The magic of Showa era pop music that transcends time and language
Yokoyama Ken's weekly magazine serial "Showa Kayo Iine!" has been published as a book. We asked him about its appeal.
"For example, just looking at the hit charts from 1967 is fascinating. You can see the long-running hit "Tawaraboshi Genba" by Minami Haruo, alongside rock 'n' roll from group sounds bands like The Tigers. The all-encompassing, chaotic nature of Showa pop is what makes it so appealing.
My kids, who enjoy the chaos of subscription services, are listening to Fujii Kaze and Yorushika, as well as Sachiko Kobayashi, and saying things like, "It's so emotional!" I was really struck by the emotional impact of Showa-era pop music."
Analyzing why Showa era pop music is attracting attention from around the world
"I had wanted to be a composer since I was a child, so I had a habit of analyzing songs that I liked. Through this, I realized that there was something that only Japanese music had. Songs with Japanese lyrics have a very strict notation for the words, which makes them different from English songs. Even so, many singers and composers in the Showa era admired overseas sounds and underwent repeated trial and error. The music that was created in this way has an original "blend."
Kyu Sakamoto's "Ue o Muite Arukou" reached number one in the US, and I think that's proof that the vibrations that could be called "soul radio waves" born from the passion of the song and lyrics were well received. I think that's also connected to the fact that Japanese city pop is now being listened to all over the world. But when you talk to the person who created "Nijimi," it's like it was an over-conscious thing (laughs), and it's also wonderful that many people don't remember what it was like back then."
This book also includes valuable interviews with great figures of the Showa era whom Yokoyama himself admired.
"Although the late Yukio Hashi and his staff gave their permission for the talk with him, the publisher refrained from publishing it because the stories about the entertainment industry in the Showa era were too risky (laughs). It seems he had an incredible determination to be a star, and he exuded an aura that made it hard to believe he was a fellow human being.
I also had the opportunity to meet Kunihiko Murai, a composer and former CEO of Alpha Records. He had been running a record store in Akasaka since his days as a Keio University student, and was also well versed in motorsports. He had incredible musical talent and business acumen. He was someone I felt insecure about, like a weak spot in my life, but I realized he was actually someone I admired. It was a valuable experience."
