Our smiles will melt together...

Quizas, Quizas, Quizas - Cover by Nat King Cole

My favorite kind of rainy day music.

Uhhhh, Japan, please don’t butcher the Beatles. Even if all 30 of you are some of Japan’s most loved musicians. What a hot mess.

Shota Shimizu + legandary Oda Kazumasa - Kimi Sae Ireba.

Their voices blend really well together. Love this song!

I really liked Twins - and my favorite will always be Charlene Choi. Bringing this back from 2003 - Choi’s first solo song, the title song to the film Diva, Ah Hey! - and also featured on the duo’s seventh album “Touch of Love”.

I know they kind of reunited in 2010, but I want a REAL reunion, complete with new music and tour, and such.

Although the song is really simple (I get that because AKB48 (Baby Blossom) probably can’t chug out a more complicated tune given that they just literally picked up some instruments for this single), it’s slowly growing on me. It is kind of refreshing to see them as a girl band, even though I would have preferred other girls thrown in (Sayaka Akimoto!!). I also think some girls were just thrown in for the sake of having them there.

It’s a boring PV and Akimoto Yasushi is definitely banking on the K-ON! craze. Work that cash cow!

Hitomi no Juunin (In Your Eyes)

I remember having this on repeat in 2004. One of my favorite l’arc songs - and perhaps one of my favorite love songs, as well. :)

I always sang this part with so much gusto. With a lot of emphasis on the “soba ni itteeeeeeeeeee” Ha!

soba ni ite zutto kimi no egao wo mitsumete itai
utsuri yuku shunkan wa sono hitomi ni sunde itai

I want to be by your side forever, gazing at your smile
I want to live each changing moment in your eyes

(“Living for the City” - Stevie Wonder)

“
I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel no where could be much colder
If we don’t change the world will soon be over
Living just enough, just enough for the city!!!!

“

You hear Stevie’s voice gets raspier and raspier as the song progresses - and you hear the anger right up in the last verse of “Living for the City”. I’ve heard about Stevie was actually angry about not getting a beverage he wanted at the time - (hence the extreme raspiness in the last verse) - but whatever works in the effectiveness of this song.

The b-roll in the above video is still so relevant today - as the song is very much so as well.

The Kim Sisters - Goin’ Outta My Head

Perhaps the original Korean (American) girl group? This is pretty awesome footage, seeing this was in the 60’s. They appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show a record number of 22 times! Love the sound.

I go weak at the knees for men who show love for their daughters in creative ways. This is most definitely one of those times - x 100.

A very fitting rendition for this Christmas Day from one of my favorites.