Moonglow (Tatsuro Yamashita album) explained

Moonglow
Type:studio
Artist:Tatsuro Yamashita
Cover:Moonglow_(Tatsuro_Yamashita_album).jpg
Released:October 21, 1979
Studio:Canyon Studio(ja)
Onkio Haus
Media Studio
Sound City Studio
RCA Studio
Length:46:31
58:45 (2002 reissue)
Label:AIR/RVC
AIR/BMG Funhouse (2002 reissue)
Producer:Tatsuro Yamashita, Ryuzo Kosugi
Prev Title:Go Ahead!
Prev Year:1978
Next Title:Ride on Time
Next Year:1980

Moonglow is the fourth studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, released in October 1979.

This was his first LP under the AIR label and was also the first studio album released by AIR.

Overview

Moonglow was one of Tatsuro Yamashita's studio albums that stayed the most weeks in the Oricon charts, staying in for fifty weeks. Most of the songs included in this album were written by Minako Yoshida and composed by Tatsuro Yamashita.

Before the album came out, "Let's Kiss The Sun" was released as a lead single. The song was used as a commercial song for Japan Airlines Okinawa campaign.

At this time, Yamashita's director Ryuzo Kosugi launched an independent label "AIR" within the RVC he belonged to because of his desire to take a more free production stance without being controlled by the company's restrictions. This work "Moonglow" was released in the fall of 1979 as the first new record of this new label AIR. It became a stepping stone to the next work "Ride on Time".[1]

When the album finally came out, "Eien no Full Moon" (永遠のFull Moon) was released as a single at the same time as the album. Its B-side would include the song "Funky Flushin'" which was also included on the Moonglow album. Though both of the singles failed to enter the Oricon Singles Chart.

In 1980, the album would win in the 22nd Japan Record Awards for "Best Album Award".[2]

2002 remastered edition

In 2002, a remastered reissue (BVCR-17016) was released as part of The RCA/AIR Years 1976-1982 series. The reissue would include three additional tracks that were previously unreleased before. It would enter the Oricon charts, peaking in at twenty-six for two weeks.

Track listing

2002 remastered edition

Personnel

"Taken from the inner sleeve notes of the 1979 album (AIR-8001)."

Musicians

Drums

Yutaka Uehara (A-2, 5, B-1, 3, 4, 5)
Shuichi "Ponta" Murakami (A-4, B-2)
Yukihiro Takahashi (A-3)

Bass

Akihiro Tanaka (A-2, 5, B-1, 3, 4, 5)
Akira Okazawa (A-4, B-2)
Haruomi Hosono

Guitars

Kazuo Shiina (A-2, 5, B-1, 3, 4, 5) solo on "Funky Flushin'" & "Hot Shot"
Tsunehide Matsuki (A-4, B-2) solo on "Storm"
Masaki Matsubara (A-3)
Tatsuro Yamashita (A-2, 5, B-1, 3, 4, 5) solo on "Yellow Cab"

Keyboards

Hiroyuki Nanba (A-2, 5, B-1, 3, 4, 5) solo on "Sunshine"
Hiroshi Satoh
Tatsuro Yamashita
Percussion — Nov Saitoh, Pecker
SynthesizerRyuichi Sakamoto (B-4)
Background Vocals
Trumpet — Shin Kazuhara, Yoshikazu Kishi
TromboneShigeharu Mukai, Tadanori Konakawa
Tennor Sax — Kazuo Suzuki
Alto Sax
Baritone Sax — Shunzo Sunahara
Strings Concert Master — Tadaaki Ohno
Conductor — Koji Haijima
Harp — Keiko Yamakawa

Chart positions

YearAlbumCountryChartPositionWeeksSales
1979MoonglowJapanOricon Weekly LP Albums Chart (top 100)2050146,000[3]
Oricon Weekly CT Albums Chart (top 100)332845,000
2002Moonglow [Remastered edition]Oricon Weekly Albums Chart26213,000

Awards

22nd Japan Record Awards
DateTitleCategoryWinner
December 31, 1980MoonglowBest Album AwardTatsuro Yamashita

Release history

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalog number[4]
JapanOctober 21, 1979AIR/RVCLPAIR-8001
CTART-8001
June 21, 1984CDRACD-8
August 15, 1986R32A-1018
March 15, 1987R28H-2804
August 21, 1990RCA/BMG VictorBVCR-7004
September 21, 1990BVCR-2502
June 4, 1997RCA/BMG JapanBVCR-1031
May 21, 1999BVCK-37009
February 14, 2002RCA/BMG FunhouseBVCR-17016
February 20, 2002LPBVJR-17006

Notes and References

  1. (2002) Tatsuro Yamashita's "Moonglow" album booklet notes. RCA/BMG Funhouse (BVCR-17016).
  2. Web site: List of the 22nd Japan Record Awards Winners. Japanese. March 23, 2022.
  3. Web site: Tatsuro Yamashita . Japanese . March 19, 2008 . dead . https://archive.today/20071111034222/http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_yamasita.html . November 11, 2007 .
  4. Web site: MOONGLOW. Japanese. March 23, 2022.