[Country & warm]
No.175 "Kokoro-ha plus" by Iruka
Hi. Today's song is "Kokoro-ha plus" (The heart of me is in warmth) "Iruka ".
This is a country touch, warm & swinging folk song performed by a long serving singer-songwriter, "Iruka" (means Dolphin).
This song is referring to a St. Valentine's day a bit, so, we have chosen this as a seasonal tune.
If you like, please listen.
St. Valentine's day
History aside, St. Valentine's day (14.Feb) is known as the day for the people to send greeting cards, presenting flowers, or confectionery to their lovers, partners, or close friends in the present world.
In Japan, it has achieved a little unique development, after it was introduced into this country roughly 80 years ago, according to Wikipedia.
What's particular is, that people in Japan understand the day is almost solely for girls & women to express their love or crushes to their boyfriends, husbands, or special someone, by gifting chocolates. (For more information, please have a look at Wikipedia - Valentine's Day)
We are not sure why it has become like that, but there may be some cultural background. Anyway, it is a day for young have to feel a little nervous.
Just before Valentine's day, patisseries, confectionery stores, or super markets in town are filled with fancy & colorful chocolate gifts. And a lot of women, from school girls to grandmas, gather to find a good one.
The excitement for this day is getting less now a days, perhaps due to the change of the society. But it had been a big event in the '70s and '80s.
That may be why this song is singing Valentine's day as a metaphor of a warm heart.
Links to the music shops, offering song samples, are located on the bottom of this page.
Some contents have been put away in tabs with " ▼ " marks in each section, so please click it to read.
The most of linked sites like youtube, or Apple music uses Java script. So, if you are visiting them , please turn the Java script on at your browser.
We are now working on improving appearances of our posts.
If you find anything odd, please kindly let us know.
Thank you.
Cover art today
Song data
| Title | Kokoro-ha plus |
|---|---|
| Artist | Iruka |
| Album Title | Shokubutsu-shi |
| Catalog Number | CRCP-20497-9 |
| Track No. | 3 |
| Duration | 3:11 |
| Released | 1977 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Iruka Lyricist & Composer
"Iruka" is the Lyricist & Composer, but also th performer of this song.
So, we would liek to come back to her later in "About the artist" section.
Takahiko Ishikawa Arranger
"Takahiko Isjikawa" is a legendary guitarist, arranger, and music producer active since the late '60s.
As an acoustic guitar player with outstanding skills, "Ishikawa" has participated in thousands of recordings & live concerts of various artists. And greatly contributed for the Japanese folk & popular music scene to grow.
Therefore, "Takahiko Ishikawa" has been one of the most respected guitarist now a days.
Early days
It's a little bit surprising thing, but "Ishiklawa" began to play the guitar at high school when he was 18, according to an interview.
Even though, the name of "Ishikawa" was already famous as a good guitarist among amateur musicians, when he was in a college.
So, it seems "Ishikawa" was exceptionally competent for playing this type of instrument.
After graduating from the college, "Ishikawa" joined a design office, since it was his major.
One day, a leader of a would-be professional amateur band, and one of his alumni & peer, "Hitoshi Komuro" came, and requested "Ishikawa" to join Komuro's band as a guitarist.
"Ishikawa" thought through, and accepted the offer. He teamed up a new folk group, "Rokumon-sen" with 4 other members, then debuted as a professional.
Marvelous
"Ishikawa" had been with Rokumon-sen only for a year.
But he quickly gained popularity as a skillful acoustic guitarist, and began to collaborate actively with various, mainly of the folk song field, singers.
Namely, "Takuro Yoshida", "Kaguya-hime", "Kaze", "Iruka", "Alice"..., who were all key players in the 70's music scene.
At the same time, "Ishikawa" also supported many artists by offering song arrangements.
"Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi", "Doji Morita", "Masashi Sada", "Chiharu Matsuyama", "Miyuki Nakajima" are notable singers performed the songs which "Ishikawa" arranged.
Quite a few of big hit folk songs were born in the '70s, and many of them are still popular as a standard number.
In the most of those songs, "Ishikawa" had involved, and made them very attractive by amazingly beautiful his acoustic guitar sound.
That may be why the many music artists show respects to him.
Video clip
Lastly, here is a music clip performed by a singer-songwriter, "Masamichi Matsui". The song title is "Nagara-gawa" (The Nagara River).
("Gawa, or "Kawa" are the Japanese words mean river, stream, creek.)
"Takahiko Ishikawa" has arranged this song. And playing the lead guitar on the right of the screen. (White hat)
"Masamichi Matsui" is a singer-songwriter active since around 2000.
He first debuted as a member of a 3-piece pop group, "Sansaro" (Three way junction).
But since 2011, "Matsui" has started solo activity under produce by "Takahiko Ishikawa".
Just for you information, "Nagara-gawa" is a well known Japanese river which runs center part of main island, near "Nagoya".
The water in its upstream is pure and clear, and often named as one of the Japan's top 3 clear stream.
This is actually, the most typical, and the most preferred style of the folk songs in the '70s, but in the highest quality.
If you like, please listen.
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Country & Swing
This is a country touch, folky pop song in a swing rhythm in moderated speed.
Country
The drums, bass, steel guitar, fiddle (violin), acoustic guitar (high-fret), and keyboard begin a country music like introduction.
Because, the melody is composed by "Iruka" herself, the passage is not totally country, but a bit more like pop music.
And , "Iruka"'s slight husky alto voice goes well with this gentle & friendly melody.
Recording in Los Angels
Iruka's 4th album "Shokubutsu-shi" (Botanical Book), which this track was included, was recorded in Los Angeles, United States, in Feb.1977.
Therefore, the ensemble of the backing band is authentic, and the sound quality is pretty good.
You can see the participated studio musicians from this page, Discogs - Shokubutsu-shi.
Possibly thanks to that, this album topped the chart in Japan in the year it was released. (1977)
About the artist
Iruka A girl from the Salad country
"Iruka" is a singer, songwriter, picture book author, Radio personality, and goodwill ambassador of IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature), active since 1970.
She has been popular with both old and young generations, by a series of her warm and gentle folk songs. Among them, her 1975 hit song, "Nagori-yuki" (A snow, like saying a fond farewell) is a famous standard as a symbolic song for graduation.
By the way, her stage name "Iruka" is a Japanese word means "dolphin". It's been a nickname for her since college.
"Iruka" debuted in 1970 with a single, "Ano-koro no boku-ha " (In those days, I was…). Since then, 36 singles, and 27 original, 3 live, and 5 best albums have been released until now.
Early days
"Iruka" was born to a music family in which the father was a saxophonist & band master of a popular Jazz group.
There aren't many references, but it seems she was familiarizing herself with music from school days.
In a college, she joined a folk song circle, and teamed up a folk group with peers.
While she was a college student, a leader of an already popular 3-piece folk group, "Shrieks" asked her to join the group.
"Iruka" accepted his request, and began to take part in the group as a vocalist & guitarist in 1971.
This became a start of a professional career for "Iruka".
Solo debut
In 1974, after released few singles with "Iruka", a leader of "Shrieks", namely "Kazuo Kanbe", who later became a partner of "Iruka", decided to stop the band activity.
And made up a plan to become a producer exclusively to "Iruka", and concentrate on promoting her as a solo singer.
Then, in October the same year, a solo-artist "Iruka" debuted with her first single, "Ano-koro no boku-ha" (At that time, I was...).
In the late 1975, "Iruka" covered a tender ballad, "Nagori-yuki" (A snow, like saying a fond farewell), which was one of the hit songs by a popular folk group "Kaguya-hime" (Princess Kaguya).
A bit folky original version was re-arranged into more picturesque tender ballad, by a rising & talented arranger, "Masataka Matsutōya".
And released as "Iruka"'s' 3rd single record.
It was lucky enough, but this song became smash hit, and ranked the 4th on a music chart.
And what's unique was it didn't end up with a one-time hit song, but became a symbolic song for a graduation season.
And it's still been a favorite standard for all the generations.
Iruka best
(2008)
[New & Used CD]
(Not the same with the 2CDs best album in the identical title, but released in 2006.)
Hit maker
Since then, "Iruka" became a shining front runner in the folk scene. And successfully released a series of hit songs. Namely...
- Kimi-ha kanashimi-no
(You are a sentimental... ,1976) - Ame-no monogatari
(A story in the rainy day, 1977) - Salad-no kuni-kara kita musume
(A girl comes from Salad country, 1978) - Kaigan-dōri
(Coast avenue, 1979) - Itsuka tsumetai ame-ga
(There will be a cold rain someday,1979) - Maarui inochi
(Round life, 1980) - Jyu-ku no haru-ni
(In my 19th Spring season, 1980) - Follow me
(1981)
etc, etc.
Due to preference of Japanese audience, the above listed hit songs tend to be sentimental folk songs. But she has sung sunny & peaceful songs as well.
In fact, she is primarily an excellent folk singer, then there aren't many very stylish urban pop songs.
But if you like please check her variety of albums.
Picture book author
"Iruka" is also known as an author of picture books for children since the '70s.
In 1977, she published her first picture book "Chiisana sora" (The small sky).
It was a peaceful, but philosophical fantasy, in which "Iruka"s avatar like main cast "Noël" explored the world.
In combination with a interactive music album in the same title, it became fairly popular, and issued until the 4th series.
In 2010, she published a new book titled, "Maarui inochi" (Round life) looks like below.
If you like, please have a look.
Goodwill ambassador to IUCN
"Iruka" has been a goodwill ambassador of IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature).
Since the debut, "Iruka" has been releasing songs which convey environmental & nature conscious messages to the listeners.
In fact, she mentioned in some interview, that if she had not been a singer, she might have been a veterinarian to involve animal related work in the jungle.
So, she has been well known as a nature-minded singer-songwriter, and influential to the public.
That may be why, she was appointed to a goodwill ambassador by IUCN in 2007, and she has been in the position even now.
Recent
"Iruka" is expecting the 50 years anniversary for the next year.
But she is still actively taking part in various activities.
For example, Iruka still has a regular radio program, and hosting a music variety once a week on Sunday morning.
The title of the program is "Iruka-no music harmony". It was started in 1991, and has been keeping its popularity until now.
In 2010, she was appointed as a visiting professor by her alma mater. Since then, she is teaching in the college.on popular music, and her experiences in the music industries.
Like that way, she is having busy days.
-
(Ref: iruka-office.co.jp
profile)🇯🇵
Video clip
We couldn't find a suitable video clip of "Iruka", so we would like to introduce a cover of her hit song by other artist instead.
The song title is "Kaigan dōri" (Coast avenue). It is a well known hit song of "Iruka", first released in 1979.
This song was covered in 2008, by an "Okinawan" pop duo "Yanawaraba" (mischievous kids).
They are performing this song, with the self-accompanied acoustic guitar & Okinawan folk music instrument, "San-shin".
Their new arrangement is illuminating a new charm of original track.
If you like, please listen.
Music Samples
3
(試聴する)
Amazon JP(en)
Tower records online(D2-3)
hmv.co.jp (D1-04)
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 心はプラス(Kokoro-ha plus) |
|---|---|
| Artist | イルカ(Iruka) |
| Album Title | 植物誌(Shokubutsu-shi) |
Comments