[Gentle & relaxing]
No.134 "Mariko" by Yukari Itoh
Hi. Today's song is "Mariko" by "Yukari Itoh".
"Yukari Itoh" is one of the longest serving, and well known popular song singer since 1958.
And this is a nice, and relaxing urban pop song released in 1982.
If you like, please listen.
Some links to the music shops offering song samples are located on the bottom of this page.
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Thank you.
1.Song data
| Title | Mariko |
|---|---|
| Artist | Yukari Itoh |
| Album Title | MISTY HOUR |
| Catalog Number | RATCD-4411 |
| Track No. | 7 |
| Duration | 4:05 |
| Released | 1982 |
| Publisher | Victor |
| Lyricist | Machiko Ryu |
| Composer | Ken Satoh |
| Arranger | Ken Satoh |
- About the creators
Machiko RyuLyricist
"Machiko Ryū" is a famed lyricist, translator (lyrics, musical), author and musical writer active since the early '70s.
Early days
"Machiko Ryū" started her career by translating the lyrics of foreign pop songs into Japanese, while in college in the late '60s.
By doing so, the Japanese pop singers could sing foreign hit songs, in a way that Japanese listeners can understand, and enjoy.
And for the people wishing to be a lyricist in popular music, writing Japanese lyrics for international pop songs was a major gateway, and also the first hurdle.
Debut and Candies
After a while, she was requested to provide her original Japanese lyrics to a fresh-debuted, on the way up folk duo "Tombo-chan", for their 2nd single in 1975.
And this seems to be her debut song wrote as a professional lyricist in Japanese popular music.
3 months later, a music producer offered "Ryu" to write a song for a rapidly rising pop group,"Candies". Because, the producer anticipated that she could write a fitting lyrics for them, since "Ryu" and the members of "Candies" were women, and in the same generation.
Here is one of the song.
"Kuchizuke no ato"(1992)
(After the kiss)
by "Candies"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select the track No.7, once new page opens.)
Hit maker
Since then, she has written hundreds of song for the various artists in the J-pop, including "Karyūdo", "Junko Ōhashi", "Naoko Kawai", "Tomoko Kuwae"... and so on.
And quite a few of them became a big hit particularly in the '70s & '80s.
Actually, her name "Machiko Ryū" was one of the most trusted brand of the lyricist.
As a translator for Musicals
In parallel, she has been a chief translator, and lyricist for various series of musicals.
The first musical she participated was an original musical "Show girl" starred by "Nana Kinomi" and "Toshiyuki Hosokawa" staged from 1974.
Awarded
After this, She has participated in various musicals from overseas, like "The Apartment" or "The Witches of Eastwick", and done great works.
And in 2016, an honorable special award of "Kazuo Kikuta theater award" were given to her, for her long time remarkable contribution to the musicals.
Ken SatohComposer & Arranger
"Ken Satō" is a keyboardist, composer and arranger active since the early '70s.
Early days
Around 1970, He started his music career as a keyboardist of the band named "Peace city", which a guitarist "Motoaki Masuo", or a music producer "Yuji Tanaka(S-KEN)" used to belonged to.
(Motoaki Masuo is a younger brother of a Jazz guitarist "Yoshiaki Masuo" .)
Minoya central station
In 1976, "Ken Satoh" teamed up a new instrumental band named "Minoya central station".
The group was formed as a backing band exclusively support a rising vocalist, "Junko Ōhashi", who later became a super singer in the Japanese pop scene, and a partner to "Ken Satō" in private.
Musicians like "Kazuaki Misago" (a leader of "Tokyo cuban boys" now.), and "Masami Tsuchiya" (a leader of a pop band Ippū-dō), were also the members of the band.
After Minoya
"Minoya" broke up in 1980. Since then, "Ken Satō" has become an independent composer & arranger, and has been offering hundreds of nice music for the various artists in the J-pop.
Cover art today
Just remind, the cover art on the above is an artistic paint, but possibly a bit sexy.
So, please be cautious before you click, and see a bigger image at the destination site.
- Sound impressions
Gorgeous & Relaxing
This is a refined and a little bit gorgeous pop song in a faster foxtrot rhythm.
Bright
In the beginning, the drums, bass, keyboard, and brass section begin a sparkling introduction. And the main melody starts.
At the main part, the guitar, acoustic piano, and percussion joins, and support Yukari Itoh's charming vocal.
Nice bright saxophone solo is played in the bridge of the song.
MISTY HOUR
Since the late '60s, "Yukari Itoh" had been singing the main stream pops mostly, then a refined urban-pop album like this is very rare.
And thanks to the producer "Tetsuji Hayashi", many skilled musicians participated in, and supported a beautiful quality of this album.
- Reference
- About the artist
Yukari ItohSpark girls
"Yukari Itoh" is a pop singer and actor active since 1958.
She is one of the longest serving, and much-loved pop singer in the Japanese popular music scene.
And "Itoh" has celebrated the 60th anniversary in the 2013.
"Yukari Itoh" debuted with a single "Kwai-gawa March" ("March from the river Kwai", or "The River Kwai March") in 1958, when she was 11.
Since then, 72 singles, and 35 original, 1 live, and 28 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Yukari Itoh)
Early days
"Yukari Itoh" started her career as a singer in the early '50s when she was 6.
Because, her father was a Jazz bassist, and as a standard life style for the musicians like him, he was touring around military camps of the Allied force.
"Yukari Itoh" was also taken to the camps, and naturally requested to sing.
That was why she started her career such early, but she was not a special case at that time.
In 1958, she released the first single record "Kwai-gawa March" (The River Kwai March or Colonel Bogey), which was a theme music for a 1957 movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai".
By launching this, she became a professional singer.
Spark girls
After the debut, "Itoh" had been releasing single records constantly.
In 1962, she was selected as a cast member for a TV variety, "Morinaga Spark Show", together with other fresh singers "Mari Sono, and "Mie Nakao".
These 3 girls were soon regarded as one team, and it was named as "Spark san-nin musume" (Spark girl's trio).
Thanks to the TV program, the group quickly became popular.
Even after the original program was ended in 1963, their activity as a trio continued.
They performed on the various programs including a legendary musical variety show, "Shabon-dama Holiday" (Soap bubble holiday).
By appearing regularly on this popular show, the name of the members of Spark girls became national class.
Koyubi-no omoide
In 1967, "Itoh" released the 23rd single (18 covers of foreign pops, and 5 original songs.), "Koyubi-no omoide", (A memory of the little finger).
Since debut, Itoh's had been singing the cover version of foreign pop songs, in other words, light, cheery melody major-scale.
So, it was a bit of challenge for her to sing a song like this, which was minor, melancholic and emotional vocal song.
But precisely because of such features, this song strongly appealed for the fans of the traditional Japanese pop music.
"Koyubi-no omoide"(1967)
(A memory of the little finger)
by "Yukari Itoh"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select the track No.1, once new page opens.)
"Koyubi-no omoide" became an amazing big hit, and it has been a signature song of "Itoh".
And, after a while, "Itoh" had continued to release this type of popular songs.
Sound in S
She spent a bit of years as a main stream pop singer after the big hit.
So, the general impression of her was a typical TV star, & a pop singer.
But in the late 70s, she had an opprtunity to participate a new style TV music program, and it changed her impression a bit more special.
In 1977, she became a presenter of a stylish, and a bit sophisticated TV music variety show titled, "Sound in S".
And through this program, she successfully delivered different charms of her to the audience.
On this program, she performed a beautiful Jazz vocal together with the gorgeous guests.
And whenever the program invited some foreign guests, "Yukari Itoh" interviewed for them in her fluent English, which she acquired when she was singing in the military camps.
This program was very popular among the adult listeners.
People noticed another beauty of "Itoh" through this fashionable program.
Recent
Since, then she has been singing as one of the top singer, and also appearing on a TV drama series as an actor.
In the 2005, "Itoh" and 2 other members of "Spark Girls" agreed to restart the activity as a team.
And they enthusiastically, holding regular concerts in various places.
In 2013, she celebrated 60 years anniversary of her singer career, and released a new album "Memories of me".
On this album, she is covering '70s popular hit songs, including other singer's song as well.
It is a kind of album only a veteran, but active singer like her can create.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Yukari Itoh)
(Ref: jisin.jp, Spark girls)🇯🇵
(Ref: recoroma K BLOG,
Yukari Itoh, MISTY HOUR (1982, Victor))🇯🇵
Video clip
There aren't any suitable, or alternative Video clip relating to her.
So, we would like to put some if we find it in the future.
For a relief song, we would like to introduce a nice Adult contemporary music, "Perfect World, Perfect Girls" by "Tetsuji Hayashi" released in 2015.
"Tetsuji Hayashi" is a known composer, arranger, singer-songwriter, and the producer of Yukari Itoh's album "Misty Blue".
This 2015 album "Touch the Sun" has released after 22 years interval from 1993, but nice as we had expected.
Thank you.
* "Perfect World, Perfect Girls" by "Tetsuji Hayashi"
Songwriter's Version（Trailer)
by "Tetsuji Hayashi"
01:39
* The content may contain adverts.
- Samples from online music stores
About the samples
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.7.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
AD :
Free listening samples
Amazon JP(en)
Tower records online
hmv.co.jp
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | マリコ (Mariko) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 伊東ゆかり (Yukari Itoh) |
| Album Title | MISTY HOUR |
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