Tatsuro Yamashita's 50th anniversary debut Sugar Babe's "SONGS" & Eiichi Otaki's "NIAGARA MOON" Niagara Records 50th anniversary edition to be released

■The 7-inch single version of “DOWN TOWN”, a single cut from the album “SONGS”, will also be released!

To commemorate Tatsuro Yamashita’s 50th anniversary since his debut, it has been decided that “SONGS 50th Anniversary Edition” will be released on April 23rd.

“SONGS” was released on April 25, 1975 by Sugar Babe, a group consisting of Tatsuro Yamashita, Taeko Onuki, Kunio Muramatsu, Kikuo Wanikawa, and Akihiko Noguchi (later Ginji Ito, Jiro Terao, and Yutaka Uehara also participated). The only album.

It is also the origin of Tatsuro Yamashita, and Eiichi Otaki, a giant of the Japanese pop music world, established his own label, Niagara Records, immediately after the dissolution of the legendary group Happy End (Haruomi Hosono, Eiichi Otaki, Takashi Matsumoto, Shigeru Suzuki). This is a historical masterpiece that was released as the first work. Eiichi Otaki himself is in charge of producing and recording engineer.

“SONGS 50th Anniversary Edition” is available in three formats: CD, 12-inch analog record, and cassette tape. The 2-CD set includes a bonus track and a bonus disc.

The bonus disc includes the sound source from “TATSURO YAMASHITA Sings SUGAR BABE Live” held in 1994. This performance was held for four days at Nakano Sunplaza to commemorate the first time that “SONGS” was released on CD using the original master in the same year. This is a legendary performance consisting only of works from the Sugar Babe era. This time, all songs will be commercialized for the first time.

“SONGS” jacket photo (C)THE NIAGARA ENTERPRISES INC.

In addition, there will be a 7-inch single version of the century standard number “DOWN TOWN” cut from the album “SONGS” and “NIAGARA MOON” by Eiichi Otaki, “Niagara Records’ second album” released the month after its release. The 50th anniversary 12-inch analog record will also be released at the same time on April 23rd.

“DOWN TOWN” jacket photo (C)THE NIAGARA ENTERPRISES INC.

“NIAGARA MOON” jacket photo (C)THE NIAGARA ENTERPRISES INC.

Sugar Babe’s “SONGS” was released 50 years ago on Niagara Records, founded by Eiichi Otaki, and its influence continues to this day as the root of city pop, somehow nostalgic, yet always new. The simple yet deep arrangement and mix remain in the hearts of those who listen to it, and it can be said to be a monumental work that resonates across time, captivating new generations as well.

These “SONGS 50th Anniversary Edition” and “NIAGARA MOON 50th Anniversary Edition” are not just reissues, but valuable and special items that allow us to reaffirm the changes in the era brought about by their music even after half a century. It’s finished.

A special 50th anniversary website for Tatsuro Yamashita was launched on January 19th. The latest information on Tatsuro Yamashita will be updated in the future.

*Main photo: Tatsuro Yamashita