Road to Taiyou no hanata ni – 1964Grab your huaraches, hang on to your baggies
Re-launched as a surf group in 1961,
the Astronauts of Boulder, Colorado had rabid fans
and wide exposure in teen cinema, but did actually not all that well in their native country.
Their lack of distinctive songwriting and persuasive vocals was glaring in comparison with
the Beach Boys.
But this didn't hurt them at all in Japan, where they beat the Beach Boys with five albums and
three singles in the Top 10. All thanks to the Japan subsidiary of US label RCA Victor, adroitly
riding a national wave of surf mania.
A pure instrumental tune called "Movin'" from
the prolific Lee Hazlewood,
which never charted in the US, was a Number 5 single in Japan in 1964.
太陽の彼方に/アストロノウツ2016 MAY 31 by crossking24 (01:54)
1964年の夏に日本で大ヒットさせサーフィンブームに火を付けた1曲。
Taiyou no kanata ni / the Astronauts
A big hit in Japan in the summer of 1964,
1 song that lit a fire under the surf boom.
Glorious monaural 45rpm sound, with worn-out grooves full of dirt.
The sputtering of that poor abused spring reverb has no equal.
〜〜〜〜〜
The Astronauts/Ventures joint performances
ignited the eleki boom in Japan2015 JAN 10 by Staff for Tap The Pop
www.tapthepop.net/day/23162 In the summer of 1964, when Japan was going manic before the opening of
the Tokyo Olympic Games, the precursor of the eleki
boom was a surf boom
that began when "Taiyou no Kanata" became a hit...
THE ASTRONAUTS — Baja©2010–2017 by
Michael Jack Kirby for Way Back Attack
www.waybackattack.com/astronauts.html With the success in Japan of The Ventures, RCA execs managed to book
an opening spot for the Astronauts on a 1964 [actually, January 1965 ]
Ventures tour, and the band's music has been revered in the Land of the
Rising Sun ever since...To be accurate, the Ventures first tour of Japan as a full ensemble didn't bring
about the surf boom, more the other way around. By the time they got there,
"Diamond Head" already ruled its category and they were pre-made kings of surf.
Neither the Ventures nor the Astronauts were prepared for the welcome they got:
like the Beatles landing in New York. By
one account — just paraphrasing here —
the Astronauts lost all discipline and started partying like rock stars, making the
worst impression of anyone since Paul Anka and playing such sloppy sets that
one Famous Music Critic recommended they "pick up their instruments and go
back to America".
However, all anyone recalls now is how much they liked the Ventures.
〜〜〜〜〜
You might say "Movin'" sounds mildly Middle Eastern, and that might have
been on purpose after "Misirlou" had turned into a sensational hit for Dick Dale
one year earlier. In Japan, people would definitely be feeling the Eastern, but
what they instantly lost their minds over was the
"pitchi-pitchi" pizzicato, the
intemperate use of the Fender Twin Reverb, and the image of cool California.
It can't have hurt that the song is monotonously simplistic, even for surf.
You'll remember it whether you want to or not. But it is somehow the
perfect minimalist surf song.
As a chart-topping favorite, "Movin'" would be released again and again and again
for years in various combinations. Right away (May 1964) it was poetically retitled
"Taiyou no kanata ni" ("Beyond the Sun"), with the
ni indicating that that's where
we're headed. Not "Above the Sun",
as it says on English Wikipedia.
Freshly added Japanese lyrics were credited to
Takao Kanbe (藤本好ー) who doesn't
have a lot of other work to show, but does pop up again as the emergency lyricist
on a Japanese version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" for Japan Victor.
To quote
one blogger, Kanbe's lyrics, "although seemingly idiotic,
are incredibly catchy and their impact is exceptional."
In May of 1964, vocalist Koichi Fujimoto and a studio chorus that must have been
borrowed from an epic film project were given "Beyond the Sun" for the A side of
a 7" featuring Takeshi Terauchi and the Blue Jeans (
Teichiku Records SN-61).
太陽の彼方に 藤本好一2015 JAN 11 by hakuzen (02:00)
Taiyou no kanata ni Koichi FujimotoThinking this recording is too fast, too produced, too cold, and simply strange
is completely normal. But the undulating rhythm and hypnotic repetition got
into people's brains in the worst way. When they remembered nothing else,
everyone remembered
"notteke, notteke, notteke…".
Terauchi's guitar is impressively agile and quavery, though, a bit like a
musical saw.
Through some licensing legerdemain, Victor got the tune their artist had already
recorded, together with the lyrics recently written for Koichi Fujimoto.
They put out their own recording of
"Taiyou no kanata ni", again with Takeshi
Terauchi and the Blue Jeans, but this time with Joji Tagawa's vocal. Perhaps
they thought it would be easy to do better than Teichiku had.
That release has *not* inspired anyone enough to post it to YouTube.
Soon enough, guitar instrumentals were shaded out by Beatlemania and
"group sounds" bands with song lyrics and singers to sing them.
Eight years later, Golden Half would come out with their go-go party arrangement
of
Taiyou no hanata, and ever since, singers have covered that one, while guitarists
keep copying the original "Movin'".
You *can* have it both ways. Takeshi Terauchi plays "Movin'" for a TV special,
but jokes around with choreography borrowed from Golden Half.
寺内タケシとブルージーンズ ♪太陽の彼方にTerry Terauchi and Blue Jeans ♪ Taiyou no kanata ni2015 MAR 04 by Hisaki JP (02:00)
misesu akikoSo much fun to do lol… notteke… notteke… teke-teke-teke…
A Golden Sampler of GOLDEN HALF coversThis song will never die!
JUKEBOX 2014 Reina 太陽の彼方に (112)2014 AUG 06 by Kurosaki JUKEBOX (02:18)
2014/8/4のReinaさんのライブ映像です。
Live video of Reina-san on 2014/08/04.
If you'd like to see other clips, please click Kurosaki JUKEBOX ☆彡
Homepage: kurosakijukebox.jimdo.com/
Look at the kids dancing in front.
Beyond the Sun [ Sweet Pop Candy ]2016 SEP 24 by papyのチャンネル (01:52)
Ebisu Janken-PonTaiyou no kanata / Iruka Musume (Dolphin Girl)2013 August 14, Suminoe boat races 2013 AUG 15 by hidetty (02:59)
Pattern of show, the Dolphin Girl debut live event
at the boat race held in Suminoe, 2013 August 14.
Shirane FB: www.facebook.com/irukakkoshiraneeThe group formed specifically to entertain at the day-long race event.
Self-described as the "Suminoe Boat Race 2.5-Dimensional Idol Unit".
太陽の彼方に2010 DEC 24 by 50'sの歴史 (02:05)
From the 2010.12 Uno Haruka Yume Market stage event
Although the musical selection doesn't match the season, it seems
everyone was relentlessly shouting "Notteke, notteke"!?太陽の彼方 ハワイアンバージョン2015 NOV 01 by amy kiss (02:42)
9/26/20015 @ Just Luigi's Pizzeria in Old Torrance
Taiyou no kanata Hawaiian VersionThe Odate Hachiko Band –
"Surf Party" & "Beyond the Sun" 2014-10-12大館ハチ公バンド「サーフパーティ&太陽の彼方 20141012」
2014 OCT 25 by Moonminn Mennchann (02:19)
There's a statue of unshakably faithful dog Hachiko
standing in the city center in Odate.
太陽の彼方に - fika2014 DEC 13 by aki33crullers (02:05)
ウクレレ中部連合クリスマス会。
アストロノーツの名曲の日本語版。
Ukulele – Chuubu Association Christmas party
Japanese version of the Astronauts' masterpiece.Specifically, Golden Half's version.
ザ・ビートガールズ/TheBeatGirls⑤/6 太陽の彼方 2014 MAY 18 by jimmydavissenior (01:04)
2013 May 17, Shinjuku JAM ⑤ / 6 Beyond the Sun <Comment> Bottomless brightness hailing from Nagoya! Cute & poppy
"yuruhera" 3-piece girls band. Members are: leader Nakki (Dr & Vo),
Hitomi (Ba & Vo), Saki (Gt & Vo). All members take the lead vocal.
Current members are in their second year of activity. Currently active
in the Tokai region, first Tokyo show.
Their repertoire: 50s/60s/70s Western oldies, Japan-made pop, Showa songs
(Japanese style). Many, from covers of anime songs, etc. to original songs. With a tenor saxophone in bobby sox on the side. Don't ask me about
"yuruhera", dunno. Something about loose or easy-going.