[Light & Bright]
No.227 "Walkin’ down the love" by Reiko Katō
Hi. We have just returned from a long break. Sorry for keep you waiting.
Coincidentally, today is the historic Coronation Day of Britain's King Charles III. Congraturations.
Anyway, the song we would like to introduce to you today is, "Walkin' down the love" by "Reiko Katō".
"Walkin' down the love" is a light, bright, and bouncy pop song performed by "Reiko Katō" who is well known as the queen of gravure idols dominated the genre in the '90s.
We feel the song would fit fine if you are walking down the street on a sunny day in May.
If you like, please listen to.
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In the circumstances, we would like to simplify "About the creators" section since it might be sufficiently covered by those "better" search engines, and it would also help the writer to manage his time.
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Cover art today
Song data
| Title | Walkin' down the love |
|---|---|
| Artist | Reiko Katō |
| Album Title | itch |
| Catalog Number | PCCA-00837 |
| Track No. | 1 |
| Duration | 4:50 |
| Released | 1995 |
| Publisher | Pony Canyon |
| Lyricist | Kenzō Saeki |
| Composer | Tomofumi Suzuki |
| Arranger | Tomofumi Suzuki |
About the creators
Kenzō Saeki Lyricist
"Kenzō Saeki" is a lyricist, music producer, and a vocalist of a rock band "Pearl Kyoudai" (Pearl Brothers) active since 1980.
References
For more details on "Kenzō Saeki", please have a look at the references linked below.
-
(Ref: saekingdom.com,
profile)🇯🇵
Tomofumi Suzuki Composer & Arranger
"Tomofumi Suzuki" is a guitarist, composer, arranger, music producer, and a member of a rock group "Portable Rock" active since 1978.
References
For more details on "Tomofumi Suzuki", please have a look at the references linked below.
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Some notes on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Light & refreshing
This is a light, bright, and bouncy synth POP in moderated uptempo.
Bright sound
The drums, bass, brass synth, strings, electric guitar, and percussions begin a bright & bouncy introduction.
In the main part, the Fender Roses also join and accompanies the vocal.
The voice of "Reiko Katō" is light and natural, and fit well with this breezy melody.
Musicians
- Drums
- Hiroshi Yabe
- Bass
- Yuji Okiyama
- Guitar
- Tomofumi Suzuki
- Fender Roses
- Yuichi Tanaya
- Synth Operation
- Yasuo Kimoto
- Chorus
- Riiko Sakai, Yasumi Maeda
Reference
About Google translate
About the artist
Reiko Katōdominated gravure idol in the‘90s
"Reiko Katō" is a TV personality, actor, singer, and photo model active since 1988.
"Katō" is presumably most well-known as a super cute, and glamorous gravure idol who dominated the category in the early '90s'.
Reiko Katō debuted in 1990 with a single, "Listen To Your Heart". Since then, 16 singles, and 9 original, 2 live(VC, LD), and 2 best albums have been released until now.
By the way, the word "gravure idol" might be new to you.(because it is Japanese).
Please have a look at the "gravure idol" section in this Wikipedia article (model) for description. We think it is a good summary.
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Reiko Katō)
Early times
According to some references, "Reiko Katō" had been just an ordinary female student who had the general, and dreamlike longing for idol stars, like many other girls of the same generation in the '80s, until she graduated from high school .
In 1987, "Katō" went on to college. And like most other college & university students of that time, "Katō" enjoyed skiing, playing tennis, or driving with friends as a part of campus life.
One day in 1988, like the most of young idol stars at the time, "Katō" was scouted by a scouter of a talent agency when she was walking down a street in Shibuya.
The agent suggested her to begin this business as a photo model, by considering her cute & lovely looks, attractive figure, and perhaps also kept a shrinking demand for idol singers in mind.
"Katō" agreed with their bid. And in 1988, "Katō" debuted as a photo model under other alias.
"Yellow Cab" & debuting
In the same year, a man named "Yoshikaru Noda", who were running a model & entertainment agency "Yellow Cab" happened to see some pictures of "Reiko Katō" published on few monthly magazines, and much impressed by her.
(Naturally, "Yellow Cab" was a model agency specializing for women models with glamorous figure. Because the agency was 'presumably' utilizing the informal meaning of "Yellow Cab" as a company image.)
"Noda" soon contacted "Katō" to recruit her to his company as a gravure model and possible idol star.
"Katō" did not give him an answer at first, since she had some reservations about him, and his company.
But after a while, "Katō" gradually realized that "Noda" was not a sleazy business man, but a capable & reliable manager.
"Katō" decided to join his agency, and started her career as a gravure idol, by releasing her first idol photo book in June 1989.
Clarion girl
In mid 1989, very fortunately, "Reiko Katō" was selected for a "Clarion Girl '1990" from nearly 5000 contestants.
By the way, "Clarion girl" was a name of a reputed major beauty contest sponsored by a car audio maker "Clarion". It was began to take place since 1975.
Since all the past "Clarion girls" became top models, and enjoyed an exceptional popularity, being a "Clarion girl" was an honour and and a great opportunity for young women wishing to be a model.
Theretofore, the vast majority of news papers, and many weekly & monthly magazines reported this news.
And this was the timing that "Reiko Katō" officially began to use this name (Reiko Katō) as her acting name.
Hugely popular
Before too long, "Reiko Katō" began to take off as a photo model & gravure idol.
She started to appear on the front pages of various magazines, and quickly became a family face particularly for men.
Photobooks featuring "Reiko Katō" were released one after another, and all of them sold extremely well.
In 1990, "Katō" also began to appear on many TV advertisings.
A few of Video movies featuring "Katō" were filmed and released, and marketed well too.
At the same time, some TV variety shows offered her to be a cast members. The name of "Katō" became widely known to the public through these programs.
Naturally, she began to act in TV drama series as well.
Like this way, she quickly became a national name as an idol star. And maintained high popularity throughout the '90s.
As a pop singer
Simultaneously, "Reiko Katō" also stated her career as a pop singer by launching her debut single "Listen to your heart" in May 1990, and followed by her first album "Virgin Heart" in November the same year.
Since then, 16 singles, 9 studio albums, and 2 DVDs (showing the extent of her live concerts) has been released until now.
This is exceptionally plenty as an idol star who was primarily a gravure idol. (Photo model).
Some references says that "Katō" was interested in being a pop singer since childhood, though it was just a longing, and not so serious initially.
But thanks to her cute face, and attractive glamorous figure, she was promoted as a gravure idol after recruited and debuted in entertainment business.
And as aimed, "Katō" & her team achieved success for making her a top gravure idol.
However, in truth, "Reiko Katō" was still cherishing her passion for being a singer.
"Katō" conveyed her wish for releasing albums to her office. And the office allowed her to do so as long as they can..
That might be why she was able to release exceptional number of albums as primarily a gravure idol.
Light & mellow
As a duty(almost) of an idol star, "Katō" had to release "idol pops" in the early part of her career.
But according to some interview article, her favourite music was basically "Adult contemporary" or "Light & mellow", so in the latter part of her career, she released more of mellower tunes through her albums.
In this sense, today's album "Itch" might be one of the mellowest.
"Katō"'s career as a singer was not so splashy compared with her triumph as a gravure idol at the time.
But some of her albums seems to be "re-discovered" by young music fans as an "unknown light and mellow album" of the '90s.
Marriage & retiring
In 2001, "Reiko Katō" married with a golfer on the rise "Kaname Yokoo".
Taking this as an opportunity, "Reiko Katō" virtually retired from the world of entertainment.
Recent
In 2012, after eleven years from her retirement in 2001, "Katō" resumed her activity in entertainment business by appearing on a popular TV variety show.
She again joined the entertainment agency run by "Noda" at the same time, and seems to be enjoying her work in her own pace even now.
References
For more details on "Reiko Katō", please have a look at the references linked below.
Video clip
Lastly, we would like to introduce a music clip of today's song.
Fortunately, today's tune "WALKIN'DOWN THE LOVE" has been uploaded on Youtube as a topic provided by the copy-right holder.
So, please enjoy this light, bright, and bouncy pop song, featuring a soothing vocal of "Reiko Kato".
If you like, please listen to.
Music Samples
1
(試聴する)
AD: Listening samples (Free)
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
music.apple.com (Track No.1)
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | ウォーキン・ダウン・ザ・ラヴ(Walkin' down the love) |
|---|---|
| Artist | かとうれいこ(Reiko Katō) |
| Album Title | itch |
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