[Mellow & romantic]
No.165 "Ponytail" by Reimy
Hi. Today's song is "Ponytail" by "Reimy".
This is a mellow & romantic pop song performed by a singer-song writer "Reimy".
"Reimy" is a popular singer-songwriter active since the mid '80s, but she is more active as a film music composer "Remedios" recently.
If you like, please listen.
Links to the music shops, offering song samples, are located on the bottom of this page.
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Song data
| Title | Ponytail |
|---|---|
| Artist | Reimy |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | COCP-35832 |
| Track No. | 3 |
| Duration | 3:39 |
| Released | 1984 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Yumi Matsutōya Lyricist & composer
"Yumi Matsutōya" is a singer-songwriter, lyricist, composer, radio personality, and essayist active since 1971.
She is one of the most popular, revered, and influential music artists in the Japanese popular music scene, as a pioneer of the modern J-pop.
Early times
"Matsutōya" began to play the piano when she was six, then the "shamisen" at 11, and the bass at 14.
In a middle school, she created her first song, and gradually began to interact with the people in the music scene including professionals.
In 1971, she started her music career as a composer by writing a melody for the other singer.
And this lead her to debut as a singer-songwriter "Yumi Arai" (maiden name) in 1972, with the first single, "Henji-ha iranai".
Hikōki-gumo
In 1973, "Matsutōya" released her first album, "Hikōki-gumo" (Vapor trail) by having a full support from "Caramel mama", which was the most progressive pop-rock group at that time, and was teamed-up by the experts like "Haruomi Hosono".
This album is like a jewel of the J-pop, since its brand new music world was like declaring the opening of new era.
The album shocked the music fans including professionals, and well accepted. And she quickly came under the spot light.
Great
Since then, "Matsutōya" rapidly became a top singer-songwriter, and achieved new records next by next in Japan's pop music scene. And her such great music activity is still in full power even she has already celebrated her 40 years anniversary in 2012.
With no doubt, she is one of the music artists, representing Japan.
-
(Ref: ameblo.jp/atom2460/,
Yumi Arai history)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is a video clip of Matsutōya's 1980 song, "Toki-no nai Hotel" (A timeless hotel) performed at her concert tour called, "Wings of light 'The gates of heaven' tour of 1991.
"Yumi Matsutōya" is one of the pioneers, who changed the idea of live concert to "Show".
She invested millions of dollars into the stage sets & staff, and established her dream-like gorgeous concert style in the '80s.
So, this video is a part of it. She built a skeleton of a building (hotel) on the stage of the concert venue, and even installed an elevator.
In this way, she reshaped our ideas of music concert from live listening occasion to a lavish show.
If you like, please listen.
* "Toki-no nai Hotel" by "Yumi Matsutōya"
Masataka Matsutōya, & Keishi UrataArrangers
It seems that "Masataka Matsutōya" & "Keishi Urata", shared a role of arranger.
So, we would like to introduce both of them just briefly in this section.
Masataka Matsutōya
"Masataka Matsutōya" is a music producer, arranger, composer, car commentator, radio personality, Director of his music school, and a former keyboardist of a legendary band "Tin Pan Alley" (formerly "Caramel mama"), active since 1971.
He is sometimes mentioned as a partner of "Yumi Matsutōya", since she is a person often highlighted by mass media.
"Masataka Matsutōya" is known as a keyboardist of "Tin Pan Alley", which was a legendary rock instrumental group active in the '70s, and greatly contributed to evolve Japanese popular music into modern style.
After the group was disbanded, "Matsutōya" started a career as a music producer, and participated in promoting dozens of artists to date.
Keishi Urata
"Keishi Urata" is a synthesizer programmer, composer, music producer, and a member of "ARAGON", which was an authentic electronic wave band in the '80s, led by "Tatsuo Hayashi".
"Urata" is known as a leading electronic sound creator. And as a music producer, he has participated in the album productions of various bands & artists, like, "Azami", "Yōko Kanno", "Midori Karashima", "Miyuki Nakajima", or "Yōsui Ino'ue".
We could not find a suitable music clip related to him this time.
If we find any good one, will post it, later or next time.
Video clip
Finally, here is a special music clip, that dozens of Japanese celebrities are sending their cheering messages for the 2020 Olympics & Paralympics in Tokyo.
The video was originally planned by the national boradcaster, NHK. And directed by a notable creative photographer, Leslie Kee.
The music selected for this video is "Yumi Arai"'s 1974 hit song, "Yasashisa-ni tsutsumareta-nara" (When enveloped by the tenderness). And, "Masataka Matsutōya" has been an arranger since its beginning in 1974.
"Yasashisa-ni..." is one of the rare pop songs in the J-pop, since all the generations have been familiar with it.
Older generations heard, or listened this song many times from the radio or TV-set in real time.
Younger generations know this song as the theme music for an Anime-film, "Kiki's Delivery Service", released in 1989 from Studio Ghibli.
And more importantly, there is a phrase on this song singing, "Everything you see will be a message".
But they are nothing compared with the beauty, and pureness of this song.
On this video, 77 popular Japanese celebrities, who are mostly singers, actors, artists, or TV characters, are appearing. And the people like, "EPO", "Naomi Watanabe", or "Ebizō Ichikawa", are also among them, and delivering their messages.
The woman appearing in the last is certainly Yumi Matsutōya.
Are there any faces you've seen before?
Cover art today
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Romantic & mellow
This is a romantic & mellow pop song, in a moderated middle speed.
Great arrangement
The drums, bass, Glockenspiel, electronic piano, and synthesizers create a soft &relaxed introduction.
From the beginning to the end, beautifully arranged passages appear next by next. The arrangers actually did a great job.
A characteristic vocal of "Reimy" matches well with this calm but passionated image of this lyrics.
About the artist
Reimy Flowerly songwriter
"Reimy", (or more well known as a composer "Remedios" recently), is a singer-songwriter, lyricist, and composer active since 1984.
She was particularly popular from the mid '80s to the mid '90s' among the fans for chic, , stylish, & often tender pops, like "Yumi Matsutōya". And also was charming a lot of young men with her lovely atmosphere.
"Reimy" debuted in 1984 with a single, "Ai-ni DESPERATE" (Desperate to love). Since then, 22 singles, and 12 original, 7 Videos, and 10 best albums have been released until now.
Early times
"Reimy" was born to an international family in Okinawa in 1965.
Because her father is a Spanish Filipino who's job was a Jazz musician. So language wise, she became a native speaker of English. And on the music end, she began to learn the piano from childhood, and also learned the violin in a middle school.
In 1978, when "Reimy" was 13, her elder sister "Mayumi Horikawa" moved to Tokyo to be a singer.
But before debuting as a singer, "Mayumi" won in a first class model contest called "Clarion Girl contest", and became The 4th champion of Clarion Girl. (The 1st "Clarion Girl" [1975] was a popular model "Agnes Lum", from Hawaii, who caused a phenomenon in Japan in the mid '70s.)
"Mayumi" quickly became popular as a top model, and actor.
Then, in November the same year, "Mayumi" debuted as a singer with her first single, "Daddy", and the producer this time was "Masataka Matsutōya".
While "Mayumi" was working with "Matsutōya", someone around him spotted a girl appearing on the private photo of "Mayumi". That was "Raimy", a younger sister of "Mayumi".
Soon "Raimy" was invited to Tokyo. And in 1984, she debuted with her first single, "Ai-ni DESPERATE" (Desperate to love), by having a full support from "Yumi, & Masataka Matsutōya".
Incubator
"Yumi, & Masataka Matsutōya" founded an entertainment agency, "Kirara-sha" (Kirara means Mica.) when they got married.
Attached music artists were only themselves at that time, but they were planning to produce talented new artists like themselves.
And "Raimy" was the singer they found as one with high potential.
Hope
Just after a month from debut, "Reimy" released the first album, "Reimy".
Actually, it was an excellent quality album, and nothing different from the super quality albums of "Yuming (Yumi Matsutōya)"'s.
In fact, it was hard to believe that this was a first album of a new face.
Like a sister of "Yuming"
"Reimy" released 3 very good albums under the strong support from Team "Matsutōya" in 2 years.
But presumably, she had a wish to produce music by herself, since she was so musically talented. And more importantly, she was only 21.
Go to America
In 1986, she moved a label from "Columbia" to "sixty". And at the same time, she moved to the United States, and resumed album release after tagged with a capable Canadian music producer, "Trevor Veitch".
She released 3 albums while she was with "T. Veitch" & sixty label until 1988.
Among them, her 6th album, "Smooth Talk" was an album that all the lyrics were written in English, and the melodies were the latest dance-pop. It became on sale in the US as well.
One of the track titled, "Speed of light" was ranked 19th in Billboard Club Play chart in 1988.
Growing
In 1989 "Reimy" again moved the label from "sixty" to "Fun house", and resumed an album creation in Japan.
She constantly released 5 fine pop-albums until 1992. And after a short break, An Electro & dance-pop album, "Nomad" was released in 1995.
It is just a personal view, but the albums in this period seem to have the character of "Reimy".
After years of trial and error, she might confidently established her own music style.
And during this "Fun House" record period, A legendary super arranger, "Mitsuo Hagita" strongly supported "Reimy"'s album production. And it is easy to imagine that "Reimy" learned a lot on music arrangement from this Maestro.
Remedios
Around 1993, "Reimy" began to use the stage name "Remedios", when she write screen music for various films, and TV drama series.
Especially, the series of collaboration between "Remedios" & a talented film directer, "Shunji Iwai" are well known, since gentle melodies of "Remedios" matched well with the movie by Iwai.
Recent
After "Reimy" switched herself from a singer-songwriter to film composer, she had not been shoeing her face in public.
But in 2011, she was invited to a music festival, and sang 4 tracks for the first time in 17 years, according to Wikipedia.
Video clip
Finally, here is a preview of a 1995 movie, "Love letter", which is one of the most popular movie of "Shunji Iwai", who is a film directer referred earlier.
Just for your information, the leading actor is "Miho Nakayama", who is also a popular singer.
There is a quiet & peaceful piano melody on the back ground, and the composer of this music is "Remedios".
If you like, please listen.
* "Love Letter" music created by "Remedios"
Music Samples
3
(試聴する)
Amazon JP(en)
Tower records online
7net.omni7.jp
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | ポニーテイル(Ponytail) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 麗美(Reimy) |
| Album Title | 「R」 |
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