The Maker Speaks
Tinker Bell
Crossed Each Peak of Seiko & Takashi
Crossed Each Peak of Seiko & Takashi
Matsumoto Takashi, a Japanese popular lyrics writer and Matsuda Seiko, a Japanese pop idol in 1980's; each peak of the two crossed each other in 1984 early summer. Why can I say like this? I was brought to this place by Tinker Bell the 9th studio album of Matsuda Seiko. It includes 9 songs whose lyrics were all written by (no one but) Matsumoto Takashi. Well, I understood it meant the connection between the two. But how come we know it contains the crossing? you might ask. I guess I have to introduce the two to you first for explaining why.
Matsuda Seiko was a Japanese female idol who made her debut in 1980. She had been unconnected with Matsumoto Takashi in her early career. Soon, she gained lots of popularity for her cuteness (something cutesy). She released her singles and albums at a highly fast pace. Many Japanese people, men and women, were mad at her. Naturally, the records of hers made great hits. In the rising days, she met a Japanese high-class pop songwriter. It was Matsumoto Takashi. Then he got to write the words for Matsuda Seiko songs for several years.
On the other hand, I wonder I almost have nothing to tell you about the first-class songwriter. Around 1970, he'd belonged to a Japanese rock band Happy End as the drummer until it broke up. He turned to a songwriter, not a musician after the dissolution of the band. He wrote many hit songs like Momen-no Handkerchief (1975) in 1970's, then. In 1980, he was already going as a leading figure. One day, he got a call from the producer of Matsuda Seiko. Will you please write lyrics for Seiko? Matsumoto Takashi had already recognized the call of Seiko enough and said why no? The two met each other in 1981 in this way.
Needless to say, everything has the peak. In other words, nothing can last forever as it is. Every road leads us to a curve. Seiko couldn't be an idol forever. In 1984 when she was 22, she was meeting a curved point on the way. She had been cutesy thus far. But the older she got, the duller it had to look. So she needed to release a parting gift while being a female idol. I believe that Tinker Bell was it. As the album title tells, those songs were all based on a fantasy. In other words, girls' fairy tale. She kept acting a perfect dreamy girl through the 9 songs. In the latter of 1980's, she got to go as a sedate woman acting her age.
Matsumoto Takashi? Now, let me raise my opinion here. He was very popular in those days. You could often find his name on studio albums of Japanese pop idols like Kondo Masahiko, Koizumi Kyoko, Yakushimaru Hiroko and Nakayama Miho (needless to say, Matsuda Seiko) in the middle of 1980's. Probably, many pop music people thought it would go so well with lyrics by Matsumoto Takashi. That made him deeply busy. I believe it forced him into running out. Keeping on being busy makes us completely tired and kind of inactive. Around 1990, his name was difficult to be found in the pop music field. I consider that he seriously needed to take a rest and write nothing for years.
I'm not sure that he was meeting the peak in 1984. Maybe it was 1985, 1986 or 1983. The answer is blowing in the wind of time. However, at least, I can surely say that it was the beginning of the peak in 1984. If the peak is not a point, my opinion can go through, can't it?
Tinker Bell is a point where crossed each peak of the two talents. If you desire to learn something about Matsuda Seiko or something about Matsumoto Takashi, it will make nothing good to leave Tinker Bell out. Everybody else might say that it goes good with listening to the best albums of each (there are some officially-compiled albums featuring Matsumoto Takashi). I don't deny the ordinary opinion. I would like you to take it easy as just a way.
 |
|
Released on June 10, 1984 CBS SONY |
|
1. 真っ赤なロードスター 2. ガラス靴の魔女 3. いそしぎの島 4. 密林少女 5. 時間の国のアリス 6. AQUARIUS 7. 不思議な少年 8. Rock'n Rouge 9. SLEEPING BEAUTY ※Blue lines are my recommendations. All Words: Matsumoto Takashi Composition: Matsutoya Yumi, Ozaki Ami, Minami Yoshitaka, Hayashi Tetsuji, Omura Masa-aki Arrangement: Matsutoya Masataka, Omura Masa-aki, Funayama Motoki Produced by Wakamatsu Muneo |
On the other hand, I wonder I almost have nothing to tell you about the first-class songwriter. Around 1970, he'd belonged to a Japanese rock band Happy End as the drummer until it broke up. He turned to a songwriter, not a musician after the dissolution of the band. He wrote many hit songs like Momen-no Handkerchief (1975) in 1970's, then. In 1980, he was already going as a leading figure. One day, he got a call from the producer of Matsuda Seiko. Will you please write lyrics for Seiko? Matsumoto Takashi had already recognized the call of Seiko enough and said why no? The two met each other in 1981 in this way.
Needless to say, everything has the peak. In other words, nothing can last forever as it is. Every road leads us to a curve. Seiko couldn't be an idol forever. In 1984 when she was 22, she was meeting a curved point on the way. She had been cutesy thus far. But the older she got, the duller it had to look. So she needed to release a parting gift while being a female idol. I believe that Tinker Bell was it. As the album title tells, those songs were all based on a fantasy. In other words, girls' fairy tale. She kept acting a perfect dreamy girl through the 9 songs. In the latter of 1980's, she got to go as a sedate woman acting her age.
Matsumoto Takashi? Now, let me raise my opinion here. He was very popular in those days. You could often find his name on studio albums of Japanese pop idols like Kondo Masahiko, Koizumi Kyoko, Yakushimaru Hiroko and Nakayama Miho (needless to say, Matsuda Seiko) in the middle of 1980's. Probably, many pop music people thought it would go so well with lyrics by Matsumoto Takashi. That made him deeply busy. I believe it forced him into running out. Keeping on being busy makes us completely tired and kind of inactive. Around 1990, his name was difficult to be found in the pop music field. I consider that he seriously needed to take a rest and write nothing for years.
I'm not sure that he was meeting the peak in 1984. Maybe it was 1985, 1986 or 1983. The answer is blowing in the wind of time. However, at least, I can surely say that it was the beginning of the peak in 1984. If the peak is not a point, my opinion can go through, can't it?
Tinker Bell is a point where crossed each peak of the two talents. If you desire to learn something about Matsuda Seiko or something about Matsumoto Takashi, it will make nothing good to leave Tinker Bell out. Everybody else might say that it goes good with listening to the best albums of each (there are some officially-compiled albums featuring Matsumoto Takashi). I don't deny the ordinary opinion. I would like you to take it easy as just a way.
Anzen Chitai II
Anzen Chitai Got to Stardom by Who?
The Best Year of My Life
The Beginning of the End of Off Course
