Best From Artist 61 - A Taste Of Honey

**paul** · September 29th, 2003, 02:20 AM

Back to some fine ladies.
The Taste Of Honey album I had fell victim to starving-student-itis. I just picked up the two cd set and as much as I've heard "Boogie Oogie Oogie", I still love hearing it. The 12' remix sounds the way the DJs used to play the records back in da day. Aside from BOO, I also like "Disco Dancin'" and of course Sukiyaki.

**HustleBaby** · September 29th, 2003, 03:32 AM

Hi Paul :D

I LOVVVVE "Sukiyaki" its exotic, tranquil one of my favorite slowjams. Back then there weren't a lot of tunes with an asian flair so it was different or shall I say ahead of its time.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**efunk_adelic** · September 29th, 2003, 03:53 AM

Paul,

Although i'm gettin' a little burnt out on "Boogie Oogie Oogie"... I still enjoy hearing it once in a while... I've always liked how it was produced.

Other cuts of interest:

Rescue Me
Sukiyaki

**BrunoRepublic** · September 29th, 2003, 07:39 AM

Sukiyaki.

**Outsider** · September 29th, 2003, 11:10 AM

I'll go with "Boogie Oogie Oogie".

:evil:

**Boogie Child** · September 29th, 2003, 12:32 PM

Although not nearly as powerful as "Boogie Oogie Oogie", I like the follow-up, "Do It Good". Also, the George Duke-produced, "Rescue Me" is very under-rated.

**markydefad** · September 29th, 2003, 02:11 PM

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Hi Paul :D

I LOVVVVE "Sukiyaki" its exotic, tranquil one of my favorite slowjams. Back then there weren't a lot of tunes with an asian flair so it was different or shall I say ahead of its time.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

HB,

FYI, remember that "Sukiyaki" was a #1 hit in the US in 1963 as an instrumental by Kyu Sakamoto. A Taste Of Honey added English lyrics to it and had another hit.

**Com King** · September 29th, 2003, 03:26 PM

Sukiyaki is my favourite Taste of Honey's song too.

Boogie Oogie Oogie is a really good dancefloor song, that is unfortunately rarely played in France.

My third favourite is the funky song "Do it Good".

**BrunoRepublic** · September 29th, 2003, 03:51 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

FYI, remember that "Sukiyaki" was a #1 hit in the US in 1963 as an instrumental by Kyu Sakamoto. A Taste Of Honey added English lyrics to it and had another hit.

I thought Sakamoto's version was in Japanese... isn't this one of the few songs to reach #1 in the US that wasn't in English?

I do wish they had come up with a better title. The original is actually "Ue O Muite Arukou", and translates as "I Look Up When I Walk". The original lyrics are quite different, at least according to the translations I've seen:

I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Remembering those happy spring days
But tonight I'm all alone

I look up when I walk , counting the stars with tearful eyes
Remembering those happy summer days
But tonight I'm all alone

Happiness lies beyond the clouds
Happiness lies above the sky

I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Though my heart is filled with sorrow
For tonight I'm all alone

Remembering those happy autumn days
But tonight I'm all alone

Sadness hides in the shadow of the stars
Sadness lurks in the shadow of the moon

I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Though my heart is filled with sorrow
For tonight I'm all alone

**markydefad** · September 29th, 2003, 03:59 PM

Graham,

You're right. It was sung in Japanese--not an instrumental as I mis-remembered. Duh!!! :oops:

**paul** · September 29th, 2003, 04:03 PM

Hey Marky.
Where ya been hidin' buddy?
My member is startin' to gain on ya :D

**HustleBaby** · September 30th, 2003, 03:40 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Hi Paul :D

I LOVVVVE "Sukiyaki" its exotic, tranquil one of my favorite slowjams. Back then there weren't a lot of tunes with an asian flair so it was different or shall I say ahead of its time.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

HB,

FYI, remember that "Sukiyaki" was a #1 hit in the US in 1963 as an instrumental by Kyu Sakamoto. A Taste Of Honey added English lyrics to it and had another hit.

Marky
I wasn't even born in 63 so that is why I was unaware of Sakamoto. Besides you and Graham, how many people on this board or anyone familiar with ATOH knew that "Sukiyaki" was a remake? Over the past few days, I've been trying to think of asian-type songs that were somewhat or very popular before 1980 - I can't think of any.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**paul** · September 30th, 2003, 04:26 PM

Hey Delight.
Like you, I didn't know about the '63 song until I read the liner notes on Taste Of Honey cd I just picked up.
As for Asian bands, the only one I know about pre 1980 off the top of my head is Yellow Magic Orchestra. They had a hit called Computer Games. I have the 12" somewhere.

**BrunoRepublic** · September 30th, 2003, 06:19 PM

Originally Written by paul

Hey Delight.
Like you, I didn't know about the '63 song until I read the liner notes on Taste Of Honey cd I just picked up.
As for Asian bands, the only one I know about pre 1980 off the top of my head is Yellow Magic Orchestra. They had a hit called Computer Games. I have the 12" somewhere.

Apparently the label screwed up on this one -- the song is actually "Firecracker", a cover of the 60s exotica number by Martin Denny. The reason that I always point this out is that the whole thing is very tongue-in-cheek -- an Asian group performing a supposedly Asian song that was actually written by an American.

"Computer Game" is simply the blip-bleep intro which segues into "Firecracker" on the LP.

**Paulo** · September 30th, 2003, 07:21 PM

Bogie Oogie Oogie is great, but my favourites are:

1 WORLD SPIN (the B-Side of the 12" Boogie Oogie)
2 DO IT GOOD (12" A-Side)

**efunk_adelic** · September 30th, 2003, 08:19 PM

Originally Written by "HustleBaby
how many people on this board or anyone familiar with ATOH knew that "Sukiyaki" was a remake? Over the past few days, I've been trying to think of asian-type songs that were somewhat or very popular before 1980 - I can't think of any.

[b

*DISCO DELIGHT*[/b]

Hustlebaby, Sukiyaki was a huge huge hit in 1963 #1 for 3 weeks... I recommend that you make an effort to hear it... I think that you'll be very impressed... It's sung entirely in Japanese. I liked this song from the moment I first heard it, sometime in the early 70's.

As far as asian acts before 1980, I have a good one for ya.... A group called Pink Lady had a song called Kiss In The Dark. I was subscribing to Billboard Magazine at the time and I remember seeing ad after ad trying to push this act onto the top 40. It is actually a disco song . They promoted the girls enough to push them into the top 40 reaching #37. Mile Nemoto & Kei Masuda on Elektra/Curb 46040. I haven't heard the song since 1979 but I remember it wasn't that bad. :)

Marcio** · October 1st, 2003, 12:45 AM

Pink Lady, a japanese duo formed by Mie & Kei

.

My favorite songs by A Taste of Honey are:

"I'll try something new", very good slow song with japanese words.
"Superstar superman", very amusing.
"Boogie oogie oogie", best guitar, best bass, best female voice (Janice-Marie), best keyboards, best claps. Just a wonderful classic.

**Boodikka** · October 3rd, 2003, 10:14 AM

Paul, I love ya, but "Best" and "Taste Of Honey" don't belong in the same sentence. :roll: Just MVHO.

Kyu (pronounced "Cue") Sakamoto's "Ue O Muite Aruko" is one of my favorite songs, so much so that I taught myslf the in Japanese (phonetically). Many artists have covered the song in various languages, from ATOH to Selena, but Sakamoto's is still the best.

Pink Lady, of "Pink Lady And Jeff" infamy, was an abomination unleashed on the US by Fathead Freddy Silverman and crew. The least said, the better.

I love YMO's "Computer Games/Firecracker" and "Tighten Up". Ryuichi Sakamoto went on to be a fine actor ("Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence"; "Empire of the Sun") and composer ( he had a minor hit here in '88 with Judy Jones of Munich Machine called "You Do Me").