Nakamori Akina - Eki

So this song was written by Takeuchi Mariya. She is best known in the west for her song Plastic Love from her Variety album. In reference to making this song, Takeuchi had this to say "in 1986, at the time I got the request for Nakamori Akina's album, I spread out pictures of her evenly on the table, until I could see a Scenic Image coming out. I came to the conclusion that she seemed like a Painful love story suited her. Surprisingly I finished writing the minor key song all at once, after a while I sung it as well. If Nakamori Akina never requested a song, I never would of written something like this."

When I first heard this song, I had no idea what the song was about, I just loved the music. It has a circle of fourths in the bassine and that's all I need to like a song, add to that the minor key, add to that Akina's melancholy vocal delivery and this is a song I could not pass. The more I learned about it the more I liked it.

---

Here is the song's structure

• Verse - piano and bass drum / high hat
• Pre-chorus - bass and more strings are added
• Chorus - circle of fifths with the muted guitar plucks and the snare drum gets added (muted guitar plucks like in Yoake no Uta )
• Verse 2 - trio + strings
• Pre-chorus - background harmony vocals added
• Chorus 2 - circles of fifths with background voices
• Bridge - instrumental break at the peak with the strongest version of the melodic theme
• Chorus 3 - chorus after the break
• Chorus 4 - non-lyric La la la chorus
• Fade

---

So this song is about a heart broken girl. Akina regularly got songs like this because of her idol persona. She was the tragic beauty and sadly there was a bit of truth to her character. The songs written for her aren't exactly about her, but they are they type of song that "could" be about her. The protagonist is headed to the train station in the evening and as she gets on the train she notices someone who reminds her of an ex-partner she had. He does not notice her. So the song is about the train ride she takes and all the bad memories that were brought rushing back to the surface after she had forgotten about them. All the pain he causes her and his lack of pain his care free demeanor. Its the type of venom that can only be aroused by someone you let close to your heart. The song ends with him getting off the train and disappearing and she is stuck, alone with those hurtful feelings.

________________

(haphazard translation, enjoy at your own risk)


見覚えのある レインコート
That raincoat that's in my memory

黄昏の駅で 胸が震えた
It's dusk and my chest trembles at the Station

はやい足どり まぎれもなく
That fast paced walking... could I be mistaken?

昔愛してた あの人なのね
Is it that person I used to love?

懐かしさの一歩手前で
These nostalgic things are just about to well up

こみあげる 苦い思い出に
All these bitter memories leave me at a total loss of words

言葉がとても見つからないわ


あなたがいなくても こうして
You not being here, just like this...

元気で暮らしていることを
Your cheerful existence...

さり気なく 告げたかったのに……
Despite you telling me so nonchalantly...

二年の時が 変えたものは
In two years time the only things that changed were his gaze and my hair

彼のまなざしと 私のこの髪


それぞれに待つ人のもとへ
Are you going to come back to where each waiting person is

戻ってゆくのね 気づきもせずに
You have no idea you are riding one car away from me

ひとつ隣の車両に乗り


うつむく横顔 見ていたら
As I'm watching the profile of your hanging head

思わず涙 あふれてきそう
Unintentional tears overflow out

今になってあなたの気持ち
Its right now that I'm understanding your feelings for the first time


初めてわかるの 痛いほど
I can barely stand the pain


私だけ 愛してたことも
I was the only one who who was in love

ラッシュの人波にのまれて
I'm being overwhelmed by the wave of rushing people you've disappeared into

消えてゆく 後ろ姿が
The shape of your back is left in my desperately sad heart

やけに哀しく 心に残る



改札口を出る頃には
As I'm leaving the Ticket Barrier

雨もやみかけた この街に
The rain hasn't stopped...

ありふれた夜がやって来る
Its going to be another regular night in this city

La La La……

____________

I do not know what it is about those kayokyoku and citypop melodies that get me, but this one is so addictive as it ebbs and flows like a wave on the beach, then slides down the circle of fifths like a fine chocolate mousse. Oh its great.

The song opens with those sugary disney strings laced with that delicious synths playing an intro exclusive melody. I am in general a fan of sparse arrangements and songs like this show why. Sparser arrangements shows the strength of the composition. This song has those strings, some synth keys, a subdued electric guitar, drums, an electric bass, and background vocals for harmonization. The key for this song is that its layered, the pieces come in one at a time and before you know it your are fully embroiled with the song like Akina is with her ex-partner. And it just feels so all of a sudden. Skillful writing.

So Takeuchi's music is a bit hit and miss with me, it depends on the genre. But when she is going this sort of sophisticated urban groove / citypop it really pulls at my heart strings. I am linking to the Eki '97 because I think that its a superior performance. Her emotion in this version is so good. I think she even cracks a tear at the end... The review is abut the version on crimson, but for the lyrics of the song, her delivery on eki 97 is fantastic and so skillful. She is a great performer.