[Song Rev.#169]
"Tonogata gomen asobase" by Maria Asahina
Hi. Today's song is "Tono-gata gomen asobase " (Sorry gentlemen) by "Maria Asahina".
This is a sunny, comical, and touch sexy Charleston music performed by a model & singer, "Maria Asahina."
Perfectly happy, humorous, and yet elegant song like this is rare, and precious in Japan.
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 | Tono-gata gomen asobase |
|---|---|
| Artist | Maria Asahina |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | DYCL 192 |
| Track No. | 8 |
| Duration | 2:56 |
| Released | 1979 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Michio Yamagami Lyricist
Michio Yamagami is a lyricist active since around the mid '60s.
He was particularly shining in the '70s, and wrote dozens of national popular hit songs.
Certainly, one of the greatest lyricists in the history of the main stream popular music n Japan.
Early times
Michio Yamagami started his career as a lyricist in around the early '60s
In the beginning, "Yamagami" tagged with a capable composer "Taku Izumi", and began to create jingles for Radio and TV Commercials.
Already in 1963, Yamagami wrote a hit CM "Meiji Marble chocolate ". And in 1965, he also wrote a popular CM "Mizumushi-no uta" (The athlete's Foot song).
Through these excellent works, he gradually gained recognition.
Big hit
In 1967, one of his TV advertising jingle became popular. It was then expanded to full size, and relaunched as a single record.
The song titled "Sekai-ha futari-no tameni" (The world exists for the two of us.) was sang by an up-and-coming singer "Naomi Sagara".
This song became a surprising big hit, and "Yamagami" became widely known as a capable lyricist.
crank out hit songs
As the 70s (almost) began, Yamagami started to release hit songs one after another. For example,
- Saori Yuki
- Yoake-no scat (Scat in the dawn, 1969)
- Ryōtarō Sugi, Tadashi Yokouchi
- Ah Jinsei-ni namida ari (Tears in Life, 1969)
- Akai tori
- Tsubasa-wo kudasai (Please give me wings, 1971)
- Junji Ino'ue
- Osewa-ni narimashita (Thank you & Good bye, 1971)
- Rumiko Koyanagi
- Seto-no hanayome (A bride in Seto [inland sea], 1972)
- Agnes Chan
- Hinageshi-no hana (Shirley poppy, 1972)
- Mari Amachi
- Koi-suru natsu-no hi (A crush on a summer day, 1973)
- Michiyo Azusa
- Futari-de osake-wo (Shall we drink?, 1974)
- Koutaro Yamamoto & Weekend
- Misaki meguri (A cape excursion tour, 1974)
- Senri & Mari Unabara
- Osaka rhapsody (1976)
etc, etc. (Please see his wikipedia page for a full list.)
(Wikepedia-JP, Michio Yamagami)
These songs are not just a hit song.
But they are still popular standrad numbers, and all of them are signature songs for each artists.
Great lyricist.
Video clip
Lastly, this is a music clip of a classical folk song "Tsubasa-wo kudasai (Please Give Me Wings.)" , performed by an American-Japanese singer, Chris Hart & chor.
"Tsubasa-wo kudasai" was originally a folk song written in 1971 by "Michio Yamagami" (Lyrics) & "Kunihiko Murai" (melody), for a 5 + 3 piece folk group, "Akai tori" (Red bird).
The song has been particularly preferred by the chorus groups in schools, or music circles. And repeatedly performed at the concerts, or competitions.
Then, the song has been one of the most popular standard number for the choirs in all over Japan.
The singer, Chris Hart was originally an amateur musician in the United States.
But he debuted as a professional singer, after he came over to Japan in 2009.
If you like, please listen.
Kōichi Sugiyama Composer & Arranger
Kōichi Sugiyama is a composer, arranger, conductor, and director of various organizations, active since around 1950s.
He is particularly well known as a music creator for a national popular Roll playing game series, "Dragon Quest".
Early times
Sugiyama seems to be a musically active student throughout his high school & college period.
After graduating from university, Sugiyama was invited from a leading radio station, and joined in the mid '50s.
And in 1958, Sugiyama found a new job in a newly opening TV broadcaster, "FUJI television", and began to work as a director.
He made a great contribution in the beginning of the television age, but in 1965, he left the TV station to apply himself to a job as a composer & arranger.
After he became independent, he began to support the groups like "The tigers", or "The peanuts" by providing music for them.
His well known hit songs, "Amairo-no kami-no otome", "Hana-no kubi-kazari", or "Gakuseigai-no kissa-ten" were also written in this period.
Anime & CM music
In the '70s, Sugiyama began to write the theme music for TV anime series, and about a dozen of them were aired.
On the other hand, he also started to write commercial jingles for TV ads, and they have has amounted to 2000, according to Wikipedia.
Dragon Quest
In Japan, there is a national popular TV Roll Playing Game (RPG) series titled "Dragon Quest".
It has been so popular, and we guess the half Japanese aged under 60 might have played this game once.
On this game, one of the key elements is an excellent set of BGMs, and they have been created by Sugiyama from the start until now.
Because of the huge popularity of the series, the amount of royalties for "the opening theme of "Dragon Quest", was ranked 2nd in 2017, and received an award.
-
(Ref: yoshihiko-chino.com,
profile)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is a music clip of "Dragon Quest XI" theme music, which is the latest in its series, played by "Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra".
The conductor is "Kōichi Sugiyama".
He composed them as the game music, but they are actually an excellent symphony.
If you like, please listen.
Cover art today
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Happy & sunny
This is a happy & sunny dance pop in a Charleston rhythm.
Warm & joyous
The Harpsichord (Cembalo), Acoustic piano, Drums, Bass, Sopranino Clarinet, and electric guitar begin a sunny & exciting introduction.
Honky-Tonk like joyful piano sound accompanies the cute & coquettish vocal of "Maria Asahina".
Warm & amusing Clarinet solo is appearing in the bridge, and creates light and easy atmosphere.
Call & response
There might be a proper word instead of "Call & response", but a simple chorus by few men frequently jumps in, and sings short phrases in turn like responding to the main vocal.
Perhaps, there are many songs in such style in the world, but there aren't many in Japan.
Yet, there aren't a lot of such song, there is a prominent example in old hit songs. That is "Konna beppin mita-koto nai" (I've never seen a beauty like you.), by "Hanko Kagurazaka" released in 1954.
To listen the sample, please click the below link to Amazon, and check track No.10.
Reference
About Google translate
About the artist
Maria AsahinaModel for SKYLINE
Maria Asahina is a model, actor, singer, painter, and accessory designer active since 1977.
As an entertainment personality, Asahina was most visible from the late '70s to the early '80s.
But after received a prestigious award for her painting, she began to shift her main area of activity to paint a picture.
Since then, she has been a popular painter to date.
As a singer, "Asahina" debuted in 1979 with a single, "Disco Gal". Since then, 2 singles, and 1 original album have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Maria Asahina)
Early days
Maria Asahina was born in the United States to an American father and a Japanese mother.
Her mother is a famous celebrity, "Izumi Yukimura", who was a very popular singer & actor in Japan at that time.
Mariya was grown in Japan since her mother's main field was there.
In 1977 (or 8), she debuted as a model while she was a student of an International school in Tokyo.
Active
Mariya quickly attracted an attention, and became one of the most popular model at that time.
She soon began to appear on a TV variety show as a character, and her face became more familiar to the viewing public.
In 1979, Mariya debuted as a singer with her first single, "Disco Gal", which was a stylish & funky disco number, arranged by Harvey Mason, and having "Tatsuro Yamashita" & "Minako Yoshida" as backing vocalists.
In spite of her elegant personal image, this pop track matched well with her. (Yes. it was not a surprise, because she was only seventeen at that time.)
The song we are introducing today is also that type, so she might be good at the songs in sunny pop style.
She then released her only studio album, "MARIA" in 1979, which we are going to detail a bit more later.
As an actor
In the beginning of the '80s, she expanded her area of activity for acting.
From 1980 to 1983, she acted on several TV drama series as a cast member.
Start as a painter
It seems Maria has inherited her talent for painting from he mother, who is also a recognized painter.
In 1984, she has received a prestigious award for her picture.
She also received a equally acclaimed award in 1987 for her drawing of horses as a theme.
In addition to those, she married with a Japanese gentleman in 1985.
Perhaps by these environmental change, she gradually shifted her main field from entertainment business to painting.
Recent
Maria has been progressing in art, and she is a popular Accessory designer at the moment.
Her accessories seems to be available at various accessory exhibitions.
MARIA
Maria Asahina's only one studio album "MARIA" was released in 1979 from a reputed label, Alfa records.
On this album, quite a few of notable music people participated in. For example,
- Lyricist
- Michio Yamagami, Riyoko Ikeda
- Composer
- Kōichi Sugiyama, Haruomi Hosono
- Arranger
- Harvey Mason, Masataka Matsutōya
- Drums
- Yukihiro Takahashi
- Keyboard
- Ryūichi Sakamoto
- Chorus
- Minako Yoshida, Tatsurō Yamashita
etc, etc. So, "Maria" was a kind of promised album.
This excellent album, however, didn't receive huge attention at the time of release. Because from the late '70s to the mid '80s was a peak period of album release, which hundreds of new albums were launched month by month.
But after year 2000, quite a few of people began to notice the remarkable quality of the albums released in this particular period.
And "Maria" was naturally "discovered" by them. Then, it was first reissued in CD format. And now it is available as digital music.
We hope a unique album like this would be also available for the possible next listeners.
SKYLINE Japan
One more additional topic is about a TV advertising which MARIA participated as a model.
Asahina was particularly popular while she was the most visible in the late '70s', but her appearances on TV weren't many, because her active period as a TV character wasn't so long.
Among them, a TV advertising series for a sports touring car, "Nissan Skyline" was so impressive and popular among the young men of that time.
And interestingly, the theme song for this TV commercial was "Rajie"'s excellent song, "Ai-ha tabun" (Love might be...).
Presumably, it was the most well known song of "Rajie". We would like to introduce it sometime in the future.
-
(Ref: ameblo.jp/osmonds1975,
Maria Asahina interview)🇯🇵
Video clip
We haven't seen any suitable video clip related to her so far.
So, we would like to introduce one if we find in the future.
Music Samples
8
(試聴する)
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Apple Music(jp)
8
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 殿方ご免あそばせ(Tono-gata gomen asobase ) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 朝比奈マリア(Maria Asahina) |
| Album Title | MARIA |
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