[Romantic & calming]
No.178 "Ai-no Chariot" by Ruca
Hi. Today's song is "Ai-no chariot" (Chariot) by "Ruca".
Betelgeuse
According to some news papers, a bright red star "Betelgeuse" marking the shoulder of Orion, had been dimming in recent few months.
(New Images of a Fading Betelgeuse,
The New York Times, 14.FEB.2020)
(By the way, this fading seems to have been stopped, according to other article. -> Betelgeuse Has Finally Stopped Dimming, Says Astronomer,
forbes.com, 17.FEB.2020)
This news reminded us "Ruca"'s 2003 album "The Red Moon" (To kokkino fegari), though it isn't particularly related.
So, today's pick is a relaxing number "Ai-no chariot" from the album.
"Ai-no chariot" is a cover of a French pop standard, "Chariot" originally performed by a British singer "Petula Clark" released in 1962.
It's a light, natural, and romantic nice track.
If you like, please listen.
Frankly, we have some concern if the music sample of this song become no longer available soon.
So, we thought to post this a little bit early, while the samples are still available to everyone.
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.
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 | Ai-no chariot |
|---|---|
| Artist | Ruca |
| Album Title | To kokkino fegari (Greek) |
| Catalog Number | EPCE-2014 |
| Track No. | 4 |
| Duration | 2:57 |
| Released | 2003 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composers | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Jacques Plante Lyricist
Jacques Plante was a French lyricist, and publisher active since 1943 to 2003.
"Plante" was known by his series of writings for the prominent French singers like, Tino Rossi, Dalida, Yves Montand, Charles Aznavour, or Hugues Aufray.
Short Bio.
Jacques Plante started his career as a lyricist in 1943 by writing his first song for his childhood friend "Lawrence Riesner".
In 1946, he wrote a sentimental Chanson, "Joue contre joue - Tango de 1946" for "Yvette Giraud", who greatly contributed to popularize Chanson in Japan.
(In Japan, the word "Chanson" mainly means sentimental & emotional French Pop song from the '40s to the '60s.)
This became a hit song, and Plante marked his first success as a song writer.
Popular lyricist
Since then, he wrote quite a few of lyrics to notable French singers mentioned earlier upto the '80s.
For the detailed history of him, please have a look at the references below, since they are far more precise.
Video clip
Finally, here is a video clip of a French pop standard "Santiano" covered by a male chorus group, "Les Marins d'Iroise" (The Sailors of Iroise) in 2011.
A nostalgic pop song, "Santiano" was first performed by a popular singer, "Hugues Aufray" in 1961.
The lyricist of the song was Jacques Plante)
It is a manly & dynamic nice chorus.
If you like, please listen.
Del Roma & J.W. StoleComposers
The composers of "Chario" were "Del Roma & J.W. Stole.
To be honest with you, we couldn't recognize the names of Messrs "Del Roma" & "J.W. Stole", until we learnt from Wikipedia, that "Del Roma" was "Paul Mauriat"'s, and "J.W. Stole" was "Franck Pourcel"'s pseudonyms respectively.
Maestros
French composers, "Franck Pourcel" & "Paul Mauriat" were both famous maestros in easy listening music category, and were conducting their respective grand orchestras.
They were particularly shining from the '50s to the '70s, and released many of world popular hit songs.
Because these composers are so eminent, a few of well summarized biographies are available.
We are placing links to those references below. So, please have a look at them for the details.
-
(Ref: franckpourcel.com,
Biography - franck pourcel) -
(Ref:paul-mauriat.com,
Paul Mauriat Biography)
Franck Pourcel
Paul Mauriat
Video clip
Lastly, this is a live video clip of "Chariot" performed by "Petula Clark" in 1965.
It seems she had a soar throat on this day of concert.
But she was managing the stage well, and showing the best possible performance under the condition.
If you like, please listen.
Tomotsune Maeno Arranger
"Tomotsune Maeno" is a Japanese keyboardist, composer, arranger, and a professor at a music college active since 1983.
Early times
"Tomotsune Maeno" started his music career in "Hokkaido" when he was studying at a university there.
"Trashduck", which was the band "Maeno" belonged to at that time, entered & won a local preliminary of the 29th Yamaha Popular song contest in 1985. And performed at the final contest.
He then also joined a rock band, "Baker Shop Boogie", which he is still being a member.
As a composer
In 1990, he moved to Tokyo, and began to work as an independent keyboardist, composer, arranger, and an instructor at a music college.
Since then, he has composed or arranged many songs for various artists, like "Kaori Iida" or "Lindberg".
And since 2009, "Maeno" has been appointed as a professor at "Senzoku Gakuen college of Music".
-
(Ref:mikipon.myhome.cx,
music1)
Video clip
Finally, here is a video clip of Gala concert held in 2010 at "Senzoku Gakuen college of Music" where "Tomotsune Maeno" is teaching as a professor.
Mr. Maeno appears at around 2:30 on this video, singing "Sir Duke" with playing a Yamaha Motif XS6.
If you like, please listen.
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Romantic & soothing
This seems to be a nice cover of a French pop standard in elegant but modern arrangement in moderated 4 beat rhythm.
Pleasant
The harpsichord, percussions, bass, electric guitar, electric piano, backing chorus, and main vocal begin a relaxing introduction.
In the main melody, "Ruca"'s free and natural vocal boost its presence.
Her singing of French sounds very well-trained at least for our ears.
About the artist
Ruca Evocative Europian pops
"Ruca" (or, Yuka, Arai Yuka, and Yuca) is a pop singer, songwriter, and used to be an actor active since 1998.
Her natural & free vocal is impressive, and has been attracting core fans.
Ruca debuted in 1998 with a single, "Watashi-wo tsure-dashite kureru hito" (The man takes me out). Since then, 2 singles, and 2 original albums have been released until now.
Early times
There aren't much information on her early day's, but "Ruca",(or "Yuka" at that time), was started her professional career in 1998, by releasing her first single "Watashi-wo tsure-dashite kureru hito" (The man takes me out), from "Go-to" label in Teichiku Records.
Hello Project
It seems that "Yuka" had been in a close position with "Hello Project" which a popular girls pop team, "Morning Musume" & derived groups.
In 1998, "Yuka" stared in a mid night TV drama series, "Wine Musume Koimonogatari" (Love story of Wine girls) and "Kaze no Musume Tachi" (The wind like girls), and performed with the young idol star like, "Michiyo Heike" from "Hello Project".
Orphen
In Feb 1999, "Yuka" released her 3rd single, "Dō Shiyō" (Oh my god).
Luckily, this song was selected as an ending theme for a popular TV anime series, "Soucerous Stabber Orphen" (1999).
The TV series & its derivative recorded fair hit.
Eventually, "Yuka", the name of her, was memorized by the anime fans.
Study in Hawaii
Even she gained fair popularity through those dramas, she gave priority to study at school.
In 1999, after released her first album "Yuka" from Go-to label (Teichiku record), she moved to Hawaii to go to school for studying English, and the culture of Hawaii.
"Yuka" then moved to New York, and continue to learn the subjects like, dance lessons, singing, song writing, and stage performance.
And while studying those music related subjects, she also worked as a model.
Chichu-kai label
In 2003, one of Japan's leading record company, "Up Front Works" launched a new label "Chichu-kai" (Mediterranean), to focus on releasing cover albums of a bit nostalgic Italian, Greek, and French pops, but in modern stylish arrangement.
"Yuka" was also offered to release a new album from the label.
And in Mar 2003, "Yuka" released her 2nd album, "To Kokkino Fegari" (The red moon), under her new stage name "Ruca".
The album was well-received among core fans of European pops, because of its fashionable sound, and charming vocal of the singer.
But the listeners could not recognize that "Ruca" was "Yuka". So, "Ruca"remained as a mysterious new singer.
""Chichu-kai label", where the singers like "Kaori Iida" (ex Morning Musume), "Shoko Aida (ex Wink), or ""Akira Inaba" belonged to, released a few of albums of several singers until 2009.
But finally, it was integrated into their primary label ""Zetima".
On this album, 3 songs of "Ruca"s have been contained, namely Track No.2, 8, and 14. (Today's song is not included.)
If you like, please give it a try.
Recent
After "Chichū-kai label" was merged, "Ruca" turned her stage name back to "Yuka", and re-started solo activity under old and new name.
There aren't a lot of news on "Yuka" recently, but it seems she is continuously having small gigs in various venues.
-
(Ref: yoshihiko-chino.com,
profile)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is a music clip of "Yuca"'s, seems-to-be, recent song, "Deja-Vu", uploaded in 2016.
This, a little sentimental nice song, does not seem to have been released as a CD, or digital music, so it might have been recorded for promotion purpose.
The person posted this video was "Takahiro Ikeda" (melodyline11).
According to his memo, seems he has been writing songs for "Yuka" from the early period of her career as a singer.
Actually, the most of "Yuca"'s music videos on youtube have been posted by this guy.
And a few of them are unreleased numbers like this one.
If you like, please also listen.
Music Samples
4
(試聴する)
Tight
We cannot be optimistic for the supply of this album, even the use of music sample could be finished in the near future.
The vendors seems to be selling their stocked CDs in "CCCD format", therefore, we presume this CD will become a collector's item after all those stocks are sold.
We are not sure if it will be sold as a digital music someday.
hmv.co.jp
7net.omni7.jp
Neowing.co.jp
Amazon JP (No sample)
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 愛のシャリオ(CHARIOT) (Ai-no chariot) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Ruca |
| Album Title | 赤い月～ト コキノ フェンガーリ (To kokkino fegari (Greek)) |
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