Happy #SongLyricsSunday! Today’s prompt is to find a song with rain mentioned in the lyrics or title. One of my favorite songs with rain mentioned in it is the 80s enka tune “Kanazawa no Ame” (金沢の雨; The Rain of Kanazawa) by Sanae Jounouchi. Although Kanazawa, Ishikawa (which is located on the coastline of the Sea of Japan) isn’t the wettest place in Japan (that is Yakushima in southern Japan), “Kanazawa no Ame” is one of my favorite songs because of its melancholy lyrics and haunting melodies. Let’s take a look at this song down below!
In the Kanazawa Rain
“Kanazawa no Ame” was released in 1987 by budding enka singer Sanae Jounouchi. The lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto while the music and arrangement were done by Akira Mitaka. The three were familiar with each other as Jounouchi was part of Akimoto’s mega idol group Onyanko Club two years prior. Akira Mitaka also composed songs for Onyanko Club and the group’s soloists. He also wrote the debut song for Jounouchi, which was entitled “Ajisaibashi”.
The single didn’t fare well on the Japanese charts (Oricon) where it peaked at #33 and old only 10,000 copies. I don’t know how well enka artists fared in the 80s with the record sales as they don’t really fare well in today’s consumer world. (Fun fact: Enka music is still released on cassette tapes as it appeals more to older people) However, I have a feeling that enka was popular in the 80s as there were enka superstars, but I think Jounouchi was more of a minor one. She does still perform as an enka singer to this day though. She just released a new single last month.
“Kanazawa no Ame” is my favorite track from Sanae Jounouchi. It is a really sad track about lost love (which is the standard in enka songs). The singer does an amazing job emulating the emotions of the song’s lyrics in her singing. She starts off soft in the verses, but the emotions swell with power in the chorus. I just love how Jounouchi builds this up. “Kanazawa no Ame” is a beautiful melancholy tune with such power that is sad that it is often overlooked. It is such a masterpiece!
What about you? What do you like about “Kanazawa no Ame”? Listen to the song below and let me know in the comments!
Lyrics for “Kanazawa no Ame”
Here is the Engish translation of the lyrics, thanks to LyricsTranslate.com:
Shaken by the last train
I’m alone on a sofa for four
Pressing my cheek against the window
I close my eyes in the long night
Without saying farewell words
I hold in my chest the pieces of love
By coming near and getting far from the crossings
Ah, I miss you
In the Kanazawa rain
I want to forget you
While the memories strike me
Until my sadness becomes a dream
Three minutes are enough
I seem to hear you
But in the empty station in the morning
The stopover is lonely
The days we spent
We can’t revive
It’s a faded poster on a corner
Ah, I miss you
In the Kanazawa rain
You’re not here
But I’ll walk the same route of that day
While walking on the pavement
In the Kanazawa rain
I want to forget you
On the other side of the rainy clouds
The blue sky will return searching for tomorrow
The Rules for #SongLyricsSunday
(This challenge is currently hosted by the generous Jim Adams.)
Anyone can participate in #SongLyricsSunday, even if you aren’t a music blogger! If you want to participate, here are the rules: