“SONGS – 40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition” is a magnificent Sugar Babe album that shines even brighter when compared with the previous releases and currently is the definitive version to own! But just know that in 2025, with the 50th anniversary release, one can only expect something special to be released. How they can top this album, I could only think even more live tracks and unreleased tracks. So, it’ll be interesting.
GROUP: Sugar Babe
ALBUM: Songs – The 40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition
LABEL: Niagara
CATALOG #: WPCL-12160/1
DURATION: Disc 1 and 2 – 1 hr, 16 minutes
RELEASE DATE: August 5, 2015
TRACK LISTINGS:
Disc 1 (Remaster)
1. SHOW
2. DOWN TOWN
3. 蜃気楼の街
4. 風の世界
5. ためいきばかり
6. いつも通り
7. すてきなメロディー
8. 今日はなんだか
9. 雨は手のひらにいっぱい
10. 過ぎ去りし日々“60`s Dream”
11. SUGAR
12. パレード(Live)(ボーナストラック)
13. こぬか雨(Live)(ボーナストラック)
14. 雨は手のひらにいっぱい(Live)(ボーナストラック)
15. WINDY LADY(Live)(ボーナストラック)
16. DOWN TOWN(Live)(ボーナストラック)
17. 愛は幻(Live)(ボーナストラック)
18. 今日はなんだか
Disc 2 (Remix)
1. SHOW
2. DOWN TOWN
3. 蜃気楼の街
4. 風の世界
5. ためいきばかり
6. いつも通り
7. すてきなメロディー
8. 今日はなんだか
9. 雨は手のひらにいっぱい
10. 過ぎ去りし日々“60`s Dream”
11. SUGAR
12. 今日はなんだか(Original Piano Version)(ボーナストラック)
13. DOWN TOWN(Live)(ボーナストラック)
14. 風の世界(Live)(ボーナストラック)
15. SHOW(Karaoke)(ボーナストラック)
16. DOWN TOWN(Karaoke)(ボーナストラック)
17. 蜃気楼の街(Karaoke)(ボーナストラック)
18. いつも通り(Karaoke)(ボーナストラック)
19. 雨は手のひらにいっぱい(Karaoke)
In 1973, before Yamashita Tatsuro and Ohnuki Taeko became popular and representative of the City Pop music genre, both of them were part of an indie Japanese rock band known as Sugar Babe, which was formed by Yamashita, Ohnuki and Matsumura Kunio. The band would add several musicians from 1973-1976.
At the time, their music and sound was rare for the early ’70s. The band extensively used chord progressions such as major 7th and fractional chords, and also emphasizing on chorus work.
And because their music was so different, they were criticized for their music style, sales were sluggish and it would lead to the band’s breakup in 1976.
But in the ’90s, there was a resurgence of Sugar Babe because of the popularity of City Pop and the band’s music was recognized two decades later. And now, Sugar Babe is looked at as a pioneer in City Pop music.
While a minor indie band during its time of activity, Sugar babe would become an important band in Japanese music history.
The group would release a total of one single “Downtown” but the single would be re-released in 1982 and 1994 and the band would release one album, “SONGS” back on April 25, 1975.
While a 30th anniversary was released in 2005 and featured a remastering by Ohtaki Eiichi. Because it has been 10 years since Ohtaki engineered the 30th anniversary, and technology has changed, Ohtaki wanted to take the challenge of creating a sound like a CD.
The booklet featured commentary by Yamashita, Ohnuki, Muramatsu and the musicians.
The 30th anniversary would feature bonus demo tracks, live version, different mixes and a karaoke version.
In 2015, a new 2015 remaster was done, plus a 2015 remix, bonus track, karaoke versions plus a 44-page booklet was included with the 40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition of “Songs”.
This time, the remixes were supervised by Yamashita Tatsuro and he thought about what if Ohtaki Eiichi was still alive, what would he have done?
Since 2005, remastering technology has progressed. But where Ohtaki wanted the sound to be CD digital in 2005, Yamashita does not like the digital sound but he had to move forward. While he enjoyed the 2005 remaster, including the 1994 remaster, a lot of work and thought into the remastering process.
A remix was made and also a remaster, both sounded very good, so which one to release? They figured, why not release both versions. Also, by transferring all of the original multi-tracks of “SONGS” to 24 bits/48 kHz FLAC format as a high resolution audio source. Yamashita said he remixed it to prepare when CD is gone and the songs were released via streaming. That was the main purpose of the remix. But he also wanted to make a CD remaster as well, so the sampling rate was raised.
Some people may not be able to tell the difference but there is a difference especially with the fade outs. Also, the bonus tracks featured are not from the 1994 and 2005 versions, they were completely remade.
The 40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition would receive an award for “8th CD Shop Grand Prize 2016” selected by the All Japan CD Shop Clerk’s Union.
Having listened to both discs many times, I can actually tell the difference between the sound and also noticed the fade-outs and my preference is more towards the disc 1 remaster. But for the most part, mainly audiophiles will be able to tell the difference.
The album kicks off with “SHOW” which was used as an opening theme for NTV’s “DAISUKI!” and FM Miyazaki’s “Nokidoki! Kayo Paradise”. Yamashita Tatsuro created this song for the first song on the album. It’s a very cool song despite the simple rhythm pattern, but such a cool song.
The second track is their famous “DOWN TOWN” which was inspired by The King Tones after Yamashita and composer Ito Ginji went to see their live and they wrote three songs in ten days. A popular song that I have listened to a lot! On Disc 1 and 2, there are two versions of the live. Disc 2 features the July 1974, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting and is a rare live take of the song.
The third track “Shinkiro no Machi” (The city of mirage) written and performed by Ohnuki Taeko. Ohnuki said she created this song to escape from the real world and wanted to be free. Another song on the album that I have’ listened to a lot, thanks to Ohnuki’s beautiful vocals on this track.
The four track is “Kaze no Sekai” (The world of wind) and it was a song used in the TV anime series “Gamba’s no Bouken” (Gamba’s Adventure) and it’s interesting to listen to the live version on disc 2. This was from September 1975 from Nakano Auditorium from “MENTANPIN IN TOKYO” and it’s interesting to hear Ohnuki’s live version and how it differs from the original track.
The fifth track is “Tameikibakari” (It’s just about it) which was written and features music by Muramatsu Kunio and created to fit the album. A very cool track by Muramatsu.
The sixth track is “Itsumodori” which was written and performed by Ohnuki Taeko and was the B-side to “Downtown”.
The seventh track is “Suteki na Melody”, another favorite on this album and features lyrics by Ito Ginji, Ohnuki Taeko and Yamashita Tatsuro, while music is by Ohnuki and Yamashita. And Yamashita wanted to do a duet with Ohnuki and was recorded with a single microphone at a studio in Oiso, so you can hear a small-room specific sound.
The eighth track is “Kyo wa Nandaka” (Somehow today?) and was written by Yamashita and Ito Ginji and performed by Yamashita. And features good use of brass horns. The song was used as an ending theme for NTV’s “DAISUKI!”.
The ninth track “Ame wa Tenohira ni Ippai” (The rain is full of palms) and was inspired by the Southern pop style of BJ Thomas and Dennis Jost and rearranged in a Phil Spector style. Yamashita played the piano and Ohnuki on electric piano. While the album and song was panned and made Yamashita depressed, his spririts were lifted when Asakawa Maki said he liked the song.
The tenth track is “Sugisarishi hi 60’s Dream” (Days gone by 60’s Dream) and was created to express the sound of ’60s New York pop scene. The song was written by Ito Ginji and performed by Yamashita Tatsuro. Ito said this song is his masterpiece.
The eleventh track on the album was written and performed by Yamashita Tatsuro and was influenced by Nancy Sinatra’s “Sugar town is an Town of Love”. Because the song began with a guitar solo, many people complained at the time of the album’s release that the song was unfinished and it jumped to the solo. But the song was created this way intentionally.
The first disc has a live version of “Parade”, “Konuka Ame”, “Ame wa Tenohira ni Ippai”. These three songs were recorded on April 1, 1976 at Ogikubo Loft.
The other live tracks rounding off the first disc is “WINDY LADY”, “DOWN TOWN”, “Aihamaboroshi” (Love is a Vision) written and performed by Ohnuki and “Kyo wa nandaka” which was recorded on January 1976 and was recorded via cassette and a stereo one-point microphone and was recorded by a PA and mixer who knew the music of Sugar Babe quite well.
As for Disc 2, this features a remix version of the first 11 songs on the first disc. But there are some differences. For “Suteki na Melody”, in the original take, the kazoo was accidentally erased during the dubbing. But since it was recorded in the album “TATSURO FROM NIAGARA”, the kazoo portion was pulled from there and included, thus the song with kazoo was restored for the remix version of the song.
Also, for “SUGAR” there is a voice heard earlier in this 2015 remix version.
“Kyo wa nandaka” (original piano version) is included. Yamashita said he didn’t like the piano sound recording at Elek Studio, so they changed studios and re-recorded it. But the original piano was found to be left unerased from the remix sound source, so for the first time, the original piano version from the Elek Studio is included on this album.
And as the live sections for this second disc were previously mentioned, disc 2 also features five karaoke tracks and is from the original multi-track source. It was created because there have been requests for a karaoke instrumental version. And the karaoke version of “DOWN TOWN” featured in the 30th’s anniversary of “SONGS” is different from the official version of the clavinet take used in the 40th anniversary karaoke.
Overall, this is a magnificent release of “SONGS”, the fact you get two versions (remaster and remix), additional live tracks and the karaoke versions of five of the tracks makes this album quite special.
Also, making this album quite special is the booklet. Featuring comments by the late Ohtaki Eiichi (1994 & 2005), Yamashita Tatsuro (2005 & 2015), comments on each track, lyrics, classic photos and more!
With that being said, there are differences with the 30th anniversary edition and the Demo songs and live version tracks featured on that album are not on the 40th anniversary but considering the goal for each anniversary release is to have something different, it’s not entirely surprising.
“SONGS – 40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition” is a magnificent Sugar Babe album that shines even brighter when compared with the previous releases and currently is the definitive version to own! But just know that in 2025, with the 50th anniversary release, one can only expect something special to be released. How they can top this album, I could only think even more live tracks and unreleased tracks. So, it’ll be interesting.
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