Took a trip down memory lane this past weekend with Moritaka Chisato’s 3CD Collection “The Singles”, and if there’s one thing I realized is just how much I love, love, LOVE her! Starting into the mix with songs like “Alone” and “Junanasai”, and I was feelin’ good cruising ‘round town, and as the collection entered its second phase I was feeling quite nostalgic as I rocked on with tracks like “Fight!” and “Watashi Ga Obasan Ni Nattemo”, but I wasn’t prepared for how HARD it would hit me once the classic “Watarase Bashi” started! As soon as the opening strains began, I instantly got goosebumps all over, thinking “HOLY CRAP, I forgot how AWESOME this song is!!!” and as the song went on, I began to recall the translations to this beautiful song, and before I knew it, I was getting all weepy and blinking back tears! Once that innocent and sincere recorder solo came in and the song swelled back with the violins (synths?) building up to its sweet finale, I was just completely destroyed! AHAHAHA!
I had barely time to recover before the next big favorite of mines came on with “Watashi No Natsu”, “Kibunsokai” “Natsu No Hi” “Kaze No Fukaurete” and “Futari Wa Koibito”, one after another I was getting hit, and through it all, one thing kept resonating in my mind, and that was how MUCH I REALLY LOVED Chisato Moritaka! Listening to the songs, it came back to me that there was a time when she was the most important artist in my life, and I could feel those old feelings for her coming back in full! Going online later, I was amazed to find that since Chisato’s Watarasebashi came out, several other artists have covered the tune, and I was slightly shocked to find that typing in ‘Watarase Bashi” on Google, I could scroll through pages of other artists’ info before I came up with any reference to her! Did a double take when I saw the latest cover version described as “A remake of an old Aya Matsuura song” AHAHA! I began to wonder if many people even knew that Chisato was the original singer of Watarase Bashi, and in fact even co-wrote it, and was quite please when I found this wonderful new video travelogue of Chisato Moritaka going back to Watarase Bridge to celebrate her 25th Anniversary ascertaining this!
Taking a trip down to the bridge, Chisato (who’s still looking as sweet and pretty as ever) visits the site where she finds a plaque acknowledging the impact and her contribution to the song!
Next to the plaque, there’s even a button you can press to hear the strains of the tune! Chisato humbly comments; “It’s embarrassing, but it makes me happy, too!” Awww, so SWEET!
So much fun- she even made time to visit that "Phone Booth next to the Barber Shop" mentioned in the song!
All in all, “The Singles” was one HELL of a NOSTALGIA ride- After all these years, it is nice to have a gentle reminder of just how important an artist Chisato Moritaka is in my life!
