Futari no Natsu Monogatari explained

Futari no Natsu Monogatari
Cover:Futari no Natsu Monogatari cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe
Album:Another Summer
B-Side:Farewell Call
Length:3:57
Label:VAP
Lyricist:Chinfa Kan
Composer:Tetsuji Hayashi
Producer:Koichi Fujita
Prev Title:Riverside Hotel
Prev Year:1984
Next Title:Silence ga Ippai
Next Year:1985

is a single by Japanese band S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe released by VAP on March 6, 1985. Recognized as the band's most popular and their signature song, it emerged as a collaboration between Omega Tribe and Japan Airlines. Written by Tetsuji Hayashi and Chinfa Kan, it was composed and recorded in three days while the band was on tour.

Background and release

The song was composed by Tetsuji Hayashi with lyrics by Chinfa Kan as a collaboration between the band and Japan Airlines's JALPAK '85 campaign.[1] Hayashi had been occupied composing songs for other artists, while the band was on tour.[2] However, after the collaboration was settled, Hayashi was assigned an advertising slogan, which would later serve as the song's chorus. The duo finished the song in just two days, prompting the band to be called from their tour to record it on the final day.[3] The song would be used in commercials for Japan Airlines that same year.[4]

The single was included in the band's fourth album, Another Summer, with minor adjustments made to the mixing. Later, it was included in the remix album Another Summer Remix and various compilation albums by the band.[4]

Commercial performance

The single was the band's top-selling hit, with 380,000 copies sold and a peak at No. 5 on the Oricon charts.[5] In 2013, the song would appear on Billboard Japan Hot 100, peaking at 97. It also appeared on Billboard Japan Adult Contemporary chart at 14.

The song also made appearances on Tokyo Broadcasting System's Uta no Top Ten and Nippon TV's The Top Ten. However, due to the band disbanding at the end of 1985, it was absent from the end-of-year program.

Performances and impact

The band performed "Futari no Natsu Monogatari Never Ending Summer" as part of Japan's Live Aid concert broadcast on July 13, 1985.[6] The song was the ending theme for the 1986 TV Asahi drama Mama Haha VS Mama Musume, iede Reijō no Kagai Jugyō koi mo Wakare Momonja-shō![7]

Patrick St. Michel of The Japan Times described the song as one that "still inspire warm memories for those who came of age during Japan’s period of extravagance" alongside "Summer Suspicion".[8] It has also been described as the band's signature song, with the band performing the song on reunion tours.[9] The song has also been performed at Hayashi's 50th anniversary performance at the Tokyo International Forum.[10]

Track listing

Single

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
Billboard (Japan Hot 100)[11] 97
Billboard (Adult Contemporary)[12] 14

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ソロデビュー30周年で妹分の菊池桃子48歳とデュエットも…「やっと自分が表現すべき言葉が分かってきた」 . ja. Sankei Shimbun. August 15, 2018. Kanematsu, Yasushi.
  2. Web site: 杉山清貴が語る『ふたりの夏物語』とシティポップ「プロにしか作れない短い小説のような作品です」 . News Post Seven. April 9, 2023. ja.
  3. Web site: 【1985年5月】ふたりの夏物語/わずか3日で完成 オメガトライブ最大のヒットも… . ja. Sports Nippon. May 26, 2011.
  4. Web site: 杉山清貴&オメガトライブ 40周年リミックスプロジェクト第4弾『ANOTHER SUMMER REMIX』―「ふたりの夏物語」「DEAR BREEZE」などを収録の最高傑作が最新リミックスで生まれ変わる. HMV. March 28, 2023. ja.
  5. Web site: 杉山清貴&オメガトライブが日比谷野音で再結成ライブを開催!今後「再々結成」もあるかも?. ja. Middle Edge. May 7, 2019.
  6. Hits of the World. June 6, 2020. Billboard. June 2, 1985. 65.
  7. Web site: ママ母 VS ママ娘、家出令嬢の課外授業 恋も別れももんじゃ焼!. ja. tvdrama-db.com.
  8. Web site: Kiyotaka Sugiyama looks back on the glistening days of city pop. November 5, 2021. The Japan Times. St. Michel, Patrick.
  9. Web site: 杉山清貴&オメガトライブ 最後のテレビ出演のワケ「いつも最後のつもりでやらないと…」 . May 9, 2024. Sports Nippon.
  10. Web site: 林哲司50周年公演に杉山清貴&オメガトライブ、土岐麻子、エミ・マイヤー、松城ゆきの追加. September 15, 2023. Natalie.
  11. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot 100 2013/08/10. Billboard Japan. ja.
  12. Web site: Billboard Japan Adult Contemporary 2013/06/31. Billboard Japan. ja.