My Showa Kayou 20　Season of Love　

Japanese Title "Koi no Kisetsu"
The chorus layers the lyrics in bliss,
as the Killers’ part follows in song.

Pinky & The Killers had a unique image when they debuted—a tall, striking young girl named Yoko Ima as the lead vocalist, backed by four men doing chorus. Their trademark was the high hats and canes, which gave them a distinctive, somewhat unconventional style.

As it turns out, this was a promotional strategy, likely devised when it became clear that a solo act wouldn't sell as well. The idea took off, and in 1968, Pinky (Yoko Ima) was only 17 years old when she sang their debut single, "Koi no Kisetsu" ("Season of Love"). She was youthful and vibrant, neither skinny nor fragile, and her voice was full of volume.

What really stood out was how she sang—opening her mouth wide, like an ideal model for school choir performances. You could practically see her throat as she belted out the notes, which left a strong impression.

Being so young, her singing wasn’t overly complicated or showy. It was fresh and straightforward. Maybe the appeal lay in the fact that she seemed protected by the four Killers, who gave her presence a sense of support and security.

The song begins with the line, 🎵"Wasure rarenai no" ("I can't forget"),🎵 which rises with emotion and immediately hooks you in. Then, right after, 🎵"Ano hito ga suki yo" ("I love that person")🎵 brings the tone down to a calm middle range. The next line, 🎵"Aoi shatsu kite sa, umi o miteta no" ("Wearing a blue shirt, gazing at the sea")🎵, is sung softly, almost like a low murmur.

Izumi Taku, the composer, was truly a master of his craft. The intro’s low notes and syncopation perfectly set the stage for the opening of the A melody. The arrangement is simply superb.

But what makes this part of the song special is the lyric "Aoi shatsu kite sa"—that little "sa". It adds a youthful, childlike quality to the character, which suits Pinky’s image perfectly. Tokiko Iwatani, the lyricist, really did an amazing job here.

In the small seaside town where I grew up, all the boys my age wore plain white undershirts from Gunze. Someone wearing a blue shirt, staring at the sea, felt like a stranger—someone from the city. And there’s a young girl who’s fallen in love, swept away by the idea of being picked up by this outsider.

When the line 🎵"Watashi no koi wa sora o somete moeta yo" ("My love stained the sky, it burned brightly")🎵 comes, I think about the next lyric, 🎵"Yoake no kōhī futari de nomō to" ("We’ll drink coffee at dawn")🎵, and realize this is about a sunrise. It’s a story set by the Pacific Ocean.

Songs from the Showa era were short. They often had a lot of refrains. And that brevity allowed us to expand the lyrics in our minds every time we listened or sang along. That’s what made them so great.

Which is why I struggle to appreciate modern songs, with their long, convoluted lyrics. They just don’t resonate with me.

In my family’s large household, music was an unspoken ingredient in preparing dinner. My grandmother, aunts, and I would sing while we cooked. We had lyrics written out on sheets of paper and stuck up near the ceiling, in case we forgot the words (though, of course, those weren’t for my sake).

Over time, the lyric sheets multiplied. Even after my aunts moved out and the house became emptier, the lyrics remained on the walls.

Eventually, it was just my parents, my younger sister, and me. My mother became a full-time homemaker, and I no longer helped with cooking. And so, the singing stopped.

But recently, I found myself singing "Koi no Kisetsu" again, and I was surprised that I could still perfectly follow along, including the Killers' chorus parts, hitting all the right notes.

What’s even more surprising is that Pinky is still active today. At 71 years old, she sings 🎵"Wasure rarenai no"🎵 a cappella with a deep sense of nostalgia.

For those who remember her from the past, her current performances must be captivating. She’s become the kind of graceful older woman I aspire to be.

I cannot read or write in English.
This text has been translated by ChatGPT.
I haven't edited it, so there may be some strange parts.

【Reference Video】

【Japanese Version of the Article】