[Merry & festive]
No.193 "Yellow Magic Carnival" by Manna
A happy new year 2021.
Hi. We hope you had a great new year.
Today's song is "Yellow Magic Carnival" (Single Ver.) performed by "MANNA".
This merry, and "carnival mood" pop song was released in 1979 as a debut single of a pop singer "MANNA".
"MANNA" is known as a vocalist who has fairly unique, but somewhat compelling, soulful voice.
Additionally, she is known as the wife of "Satsuya Iwasawa", a member of a pronounced pop-duo "Bread & Butter".
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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Cover art today
Song data
| Title | Yellow Magic Carnival (Single Ver.) |
|---|---|
| Artist | MANNA |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | MHCL-649 |
| Track No. | 11 |
| Duration | 3:46 |
| Released | 2005 (1979) |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Haruomi Hosono Lyricist & composer
"Haruomi Hosono" is a singer, songwriter, master bassist, player of various instruments, arranger, and music producer active since 1969.
He is one of the most well known, and revered music creator in the Japanese popular music society, because of his long time, and a huge contribution to the popular music scene as a leader of pioneers.
He is also internationally famous as a member of an Electro-Pop group, "Yellow Magic Orchestra".
Early days
According to Wikipedia, "Haruomi Hosono" was born in Tokyo in 1947.
Thanks to the relatives around him, he grew up in a music-rich environment.
During Middle School Years, "Hosono" began to play the guitar, and teamed up an amateur band with peers.
And in 1969, while he was a student of a University, "Hosono" finally debuted as the bassist of a rock group, "April fool", and started his professional career.
Happy end, Yuming, and...
In the same year, "Hosono" teamed up a new band with 3 other competent band members.
His unique rock band called "Happy End" lasted only for 3 years, and left just 3 studio albums.
In spite of those, "Happy end" is now often called as a legend, and has been regarded as one of the most important group in the Japanese poplar music history.
That may not be only due to their series of awakening progressive songs, but perhaps more importantly, because of the amazing musical creativities achieved by those talented individual members through their post-band activities.
After "Happy end", "Hosono" formed a new rock band & pop instrumental group, "Caramel Mama" (later "Tin Pan Alley") with 3 other members.
The band was more like a music creative team, than a rock band. Then, they have produced a lot of singers, and supported them as a backing band in the mid '70s.
Among those singers, the most prominent example was "Yumi Arai" (Yuming), now known as "Yumi Matsutōya".
"Caramel Mama"'s excellent play gave an extra shine to "Yumi Arai"'s songs.
And "Yumi Arai"'s incredible talent quickly attracted the listeners, and presented more opportunities for"Caramel Mama" to perform.
Yellow Magic Orchestra
By 1978, the activity of "Caramel Mama" faded away.
And "Hosono" newly formed a unique synth-pop band "Yellow Magic Orchestra" with 2 powerful musicians, namely "Yukihiro Takahashi", and "Ryūichi Sakamoto".
The band began to release the latest synth-pop sound with intentionally added strong Asian atmosphere.
"Yellow Magic Orchestra" caused a phenomenon not only in Japan, but also in overseas in the beginning of the '80s.
For more detailed history of "YMO", please have a look at the related page in Wikipedia.
References
The above are just few episodes picked out from his biography.
For more detailed, or full biography, please check out the references linked below.
Shigeru Suzuki Arranger
"Shigeru Suzuki" is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, music producer, and a original member of a legendary rock group, "Happy end", active since 1967.
He has been recognized as one of the most skillful, and influential rock guitarist, and well known by his distinctive, melodious electric guitar play.
Early days
"Suzuki" started his music career in 1968 by teaming up a rock band, "Skye" with his music peers, and bassist "Rei Ohara" & drummer, "Tatsuo Hayashi".
In 1969, "Suzuki" was invited by an already influential musician "Haruomi Hosono", to be a guitarist of his rock band "Happy End".
"Suzuki" decided to join the group, and released 3 albums as a member until the band came to an end in 1972.
Caramel Mama
After the break-up of "Happy End". Suzuki formed a new rock band, "Caramel Mama" with a drummer, "Tatsuo Hayashi", keyboardist, "Masataka Matsutōya", and bassist "Haruomi Hosono".
Interestingly, this band had no definite vocalist from the beginning, but their performance level was one of the highest that time.
Such a unique nature of the band drove themselves to act like a music creative team, rather than a rock band.
As it turned out, the band helped the later big singers, like "Yumi Arai", "Minako Yoshida", "Akiko Yano" etc came into the world.
"Caramel Mama" changed the band name to "Tin Pan Allay" in 1974, and lasted until around 1977.
As a solo artist, "Suzuki" went to the United States in 1975, and produced his first solo album "Band Wagon" by having support from a few of notable American Musicians.
The album achieved a surprisingly groovy nice quality, and is still famed as a masterpiece.
Huckleback & Music producer
In 1975, "Suzuki" started a new rock band "Huckleback" with 3 other members to actualize his sound.
But the band broke up unexpectedly by the end of '75. And afterwards, "Suzuki" began to focus on the works as a studio musician, or music producer.
As a result, "Suzuki" has took part in more than 600 albums of 100+ singers to date, as a guitarist, or arranger, or music producer.
We are sure that this surprising number is telling he is one of the most energetic, and productive music producer in the Japanese popular music scene.
Recent
He is keeping himself busy on various creative works as a music producer.
On the other hand, he is sharing more time on band activities, since he is a member of a masterly rock group "Kanjuku Band", "HUCKLEBACK", or his roots band "Skye".
-
(Ref:suzuki-shigeru.jp,
biography)🇯🇵
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Merry & light-hearted
It's a carnival night like, happy, merry, and comfortably excited pop song, in a moderated 8-beat rhythm.
Not like a later Electro-pop though, a variety of synthesizers are actively used for making the sound brand new, to the ears of the '80s listeners.
Elegant & dynamic
After an opening jingle by bells and synthesizer, the drums, synth-bass, strings, electric guitar, acoustic piano, percussion, and funky backing chorus begin to play a happy merry introduction.
In the main part, brass section also join, and support cute & soulful "Manna"'s vocal, but in a low-key way.
The strings repeatedly plays a flowing elegant phrase, which evokes us a image of China.
About the artist
MANNA Cute & soulful voice
"MANNA" is a unique pop singer, and songwriter active since 1979.
She is well known by her characteristic cute voice, since she was also very active as a radio personality, particularly in the early '80s.
But her vocal style is actually quite soulful, and we can quickly notice that she must be a good singer.
In personal life, "MANNA" is a wife of "Satsuya Iwasawa", a member of a long serving pop duo, "Bread & Butter", as well as the mother of a pop singer "Aisa".
This is just a remind, but please don't be confused with these singer & a group has same name "Manna". Namely this Pop-singer,
"MANNA (ma-na)" (discogs.com),
and a '90s 2-piece pop-group,
"MANNA (man-na)" (discogs.com).
The latter duo was teamed up by "Ryo Kamomiya", ex-Pizzicato V, and a vocalist "Motoko Kajiwara" in 1990. So, there are 10 years difference on debut timing.
Because the most of commercial music sites have unintentionally mixed them up due to identical spellings of their names.
So, we are just reminding.
MANNA debuted in 1979 with a single, "Yellow Magic Carnival". Since then, 2 singles, and 2 original, plus 1 best albums have been released until now.
* Contains "MANNA"'s "Yellow Magic Carinival" in track.01.
(But no sample on Amazon.)
Early times
"MANNA" was born to a young family lived in Tokyo.
As a part of home education, she began to learn the piano at only two-and-a-half years old, and continued it until she went to college.
And also thanks to her father, who used to be a musician, "MANNA" was grown in music rich environment.
Since the fellow band members of her father gathered in her home every week end, and held a music session just in front of her.
"MANNA"'s father also taught her the ukulele and guitar when she was a middle school student, and provided a motivation for her to start writing music by herself.
Notable amateur career
In the mid '70s, when "Manna" was a high school student, her elder brother introduced one of his class mates "Motoharu Sano" to her.
"Motoharu Sano" is one of the most prominent rock star now a days, but he was just an amateur musician aiming to be a professional at that time.
"Sano" invited "Manna" to his band, and "Manna" joined as a keyboardist and backing chorus.
"Sano"'s band "Back-rain Motoharu section" entered one of the most acclaimed popular song contest, "Yamaha Pop-con" in 1974.
"Back-rain" won in Tokyo regional preliminaries, and performed in the grand final as a finalist.
After graduating from high school, "Manna" went on to music college, and took a singing course.
In private, "Manna" began to participate in a rock band founded by "Kiyofumi Onoda" (Guitar), "Yoshikazu Satomura" (Drums), as a vocalist.
The band changed its name to "Manna & Dropping Pie", and began to challenge another high-level popular song contest, "Yamaha EastWest" in 1976.
Surprisingly, the band made it to the grand final again, and qualified as one of the only 10+ finalist.
Although they couldn't win the prize, one of the judge, & a rising music producer "Tatsuo Hayashi" interested in them, and made them an offer for working together.
Warm-up period
One thing led to another, "Manna" was told from someone in charge, that she was going to debut as a solo singer.
Before she made her debut in 1979, she received various training provided by her producer "Tatsuo Hayashi".
One day in 1977, "Hayashi" was participating in the recording of his band "Tin Pan Alley"'s album "Tin Pan Alley 2".
On this occasion, "Hayashi" invited "Manna" to a recording as a main & backing vocalist.
In this album, "Manna" sang backing track on "Rock-a-my-baby", and took main vocal on "Pocket ippai-no himitsu" (A pocketful of secret).
And curiously, she chorused with the members of "Bread & Butter" on these 2 songs for the first time in her life.
Debut
Gorgeously, the recording of her debut album took place at A&M Studios, Los Angels, in the United States.
4 selected Japanese musicians, and 5 skillful American studio musicians formed a one-time backing band "MANX" exclusively for "MANNA".
And accomplished excellent works through a month long recording schedule.
Single version of "Yellow Magic Carnival" was also recorded perhaps after coming back to Japan. (not sure)
And "Manna" finally debuted in 1979 with her first single, "Yellow Magic Carnival" (Single version), and her 1st album, "Chabako trick" (Tricks in a Wooden container box for green tea).
We couldn't find any usable cover art picture of "Chabako trick" within our resource.
So, we put the link to the cover art of "Chabako trick" stored in discogs.com.
If you like, please check.
"Cha-bako" (茶箱)
By the way, the word "Chabako" (茶箱 - ちゃばこ) in the album title, means a "Tea Container Box" made of wood, looks like a picture below.
The size of the box is various, but usually about 70cm for long side, and 40cm for short side. There is a tinned sheet lining around the inside of the box, and accommodates approx 40Kgs of made green tea.
Some 30-40 years ago, we sometimes saw "Cha-bako" boxes particularly at the inside of old-looking green tea shops, or dried food shops. And the boxes were creating a nameless mysterious atmosphere at the back of the sales counter, because the shops usually put unique antique labels on the outside of the boxes.
So, this is just an our thought though, for older generations, "Chabako" box was like a mystery box, evoking them an image that something dubious, tricky, but fascinating things might be stuffed in.
And, here are some small pictures of labeled boxes.
2nd album
In March 1980, about a year later from the 1st album, "Manna" released her 2nd album "MANNA".
This album was somewhat mixed in terms of sound, but as a whole, we felt it was a lot more bluesy and more like true "Manna".
Afro
As you see on the cover arts of her albums, Afro hair was a kind of "Manna"s trademark as a singer.
Influenced by the United States, Afro hair became a fashion in Japan in the '70s.
But for women, Afro was still a kind of challenging hair styles, then her Afro hair was quite visible at that time.
Marriage
In the early '80s, "MANNA" became popular as a radio personality, and she was living a busy life.
But sometime in 1981, or 1982, "MANNA" suddenly married with "Satsuya Iwasawa", a member of a pop-duo "Bread & Butter".
In the early '80s, it was still quite common that married women put priority on the family than work.
"MANNA" also took a break for some years.
Dragon Ball Z
After few years from marriage, "MANNA" quietly resumed her music activity by teaming up a 4-piece Pop band "Light house" with her husband "Satsuya Iwasawa", and one of her friend couples.
"Manna" also started to sing advertising jingles, theme music for TV programs, or backing choruses at a comfortable pace for her.
In a sequence of creative works, she recorded an Anime song titled "Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI power" (Gush out, my cracking full-throttle power) in 1989, as an ending theme for a very popular action anime, "Dragon Ball Z".
This unique ending theme became very popular among children, and helped the Anime to be more popular.
Or in 1992, "MANNA"'s folkie ballad, "Onaka Suita-ne" (I'am hungry. Aren't you?) was selected as a advertising jingle for a national popular stew sauce mix product.
It was very well accepted, and became a song familiar to everyone.
We have posted a video clip of this song, and written some more details in Video clip section in below.
If you like, please have a look.
Barefoot concert
"Manna"'s husband, "Satsuya Iwasawa", a member of a pop-duo "Bread & Butter", has been a chairperson of an NPO (Nonprofit organization) called "Barefoot Association".
As its name suggests, this NPO has founded primarily to recover clean & safe beaches by promoting a beach clean up campaign. And enables us to walk barefoot safely on the beach, again.
The NPO regularly call for a clean up of beaches mainly in Shōnan area, where "Iwasawa" & his friend lives.
And after work, the clean up volunteers will be invited to an open air concert held by "Iwasawa" & team, as a reward.
For more details, please have a look at the NPO's website. But a few of musicians, and celebrities has been taking part in.
And "Manna" has been working as an administration staff member.
Recent
Through "Barefoot" activities, "Iwasawa", "Manna", "Aisa" & "Manna"'s old band members formed a new Hawaiian band, Ohana Band", and released few albums.
"Manna" wrote few songs for those albums, but otherwise, she is continuing music activities in her own pace.
Video clip
Lastly, we would like to introduce a music video of "Manna"'s "hidden" hit song, "Onaka Suita-ne" (I'am hungry. Aren't you?) released in 1992.
A folkie warm ballad, "Onaka Suita-ne" first came on TV as an advertising jingle of "House Stew Mix", a popular home use stew premix, has been in the market since 1966.
This brand has serialized its advertising. They create new advertising every year, and on-air them frequently during the winter season.
Then, a lot of people become familiar with their commercial jingles without knowing who the singers are.
So, "Onaka Suita-ne" is one of such jingle used in 1992 season.
And glad to say, it seems "Manna" & her family recently performed the song again, and filmed, and uploaded it on Youtube in October the last year.
So, we are feeling lucky, that we can introduce her nice song for you, which was actually performed by "Manna" herself.
Casts
If you watch the video,
A woman singing in the middle is "Manna".
A young man accompanying her on guitar, is a guitarist & her daughter Aisa's husband, "Takanari Tokutake".
A gentleman playing the harmonica next to "Manna" is her husband "Satsuya Iwasawa". "Iwasawa" is also known as a member of a great Pop-duo, "Bread & Butter".
Finally, a young woman singing backing vocals while holding a baby, is "Manna"'s daughter "Aisa".
Aisa's looks & voice is almost a copy of "Manna"'s youth.
So, you can imagine how was "Manna" through Aisa.
If you like, please listen.
Music Samples
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Japanese Letters
| Song Title | イエローマジックカーニバル (Yellow Maic Carnival) |
|---|---|
| Artist | マナ(MANNA) |
| Album Title | Complete Epic years |
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