''Minna Tanoshiku'' or ''Everybody Happy'' is the first release by the Japanese rock band

Shonen Knife Shonen Knife is a Japanese pop-punk band formed in Osaka in 1981. Influenced by 1960s girl groups, pop bands, the Beach Boys, and early punk rock bands such as the Ramones, the band crafts stripped-down songs with simple yet unconventional lyr ...

. It was released in cassette-format only in 1982 in the band's native Japan. The first 50 copies were released by the band themselves, and the insert features the lip prints of the three band members, although Michie Nakatani once said that the lip print was by her grandmother. An additional 20 copies, without the lip inserts, were pressed by Zero Records before the band requested that further pressings be ceased. The album was never reissued in any format and over the years it has become legendary among

fans due to its rarity and obscurity. Especially of interest were the unreleased songs, "Saboten" (a.k.a. "Cactus"- a cover of

Delta 5 Delta 5 was an English post-punk band from Leeds. Career Delta 5 was formed from the same art school scene at Leeds University as Gang of Four and The Mekons. The original members of Delta 5, Julz Sale (vocals/guitar), Ros Allen (bass) and Bet ...

's "You" with new lyrics), and "Planet X". Both songs are sung by bassist

Michie Nakatani (born October 8, 1961) is a Japanese retired musician, best known as one of the founding members of the Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife. Biography Nakatani was born in Osaka, Japan, the only child of a homemaker mother and an accountant ...

. The album also features embryonic versions of songs which would later feature on ''

Burning Farm ''Burning Farm'' is the first album by Shonen Knife. It is almost entirely in Japanese, with only "Twist Barbie" on the original release in English. The Japanese 8" vinyl (Zero Records 0-0783) had eight songs. The CD re-issue bonus tracks "Parro ...

'', ''

Yama-no Attchan is the second album released by Japanese pop punk band Shonen Knife and is almost exclusively in Japanese. The album was named after Atsuko, their drummer, the honorific "-chan" being added. The title thus functions as a pun, since the drummer' ...

'', and ''

Pretty Little Baka Guy ''Pretty Little Baka Guy'' is a 1986 album by the female Japanese rock trio Shonen Knife. It was re-released in the US as side one of a record/tape, with side two being ''Live In Japan'' (see below). There have been many releases of this album i ...

'', and two live tracks, Nakatani's "An Angel Has Come" and "Spider" sung by Naoko Yamano to the tune of

Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pia ...

's "

Milord ''Milord'' () is a term for an Englishman, especially a noble, traveling in Continental Europe. The term was used in both French and English from the 16th century. It apparently derives ultimately from the English phrase "my lord", which was borr ...

", which was later released (along with other live tracks from the same performance) on a US reissue of ''Pretty Little Baka Guy''. Copies of this album, due to the scant number of pressings, are virtually impossible to find. Digital copies of the recordings did not even surface in fan trading circles until the spring of 2007, when the songs were made available in mp3 format on an internet blog.

Track listing

#"Banana Leaf" #"Parrot Polynesia" #"Cannibal Papaya" #"Saboten" #"Burning Farm" #"Parallel Woman" #"An Angel Has Come" (recorded live at Bahama in Osaka, Japan) #"Spider" (recorded live at Mantohihi in Osaka, Japan, 17 April 1982) #"I Am A Realist" #"Voice Of Crane- Tortoise Brand Pot Cleaner's Theme" #"Planet X" #"Summertime Boogie" #"Miracles"

Personnel

Naoko Yamano is a Japanese musician, best known as a founding member, singer/guitarist, and primary songwriter for the pop-punk band Shonen Knife. She is the only member of the band to have remained throughout its entire history. After briefly working as a r ...

- guitar, vocals *

- bass, keyboards, vocals *

Atsuko Yamano (born February 22, 1964) is a Japanese people, Japanese musician, best known as a member of the pop-punk band Shonen Knife. She formed the band in 1981 at age 17, along with her sister Naoko Yamano and Michie Nakatani. In the first incarnation o ...

- drums, backing vocals

References

{{Authority control Shonen Knife albums 1982 debut albums