The decision to delay the ranking is a little disappointing because we will now have to wait to see if Akina will indeed be invited. Judging from the news report from the last post, "Desire" was anticipated to better its No. 10 ranking from the mid term results. NHK has indicated that they will base their selection of singers from the poll and from my analysis, there are not many singers from the 80s who made it to the list, and "Desire" is defintely one of the definitive songs from the 80s, so that is good news. Still, we will have to wait and see.
Update: NHK will reveal the final rankings on their website on the 31st December. It is also discussed that 夏川りみ was being interviewed on the program, and commented that her choice was "Desire". 夏川りみ was asked once who was her idol when she was growing up and she very proudly said "中森明菜" and performed a very respectable version of "Desire" complete with all Akina's signature dance moves. The program was also reported to be very boring because they did not complement the announcements with any video clips, just a straightforward style of reporting.
These are the songs from the 80s that were in the Top 100 from 紅組 which is a surprisingly short list:
天城越え（石川さゆり）
まちぶせ（石川ひとみ）- surprise!!
恋人よ（五輪真弓）
聖母たちのララバイ（岩崎宏美）
タッチ（岩崎良美）- surprise!!
for you…（高橋真梨子）
桃色吐息（高橋真梨子）
駅（竹内まりや）
つぐない（テレサ・テン）
時の流れに身をまかせ（テレサ・テン）
飾りじゃないのよ涙は（中森明菜）
DESIRE（中森明菜）
Diamonds（PRINCESS PRINCESS）
青い珊瑚礁（松田聖子）
赤いスイートピー（松田聖子）
守ってあげたい（松任谷由実）
川の流れのように（美空ひばり）
越冬つばめ（森 昌子）
雨の慕情（八代亜紀）
フレンズ（レベッカ）
My Revolution（渡辺美里）
There were 1,511,481 votes cast with 3,759,996 votes for the songs, because each vote allowed you to pick 3 songs from the prescribed list and then one song of your choice outside the list. The breakdown is here. Surprisingly, there were more men (59.9%) than women (40.1%) that voted and the highest fraction of voters were in their from the 20s.
Both of Akina's songs made it, so did all 3 of Seiko's and Momoe's. As an Akina fan, I would give 2 of my 3 votes to Akina, so it is great to see both her songs end up in the Top 100, hopefully even in the eventual Top 20, if NHK finally reveals the ranking.
For all my votes, I would use two of them up for both of Akina's songs, and then select one from the list. I didn't choose any Seiko's songs (even though I do like her) and only one Momoe song because I am sick of them asking the same singers to cover them if they are selected. Nor did I select any song from the mid term Top 30 list that NHK revealed, though there were many songs that I liked. For the song of my choice, it was always "ミ・アモーレ" from Akina. These are the songs that I voted for that ended up in the Top 100:
Update: Reading Hamu's blog entry has made me decide to post some extra comments on the songs and from the White Team too.
オリビアを聴きながら（杏里) - an evergreen. Written by 尾崎亜美 in 1978, it was the perfect debut single for 杏里. It did not sell very well but has since became a classic. I believed she re-recorded a few new versions of it, including one for [ ザ・杏里 ] in 1986 when I first heard it. She also performed it in 紅白 in 1996. Akina also sang it beautifully once in a piano recital though I can't recall where or when.
まちぶせ（石川ひとみ）- I only heard this song when I watched her perform in 紅白 in 1981 through DVD. Loved the song, but disliked the performance because she was so anxious, she cried throughout half the song. I was surprised it was written by 荒井由実 (which is the maiden name for for 松任谷由実) for 三木聖子 originally (another Seiko). However, it took 石川ひとみ to cover it to become the hit it is today and Yuming herself covered it again in the 90s for a TV theme song, which was why it sounded so familiar when I heard it.
ブルーライト・ヨコハマ（いしだあゆみ）- I love this song and いしだあゆみ is so beautiful. It is the one of the first songs to hit No. 1 when Oricon was first released and my aunt told me that it is song that you will hear when you visit ヨコハマ.
恋人よ（五輪真弓) - another classic, though my personal favourite song of Mayumi is [心の友], and she has re-recorded and released as a single this year with an Indonesian retitled "KOKORO NO TOMO～for DELON". You can read the details on Hamu's blog.
PRIDE（今井美樹) - My second favourite song of 今井美樹 though I love this song's lyrics the most. I might attempt to translate it one day. A beautiful song second to my fave, 「野性の風」
木綿のハンカチーフ（太田裕美）- One of my favourite songs of the 70s. Beautiful melody and melancholic lyrics about her boyfriend leaving and her asking only for his cotton handkerchief as a momento. It is also one of Funny Felix's favourite songs to sing at Karaoke, a very bold attempt, I might say.
TOMORROW（岡本真夜）- another favourite and mega hit of the 90s.
異邦人（久保田早紀）- Akina covered this song for her "Utahime 2 - Zero Album" and it is a beautiful song.
あなたに会えてよかった（小泉今日子）- Kyon Kyon's biggest hit and another brave move towards maturity. Akina did a better job at covering it though the key was still a little too high.
会いたい（沢田知可子）- I believe Akina sang this too once, but I can't confirm.
駅（竹内まりや）- I love Mariya very much but I think Akina's version is still the best!
時代（中島みゆき）- One of my favourite songs. Timeless ...
飾りじゃないのよ涙は（中森明菜）- need I say more ...
DESIRE（中森明菜）- again
世界中の誰よりきっと（中山美穂＆WANDS) - The first Japanese song that I managed to learn in minutes. It is one of my favourite 中山美穂 songs, second to [幸せになるために].
Diamonds（PRINCESS PRINCESS）- One of the few rock songs that I love!! So incredibly shakingly infectious!
卒業写真（松任谷由実) - Leslie and my aunt sang this song for me when I first visited Japan in 1994. We went to this small restaurant, and my aunt asked to use the mike, introduced herself and myself to everyone in the restaurant and then sang a duet with Leslie as a special dedication and present. Unforgettable ...
守ってあげたい（松任谷由実）- Another classic from Yuming! When she performed this song at "The Best 10", it was the only time she has appeared on TV. Will she appear again this year in 紅白 as rumors persist (for the umpteeth time)?
プレイバックPart2（山口百恵) - I love almost all the singles that Momoe has released but I chose not to vote for the other 2 songs of hers because I am sick of hearing the male songwriters cover them again and again on 紅白. I would have voted for all of them if it was any other poll because the other two are actually my favourite songs of Momoe. I only want to hear Momoe sing them again via video transmission because I don't think she should come back again, as much as I would like her to.
ひだまりの詩（Le Couple）- one of the theme songs to one of my favourite Jdramas "「ひとつ屋根の下２」. Easy listening at its best.
フレンズ（レベッカ）- a rare rock favourite!
Other songs from the list that I like but didn't vote for:
CAN YOU CELEBRATE?（安室奈美恵) - my fave song of Namie.
津軽海峡冬景色（石川さゆり）- one of the few 演歌 that I enjoy but maybe because she has one of the best voices.
天城越え（石川さゆり）- really powerful performance every time!
聖母たちのララバイ（岩崎宏美）- Not my favourite song from Hiromi but definitely one of her best.
Automatic（宇多田ヒカル）- I like 宇多田ヒカル most amongst the younger singers and this is a good catchy number.
First Love（宇多田ヒカル）- I liked 宇多田ヒカル after this song. Beautiful intro ...
負けないで（ZARD）- A classic.
人生いろいろ（島倉千代子）- Another one of those rare playful 演歌.
亜麻色の髪の乙女（島谷ひとみ）- nice melody.
桃色吐息（高橋真梨子）- Yes, I agree with Hamu she needs a stylist ... seriously!!
喝采（ちあきなおみ）- Beautiful megahit in 1972!
つぐない（テレサ・テン）- Teresa, Oh Teresa! Such a loss ...
時の流れに身をまかせ（テレサ・テン）- Arguably her biggest hit because she sang it twice in 紅白.
LOVE LOVE LOVE（DREAMS COME TRUE）- Love this song! Their best!
地上の星（中島みゆき）- Her TV performance was so moving!
涙そうそう（夏川りみ）- I really adore this song and it will go down in history as a classic but I would like to see her sing another song for once. I remember how none of us had seen or heard this before 紅白 in 2002, and then we were all mesmerised by her simple yet powerful performance.
青い珊瑚礁（松田聖子）- like Hamu, for old time's sake, but no Little Bo Peep please!!
赤いスイートピー（松田聖子）- her signature song! It was after this song that she gained female fans. Up till then, most of her fans were male.
あなたに逢いたくて～Missing You～（松田聖子) - Not one of my faves, but because I love her ...
Everything（Misia) - one of the best Misia songs.
越冬つばめ（森 昌子）- another one of those rare 演歌 that I really like.
雨の慕情（八代亜紀) - love the hand action! Unforgettable.
いい日旅立ち（山口百恵）- one of my Top 5 faves.
秋桜（山口百恵）- No. 1 fave because of the lyrics and Akina!
あの鐘を鳴らすのはあなた（和田アキ子）- this is one of her best songs!
My Revolution（渡辺美里）- another classic.
白組編
I haven't heard too many songs off the list, so I will pick my faves.
ワインレッドの心（安全地帯）- I love 安全地帯 and this was another song I voted for.
少年時代（井上陽水）- Beautiful and simple. One of his best!
ラブ・ストーリーは突然に（小田和正)
贈る言葉（海援隊）
なごり雪（風）- I actually voted for this song as well, but for イルカ actually. I heard 榊原郁恵 cover it on 紅白 in 1982. Silly me to think that she would sing such a beautiful song. Ha! Ha!
愛は勝つ（KAN）
君がいるだけで（米米CLUB）- For Akina.
YOUNG MAN（西城秀樹）- Classic!
上を向いて歩こう（坂本 九）- Classic!
いとしのエリー（サザンオールスターズ）- Classic!
TSUNAMI（サザンオールスターズ）- Classic!
関白宣言（さだまさし）- Classic!
勝手にしやがれ（沢田研二）- I heard it covered by 福山雅治 first on his fantastic cover album and then watched Julie perform this in 1977, which has got to be one of the most boring 紅白 I have ever watched. Most of the songs were crap and this was such a refreshing change!
仮面舞踏会（少年隊）- Wonderful acrobatics and theatrics!
世界に一つだけの花（SMAP）
昴（谷村新司）- I heard this song when my uncle played it while he gave us a lift on his Subaru when I was 8 or 10. A classic that has been performed way too many times.
SAY YES（CHAGE&ASKA）- Classic! Their best song!
ルビーの指環（寺尾 聰）- Classic!
乾杯（長渕 剛）- Classic!
とんぼ（長渕 剛）- Classic!
瞳をとじて（平井 堅）
どんなときも。（槇原敬之）- Classic!
襟裳岬（森 進一）- another one of those rare 演歌 that I like.
クリスマス・イブ（山下達郎）- an evergreen.
So, did you vote and did any of your favourite songs end up in the list?
13 comments:
I was disappointed that Judy Ongg didn't make the list in the first place..
Heard that NHK offended some people for the explicit ranking during its 【紅白スキウタ】中間発表....
Hi Jack,
Me too. I think I voted for Miserarete 3 times. None of the Naoko Ken songs and "Harunanoni" I voted for came in too. :-(
Did you vote too?
Really Hamu? Why would they be offended? Just because they didn't get into the Top 30? Like who? Seiko?
NHK has also reported that they will reveal the full rankings on 31st December 2005. Maybe then, they wouldn't offend?
I am also suprised that AuYeung Fe Fe and Agnes Chan did not make the list... As for Teresa Teng, who is going to sing her song.. I don't get it
Akina sang "オリビアを聴きながら" during one of her appearances on "Music Fair".
As for the alleged claim, as all alleged claim I can't be 100% sure of its authenticity. BUT I won't be surprised if it's true coz some artistes/recording companies/producing companies/managers can be quite small gas (petty).
Another plausible reason for NHK not to release the final ranking is it MAY NOT have confirmed the name list of those artistes that would and could attend the kohaku. If it releases the ranking and some who happened to top the list doesn't turn up for the real thing, viewers will call to question or worse complain. To avoid such unnecessary trouble, it's wise for NHK not to announce the ranking - built up anticipation and probably can help to revival the viewer ship ^^
Hi Jack,
Yes, Asia is only represented by Teresa. I wonder how much of that is because she is no longer around, though she was popular in a later period that she was.
At 第37回思い出のメロディー (http://www1.plala.or.jp/nakaatsu/05omo.htm), they did a Teresa Teng special (永遠のテレサ･テンメロディー ) and these singers sang her songs:
つぐない - 伍代夏子
愛人 - 水森かおり
時の流れに身をまかせ - 坂本冬美
This is why I absolutely refuse to vote for songs that the original singers are not going to be there to sing anymore.
Thanks for the tip, Hamu. I will have to get Ranbi to burn that performance for me.
I guess when the big singers like Ayu is not in the Top 10, the companies would naturally be upset. But then, she is always so boring on Kohaku and all the songs sound similar, so who cares if she appears on the list or not. She is so popular she will get selected with or without the list anyway.
I have a video clip of Kawai Naoko singing "オリビアを聴きながら" while playing the piano in a talk show/interview with Agnes Chan.. but it is huge, I am still trying to figure out a way to cut it down and post it on my blog.. the quality was very very good..Her voice was sooo soft.. I was totally in love.. hehe
Now I strongly believe that "オリビアを聴きながら" is the classic it is today because of the number of singers who want to cover it.
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