[Light & bright]
No.123 "My hero" by Mari Iijima
Hi. Today's song is "My Hero - Koibito ni naritai" (My hero - wish to be a girlfriend) by "Mari Iijima".
It is cold today. We are experiencing some snow, and it seems it is heavier in a mountain area of Japan.
On such a chilly day, let's go home early, and have some hot drink.
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.
Song data
| Title | My Hero - Koibito ni naritai |
|---|---|
| Artist | Mari Iijima |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | AMCM-4116 |
| Track No. | 4 |
| Duration | 5:22 |
| Released | 1991 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger | James Studer & Mari Iijima |
About the creators
Mari IijimaLyricist & composer
"Mari Iijima" is the lyricist and composer of this song, but the singer of this is also her.
Then, we would like to come back to her later in "About the artist" section.
James Studer & Mari IijimaArrangers
Team
The arrangers of this song are "James Studer & Mari Iijima". So, it must be a collaboration of them.
"Mari Iijima"s more detailed article will come up in the later section. So, we would like to write about "James Studer" a bit at here.
About him
Although having said that, no much information about him is available on the internet.
Please someone creates a wiki page about him.
Big names
According to the discogs and allmusic.com's data, his name first appears on Keni Burke's 1977 album "Keni Burke" as a keyboardist.
Since then, he worked with the artists like "Jimmy Messina" (ex Loggins And Messina)", "Al Jarreau" ('84 and '85), "Kalapana", "Mike Love" (The Beach Boys), and "Mari Iijima" by the year 2000.
As a self album, he had released a CD titled "Endless Summer" in 1993, in the name of his band "The LA Cowboys". As far as we see, there are no other own albums.
Continue search
So, we would like to update this section if we have found more information.
For the time being, we would lie to leave links to the mentioned web pages.
Thank you.
(Ref: discogs.com, James Studer)
(Ref: allmusic.com, James Studer)
(Ref: glorydazemusic.com,
L.A Cowboys - 1995 Endless Summer)
Cover art today
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Light & cheerful
This seems to be a light and cheerful pops in a moderate up-tempo.
Comfortable
The brush drums, bass, twin guitars, keyboards and chorus begin an introduction. Then, the string synth and the vocal join and main melody starts.
Overall, it is a light, happy, and comfortable music, then feel like the song is a short piece. So, it's a bit surprising that the duration is more than 5 minutes.
In the bridge, there is a rich and cool ensemble of the backing choruses and the read guitar.
Clear voice
Mari Iijima's clear and beautiful high-pitch voice has been famous since debut.
Additionally, singing skill as a pop singer is also very high.
That maybe why her songs are so relaxing and refreshing.
Reference
About Google translate
About the artist
Mari IijimaWonderful artist
"Mari Iijima" is a singer-songwriter, keyboardist, radio personality, TV character, music producer, actor, and voice actor active since 1982.
She debuted in 1983 with the 1st album "Rosé". Since then, 25 singles, and 35 original, 2 live(DVD), and 12 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Mari Iijima)
Before debut
She started learning the piano when she was only three. And composed the 1st melody when she was a 5th grade student at an elementary school.
It seems there was some plan to send her to Germany for studying the piano during her high school age. But she did not took that way, but chose to be a singer-songwriter.
In 1981, she enrolled in a music college to study on the piano further. And during college age, she auditioned for some record companies and passed.
Then she was scheduled to debut on 1983.
Just a short period before debuting, she did a voice character job.
And, we would like to come back on this later.
Debut
In 1983, she released the 1st album "Rosé", and debuted.
All the songs on this album were written by "Mari Iijima", and arranged by "Ryū-ichi Sakamoto".
This is a good album. If you are fond of Japanese girls pops of the '80s, it would be a good choice.
Iijima's song and performance, Sakamoto's arrangement, and backing musicians... It is worth to listen.
Full speed
From 1984 to 1989, she constantly released albums, and all sold very well.
In 1989, a long time dream of her became reality. She finally played music with American super band TOTO, whom she has been a fan of them over the years, on her 7th album "My Heart in Red".
Move to America
And around 1990, she married with an American producer, James Studer. who had been participating with her albums from 1988.
Since then, she has been to the US, and continuing working as a musician.
Active
Even after moved to the US, she constantly released albums for Japan up-to 2000.
After 2000, she began to release albums also in the US market as an Indies singer.
Actually, the sound of those albums seems to be tuned for the American market. So, they are more like the latest fine American pops. In other words, it is a new horizon of Iijima.
If possible, please compare.
She has not completely forgotten Japan, but she has resumed participating Anime related works, and occasionally appearing on the events.
About Macross
Back in 1982, a year prior to debut as a singer, she was requested to do a character voice on a new SF anime series titled, "Chō Jikū Yōsai Macross" (The Super Dimension Fortress Macross).
A role assigned for her was one of the main cast (Lynn Minmay), who was an aspiring singer, and going to be debuted in the story.
We don't know whether it was intentional or not, but its setting was actually almost overlapping with the reality of her situation.
Talented
She did this job extremely well, even it was a first experience for her. And later in 1984, she sang a main theme of a movie version of this series, and it became a smash hit.
Through these great achievement, "Iijima" left strong impressions to the anime fans across Japan.
Ambivalent
On the other hand, this left an unexpected effect on her.
She quickly became famous, but not just as "Iijima", as "Macross's Iijima".
This situation lasted long after she debuted as a singer, which was meant to be her primary job.
Even she released new songs, some fans still wanted to listen "Macross" songs. The mass media continued to call her "Macross's Iijima".
Aware
So, in a sense, the name of "Macross" became a bit of a burden for her. Actually, it was one of the reason she moved to the US, according to some interviews.
But she found something new about "Macross" in the US.
She soon noticed that "Macross" is well known in America as well as in Japan.
And her fans in overseas were sympathetic to her, by understanding the fact that she still keeps such complicated feeling toward "Macross".
Thanks to those experience, she realized the magnitude of "Macross" , and the value of her contribution to it.
Now, it seems she is working happily with "Macross" like before.
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Mari Iijima)
(Ref: pci-jpn.com, Mari Iijima interview)🇯🇵
(Ref: Mari Iijima official blog. Amoeba)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is a video clip of "Mari Iijima Live in Chicago in 2008" posted by marimusicvideos.
Seemingly, it was filmed and recorded by a handy camera. So, quality wise it is not perfect, but certainly, it is a rare movie.
If you like, please have a look.
* "Mari Iijima Live in Chicago"
Music Samples
4
(試聴する)
AD: Listening samples (Free)
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Oricon music store
Apple Music(jp)
4
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | My Hero -恋人になりたい(My Hero - Koibito ni naritai) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 飯島真理(Mari Iijima) |
| Album Title | Believe |
Comments