(1) また逢う日まで – 尾崎紀世彦 – Huge hit in 1971 – (最高位: 1 売上数: 95.6万枚) – Winner of both 日本レコード大賞 and 日本歌謡大賞 as well. This Youtube clip is not the original singer and he is straining in parts, so I’m not sure it’s the best but the only at the moment. Sorry that you have to wait till the second song.
(2) ラヴ・イズ・オーヴァー – 欧陽菲菲 – Again Classified as "Pop" here, so maybe not – 最高位: 1 売上数: 52.2万枚 – 37 weeks on chart.
This is her debut which 乱火 suggested at Minoru World. Take your pick … 雨の御堂筋 – 最高位: 1 売上数: 79.2万枚
(3) 魅せられて – ジュディ・オング – I think Akina needs help with "Wind is blowing from the Agean" if she chooses this. 日本レコード大賞 winner in 1979 – 最高位: 1 売上数: 123.5万枚
麗華の夢 – only music file. Did not chart on Oricon
(4) 喝采 – ちあきなおみ – Huge hit in 1972 – (最高位: 2 売上数: 80.7万枚) – Winner of 日本レコード大賞 in 1972. Like I said, Akina covered this before. I love this song.
(5) あの鐘をならすのはあなた – 和田アキ子 – (最高位: 53 売上数: 4.1万枚) – Her signature song even though the sales were low – 1972 日本レコード大賞最優秀歌唱賞を受賞. Am I the only one who love it when singers cry and sing? Ha! Ha!
(6) 天城越え – 石川さゆり (最高位: 46 売上数: 4.8万枚) Shocked by the low sales? Shows that sales does not equate popularity or quality.
(7) 人生いろいろ – 島倉千代子－可愛いの演歌？Huge hit for her but I don’t have the actual sales now and I refuse to trust Wikipaedia on this – 1988 日本レコード大賞最優秀歌唱賞を受賞
(8) 嫁に来ないか – 新沼謙治 – Big hit for him and won him a couple of Newcomer awards in 1976.
(9) 愛の讃歌 – 越路吹雪 – You will know this. A beautiful instrumental version here to end this post …
Thanks so much Jamez for searching the clips of the song suggestions!!
"Love is Over" by Fei Fei is also a great hit in HKG back in 1983. I think Akina will do justice to this song as well.
The only artist I recognise here is Wada Akiko and I like her deep voice. It’s amazing how tall she is for Japanese and especially for a Japanese female.
In Finland we would call this kind of music as "Iskelmä"-music.
I know that I’m biased but I can imagine Akina sing very beautifully in all of theses songs. For sure, Akina will sing more calmly and saddly in a quite way. I love that.
I hope Akina sing Judy Ong’s wind is blowing. I think she will give a very different version on that song.
I love to hear a full orchrestra of all these song. I cannot wait. Let’s order the CD now!