Crimson is the tenth studio album by Japanese singer

Akina Nakamori is a Japanese Singing, singer and Actor, actress. She is one of the most popular and best-selling artists in Japan. Akina achieved national recognition after winning the 1981 season of the talent show ''Star Tanjō!''. Her debut single "Slow M ...

. It was released on 24 December 1986 under the Warner Pioneer label. The album includes original version of ''Eki''.

Background

''Crimson'' is second studio album released in year 1986, after four months from previous studio album

Fushigi , often translated as ''Strange'' or ''Mysterious'', is the ninth studio album by Japanese singer Akina Nakamori, released on August 11, 1986 through Warner Pioneer. Background In February and March 1986 was announced the name of the album along ...

. The music production team consist two writers:

Mariya Takeuchi is a Japanese singer and songwriter. Regarded as an influential figure in the city pop genre, she is one of the best-selling music artists in Japan, having sold over 16 million records, and has received several accolades. Her husband is Tatsu ...

, Akiko Kobayashi and two arrangers,

Shiro Sagisu Shiro, Shirō, Shirow or Shirou may refer to: People * Amakusa Shirō (1621–1638), leader of the Shimabara Rebellion * Ken Shiro (born 1992), Japanese boxer * Shiro Azumi, Japanese football player 1923–1925 * Shiro Ichinoseki (born 1944), ...

and Kazuo Shiina. The album consist of any previously released single and includes 10 new songs recorded. Nakamori sings with whisper or silent voice, which is not usual for the people who know her as a singer with a powerful vibrato. Each of the songs has balladic melody line, in the comparison with previous studio album ''

''. ''Eki'' is one of her the most famous album tracks, however the song became more famous after Takeuchi's cover, which was released in 1987 as a b-side track of single ''After Years''. Takeuchi version was used as a theme song in the movie ''Good-bye, Mama''. In this album, arrange is provided by Shiina, while Takeuchi's version arrangement is provided by

Tatsuro Yamashita , occasionally credited as Tatsu Yamashita or Tats Yamashita, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer, who is known for pioneering the style of Japanese adult-oriented rock/soft rock music. His most well-known song is "Christmas E ...

. In 2002, Nakamori self-cover this song in her first self-cover album ''Utahime Double Decade'' with arrangement by Akira Senju. ''Mick Jagger ni Hohoemi wos sound effect idea was made by Nakamori herself, imagining herself in room, preparing breakfast and play from cassette tape player her own songs. The original version of ''Mick Jagger ni Hohoemi wo'' is included in the CD-Box ''Akina'' released in 1993.

Stage performances

Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...

music television program ''Yoru no Hit Studio'', Nakamori performed ''Mick Jagger ni Hohoemi wo'', ''Yakusoku'' and ''Oh No, Oh Yes'' in 1987 and ''Eki'' in 1993 as part of segment ''Request songs by viewers.'' ''Mind Game'', ''Mosaic no Shiro'', ''Akai no Enamel'', ''Pink Champagne'' and ''Jealous Candle'' were performed in Nakamori's live tour ''A Hundred Days''.

Charting performance

The album reached number 1 on the Oricon Album Weekly Charts. LP Record version charted 23 weeks, Cassette tape charted 22 weeks and CD version charted 21 weeks. The album remained at number 3 on the Oricon Album Yearly Charts in 1987. As result, in the December 1987 it was nominated in 29th Japan Record Awards and won title ''The Album of the Year''.

Track listing

Notes: *"Mind Game," "Oh No, Oh Yes!" and "Jealous Candle" are stylised in all uppercase. *"Mick Jagger ni Hohoemi wo" begins with an excerpt of "Aka no Enamel."

Covers

Mariya Takeuchi covers version

covered all five songs she wrote for Nakamori. *''Eki'' was released at first in the single ''After years'' as a b-side track, later in her compilation albums ''Impression'' and ''Expression''. *''Oh No, Oh Yes!'' was released at first in the single ''

Genki o Dashite is the 1st track on Japanese actress/singer Hiroko Yakushimaru's 1984 debut album . It was written by singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. Takeuchi recorded her own version of the song for her ''Request'' album, released in 1987. It was released a ...

'' as a B-side track and later in the studio album ''Request''. *''Yakusoku'' was released as a b-side track of single ''Junai Rhapsody'' and later in first limited edition of studio album ''Denim''. *''Aka no Enamel'' was included in the re-pritned version of studio album ''Variety'' in 2014 as a demo-tape *''Mick Jagger ni Hohoemi wo'' was included in the compilation album ''Mariya's Songsbook'' as a demo-tape as well.

Cover versions by other artist

Oh No Oh Yes

Anita Mui Anita Mui Yim-fong (; 10 October 1963 – 30 December 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actress who made major contributions to the Cantopop music scene and received numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout her career, and i ...

: Lit Yim Hong Sun, 1987

Eki

Kenichi Mikawa is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his outspoken views and style. Mikawa was born in Suwa, Nagano as . He recorded a number of hit songs as a male ''enka'' singer in the 1960s and 1970s. The most well-known of his songs include ...

: Golden Paradise, 1991 *

Yuko Nakazawa is a Japanese pop and enka singer, and actress, best known as one of the original members of the all-female J-pop group Morning Musume. She is also a member of Japanese pop group Dream Morning Musume. Biography Yuko Nakazawa was born in Kyo ...

: Nakazawa Yuuko Dai 1 Shou, 1998 *

Hideaki Tokunaga is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and actor. Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of ''Star Tanjō!'' in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as " Yume o Shinjite" (the first ending theme of t ...

: Vocalist, 2005 *

Ryoko Moriyama (born January 18, 1948) is a Japanese folk singer and actress. Her father is Hisashi Moriyama, a pioneer of Japanese jazz. Her son Naotarō Moriyama is a singer. Her first cousin Hiroshi Kamayatsu is also a musician. She is known as the ''Jap ...

: Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu, 2008 *

Marty Friedman Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth from 1990 to 2000. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony from 1986 until ...

: Tokyo Jukebox, 2009 *

Akira Fuse is a Japanese singer and actor. He debuted in 1965 with the single . Career His greatest hits are and . He currently makes consistent appearances on television, performs occasional seasonal tours, hosts a late night talk show, and is involve ...

: Ballade II, 2010 * Juju: Snack JUJU: Yoru no Request, 2016

References

{{Authority control 1986 albums Japanese-language albums Akina Nakamori albums Warner Music Japan albums