Japanese Disco Era Hits

**Bernie** · April 19th, 2004, 12:23 PM

A member just e-mailed me a list of Japnese Disco Era hits. The list is at
http://www.discomusic.com/charts-more/2630_0_8_0_C/

I'm not familiar with any of these songs. Does anyone know any of them?

**paul** · April 19th, 2004, 01:18 PM

I don't know any by name either Bernie but I sure wouldn't mind hearing what the Japanese were jamming to back then.

**mrkick20000** · April 19th, 2004, 02:06 PM

Eleven Japanese Disco Era Hits

Sentimental - Iwasaki Hiromi 1975
Koi no Yowami - Goh Hiromi 1976
Fantasy - Iwasaki Hiromi 1976
September Rain - Ohta Hiromi 1977
Mizuiro no Ame - Yagami Junko 1978
Monkey Magic - Godiego 1978
Theme: Lupin the Third - Ohno Yuji 1978
Super Hero - Ohno Yuji 1978
Tokyo Lullaby - Nakahara Rie 1978
Cinderella Honeymoon - Iwasaki Hiromi 1978
My Lady - Goh Hiromi 1979

The above list was submitted by "tedinjapan"
***********************************************
I don't think these above are disco at all. They are
just Japan-pop hits only in Japan in the disco era and wouldn't be interesting to many other than Japanese, I suppose. Of course I, a Japanese, know them all but they don't suit this site very much... But it is true the tunes' melody line and four-on-the-floor beat are under the influence of disco music polular in the world then.

**Boogie Child** · April 19th, 2004, 02:12 PM

What about "Kiss in the Dark" by Pink Lady?

**mrkick20000** · April 19th, 2004, 11:05 PM

Originally Written by Boogie Child

What about "Kiss in the Dark" by Pink Lady?

Yeah well said. Pink Lady was a big star in Japan in the late-70s, featuring their leggy looks, and tried to sell their records in the states, too, making an album of all-English tunes in circa '79. Even nowadays, they sometimes come out in the TV pop-show here in Japan, even though their songs from that era sound a little oldfashioned.

**JussiK** · April 20th, 2004, 06:55 AM

Quite a lot of Japanese film soundtracks contained awesome rhythms during the seventies. Check out the main theme for the incredible Baby Cart on River Styx series - bongos fly, wah wah guitars scratch, violins screech, hipsters snap their fingers while Lightning Swords of Death flash on the screen. This is where Tarantino got much of Kill Bill from, larger than life duels set to boogie beats!
Same with many of the Sonny Chiba classics, cool sounds abound, like Isaac Hayes meets Ennio Morricone, only weirder. Later, more serene films like The Taxing Woman Returns plus countless anime titles also feature great disco vibes in their scores.

**Chap2Power** · May 6th, 2004, 10:31 PM

Of Japanese disco hits of origin, perhaps the biggest was the instrumental version of "Dance, It's My Life" by The Midnight Powers on Techiku Records. This was issued on the Double Dance album on Importe 12 Records.

Vincent

**Nano** · May 7th, 2004, 01:45 PM

Didn't Yellow Magic Orchestra (Ryuichi Sakamoto's first band) have any disco hits? Or were they more of a new wave band?

**markydefad** · May 7th, 2004, 01:55 PM

"Mister can you tell me where my love has gone? He's a Japanese Boy"...

Who knew "Aneka" was really a Scottish folksinger named Mary Sanderson???...... :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:

From AMG:

......"Japanese Boy," which is a unique fusion of new wave guitars and synths and disco rhythms. Aneka's vocal buoyancy and durability make the novel aspects of many tunes more believable than they'd be in an average studio singer's hands. Traditional Asian influences are in place to back the singer's plea for her absent lover to return home on "Japanese Boy."

**BrunoRepublic** · May 7th, 2004, 03:54 PM

Originally Written by Nano

Didn't Yellow Magic Orchestra (Ryuichi Sakamoto's first band) have any disco hits? Or were they more of a new wave band?

Techno-pop, new wave, or electronica, definitely... but I think it's a real stretch to consider anything of theirs as disco. Sometimes they could be comedic, and sometimes quite arty and strange (like their BGM album... bizarre even by my jaded standards).

**SandraDee** · May 7th, 2004, 04:03 PM

Yellow Magic Orchestra's 'Tong Poo' is very disco IMO. It even has the 'Lets All Chant'-type whoo-ah-oo-ah bits!

**Chap2Power** · May 8th, 2004, 02:03 AM

Not intentionally a disco hit, in the early 80's YMO had a huge hit in funk and black clubs with "Behind The Mask"
There are other tracks from XMultiples as well..

Vincent

**SandraDee** · May 8th, 2004, 10:56 AM

I seem to remember Eric Clapton & Greg Philinganes covering 'Behind The Mask' in '87-ish.

**Forrrce** · May 8th, 2004, 02:23 PM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

I seem to remember Eric Clapton & Greg Philinganes covering 'Behind The Mask' in '87-ish.

I used to have that Greg Fun-And-Games LP and the 12" of 'Behind The Mask' - didn't he write the song? :-?

**markydefad** · May 8th, 2004, 02:31 PM

Apparently not.

Greg Phillinganes
Album Title Pulse
Date of Release 1985 (release)

1. Behind the Mask (Sakamoto)
______________________________________________

"Behind The Mask"
Chris J. Mosdell/Ryuichi Sakamoto
Performed By Clapton, Eric
Length 4:47
Appears On August [1986]
Cream of Eric Clapton [1987]
Best Rock Anthems In The World...Ever! [1996]

AMG REVIEW: ”Behind the Mask” is a rarity – an Eric Clapton performance where the guitar is barely noticeable. Produced by Phil Collins who also performs drums, ”Behind the Mask” sounds unsurprisingly like a post- Peter Gabriel Genesis recording. While it’s a little less Electronica oriented that the original version by Japan’s Yellow Magic Orchestra, there’s plenty to like here for the techno-pop crowd, though Clapton’s blues fans will likely be less interested. Overall &”Behind the Mask” is a catchy, fun tune, but it’s difficult to find much Clapton in it. — Richard Gilliam

**SandraDee** · May 8th, 2004, 02:41 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

it’s difficult to find much Clapton in it.

Something to recommend it! :roll:

**markydefad** · May 8th, 2004, 02:55 PM

SD,

BUT it's produced by your much-loathed "balding" countryman.... PHYLLIS COLLINS!!!! :P :P :P

**SandraDee** · May 8th, 2004, 03:12 PM

Yes & she's much more of a BITCH than Joan Collins darling. :evil:

**usagi-san** · May 9th, 2004, 08:51 AM

To get back to the topic of Japanese disco, there are recent groups and singers, such as CoCo, Checkicco, Junna Morishita and Marie Suzuki, who have released very disco sounding songs. I am working on a compilation tape of Japanese disco style songs (most from 80s and 90s). When it is completed I will post the song titles here.
(I have been to Japan 8 times. My name is Mr. Rabbit in Japanese.)

**efunk_adelic** · May 9th, 2004, 12:56 PM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

Yellow Magic Orchestra's 'Tong Poo' is very disco IMO. It even has the 'Lets All Chant'-type whoo-ah-oo-ah bits!

Steely, this cut seems real interesting... what LP is it on? :)

**SandraDee** · May 12th, 2004, 02:23 PM

e-funk, this track is on the LP 'Yellow Magic Orchestra' from '79. I don't have the LP, I've got it on UK 12" single (extended version 6.20) on yellow vinyl ( :o ) & the b-side is 'Cosmic Surfin' which is also rather good IMO.