early '70s.
It actually became a social phenomenon, and created a lot of good and bad episodes.
But certainly, this was a historic wave on Japan's music culture, and a spearhead for the evolution of modern popular music began in the '70s.
They say the boom was triggered by the success of British bands like "The Rolling Stones", or "The Beatles". And there were more than 100 groups in the peak period.
Now, here is a music crip of "The Tigers" which was a typical, and the most popular band in the Group sounds boom.
We hope if you could feel the atmosphere of GS a bit.
* "The tigers" Special photos
For some more details, please check with the linked article like Wikipedia.
Solo debut
In 1972, "Blue comets" pushed through the band reforming, and 3 core members, including "Ino-ue" left the group.
Since then, he started as a solo artist for his second stage. And at the same time, he began to offer melodies to the other artists as a professional composer.
Remarkable composer
Actually, "Ino-ue" had been a reputed composer since "Blue comets" time.
Not just quite a few of band's songs were written by him, but their biggest hit song, and one of the J-pop standard "Blue Chateau" was also his melody.
So, it was quite natural for him to start a composer's job, we suppose.
Soon in 1973, a song titled "Koi-no telephone 6700" (Love dial 6700), which "Ino-ue" wrote for an Okinawan siblings band "Finger-5", became a super hit.
"Koi-no telephone 6700"
(1973)
by "Finger-5"
And in 1974 the next year, a new song titled "Gakuen Tengoku" (Heavenly school life), for the same group became amazingly popular.
So, through these success, "Ino-ue" established his name as a capable independent composer for popular music.
"Runaway"
"Ino-ue" continued to move forward. In 1980, he wrote a nice melody titled "Runaway" for a newly debuting unique doo-wop group "Shanels" (or "Rats & star" later).
This debut single sold more than a million disks, and the band quickly became popular.
"Runaway"(1980)
by Shanels
"Ino-ue" continued to support this band by providing a nice music. And in 1983, the band and "Ino-ue" had an another big hit titled "Me-gumi no hito"(A woman from "Me" team).
By these series of hits, "Shanels" (Rats&star) established their name, and "Ino-ue" entered into a "renowned composer" group.
And not only these four, dozens of shining hit songs are listed on "Ino-ue"s discography as a composer.
Anime song
In parallel, he had been releasing solo albums since 1976 to 1999.
All of his albums were well supported by fans, but his 1981 album "Ai-Senshi" (Soldiers of Sorrow) was a little special. Because, it was also supported by a huge number of Anime fans.
The reason why "Ai-Senshi"(ai, not ei-ai) became popular among anime fans were that the song was a theme music for a popular anime movie "Mobile Suit Gundam II, Soldiers of Sorrow".
Since the directer of Gundam film, namely "Yoshiyuki Tomino" is a classmate for "Ino-ue" at college. So, "Tomino" requested a song to "Ino-ue".(by Wikipedia)
Depending on the category and story, he can design the best suitable melody.
Great composer.
Being a legend
It was a bit too early, but he departed in 2000 at the age of 58.
In fact, the composer like him is rare in these days who can write warm, friendly. bit sentimental, and not-too-stylish kind of melodies.
We would like to write some more about him in other opportunities.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Tadao Ino-ue)
(Ref: inoue-daisuke.com,profile)🇯🇵
(Ref: discogs.com, Tadao inoue)
- 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)
hmv.co.jp
Tower records online
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 22色の週末 (22 shoku-no shū-matsu) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 井上忠夫 (Tadao Ino-ue) |
| Album Title | Dancing Shadows (2014 Remaster) |
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