Namida-bashi Gakuen Joshi COVER-bu (泪橋学園女子カバー部) - IDOL retsuden!! COVER 48~Bishojo Jidai (アイドル列伝!!カバー48～美少女時代 NON STOP MIX)

Hey guys!  Here's a big Non-stop Idol cover album to tide you over!  ^_^
Starting in the early 70s and up to today, idol hits with names you'll recognize!
My only gripe is that they didn't have Iwasaki Hiromi (she had tons of #1 hits in the mid 70s!!!  What gives!?) and Okada Yukiko (you gotta respect Yukiko).  Other than that, pretty decent selection... it's an alright ensemble if you imagine trying to cram 30 years into a non-stop mix.


I have NO idea who the group is... they have another cover album out and I'll try to get it.  But not much info on them out there...


1.  17才 (juu-nana sai) [Seventeen] - Minami Saori (南　沙織) cover
2.  ひなげしの花 (hinageshi no hana) [Poppy Flower] - Agnes Chan (アグネス・チャン) cover
3.  赤い風船 (akai fuusen) [Red Balloon] - Asada Miyoko (浅田美代子) cover
4.  わたしの彼は左きき (watashi no kare ha hidari-kiki) [My Boyfriend's Left-handed] - Asaoka Megumi (麻丘めぐみ) cover
5.  ひと夏の経験 (hito-natsu no keiken) [One Summer's Experience] - Yamaguchi Momoe (山口百恵) cover
6.  ハートのエースが出てこない (HEART no ACE ga detekonai) [Not Playing the Ace of Hearts] - Candies (キャンディーズ) cover 
7.  ペッパー警部 (PEPPER keibu) [Inspector Pepper] - Pink Lady (ピンク・レディー) cover
8.  夏のお嬢さん (natsu no ojou-san) [Summer Lady] - Sakakibara Ikue (榊原郁恵) cover
9.  青い珊瑚礁 (aoi sangosho) [Blue Reef] - Matsuda Seiko (松田聖子) cover
10. ハロー・グッドバイ (HELLO GOODBYE) - Kashiwabara Yoshie (柏原よしえ) cover
11. センチメンタル・ジャーニー (SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY) - Matsumoto Iyo (松本伊代) cover
12. セーラー服と機関銃 (SAILOR fuku to kikanjuu) [Sailor Uniform and Machine Gun] - Yakushimaru Hiroko (薬師丸ひろ子) cover 
13. 夏色のナンシー (natsu-iro no NANCY) [Summer Colored Nancy] - Hayami Yuu (早見　優) cover
14. エスカレーション (ESCALATION) - Kawai Naoko (河合奈保子) cover
15. 飾りじゃないのよ涙は (kazari janai no yo namida wa) [Tears Aren't For Decoration] - Nakamori Akina (中森明菜) cover
16. 卒業 (sotsugyou) [Graduation] - Saitou Yuki (斉藤由貴) cover
17. タッチ (TOUCH) - Iwasaki Yoshimi (岩崎良美) cover
18. Bye-Byeガール (Bye-Bye GIRL) - Shojo-tai (少女隊) cover
19. もう逢えないかもしれない (mou aenai kamoshirenai) [We May Never Meet Again] - Kikuchi Momoko (菊池桃子) cover
20. じゃあね (jyaa ne) [Bye Bye] - Onyan-ko Club (おニャン子クラブ) cover
21. Oneway Generation - Honda Minako (本田美奈子) cover
22. かしこ (kashiko) [Sincerely Yours] - Ushiro Yubi Sasare-gumi (うしろゆびさされ組) cover
23. I Don't Know! - BaBe cover
24. 時の河を越えて (toki no kawa wo koete) [Cross the River of Time] - Ushiro Kami Hikare-tai (うしろ髪ひかれ隊) cover
25. はいからさんが通る (haikara-san ga touru) [There Goes Haikara-san] - Minamino Yoko (南野陽子) cover
26. C-Girl - Asaka Yui (浅香　唯) cover
27. MUGO・ん…色っぽい (Mugon...iroppoi) [Speechless...Sexy] - Kudou Shizuka (工藤静香) cover
28. ストレス (STRESS) - Moritaka Chisato (森高千里) cover
29. 淋しい熱帯魚 (sabishii nettaigyo) [Lonely Tropical Fish] - Wink cover
30. Miracle Love - Makise Riho (牧瀬里穂) cover
31. 恋しさとせつなさと心強さと (itoshisa to setsunasa to kokoro-tsuyosa to) [Love and Sadness and Confidence] - Shinohara Ryoko (篠原涼子) cover
32. MajiでKoiする5秒前 (maji de koi suru go-byo mae) [5 Seconds Before Real Love] - Hirosue Ryoko (広末涼子) cover
33. 抱いてHOLD ON ME! (daite HOLD ON ME!) [Hold me...] - Morning Musume (モーニング娘。) cover
34. 月と太陽 (tsuki to taiyo) [Moon and Sun] - Taiyo to Cisco Moon (太陽とシスコムーン) cover
35. BE TOGETHER - Suzuki Ami (鈴木あみ) cover
36. ちょこっとLOVE (chokotto Love) [Little Bit'o Love] - Puchi Moni (プッチモニ) cover
37. Movin' on - dream cover
38. LOVE & JOY - Kimura Yuki (木村由姫) cover
39. ミニモニ。ジャンケンぴょん! (MINIMONI JYANKEN-pyon!) [Minimoni Jyanken-hop!) - Mini Moni (ミニモニ。) cover
40. 愛のバカやろう (ai no BAKAyarou) [Bastard of Love] - Gotou Maki (後藤真希) cover
41. しょうちのすけ (shouchinosuke) [Yessir] - Suitei Shojo (推定少女) cover
42. Yeah! めっちゃホリディ (...meccha HOLIDAY) [...Really Holiday] - Matsuura Aya (松浦亜弥) cover
43. 赤いフリージア (akai FREESIA) [Red Freesia] - Melon Kinenbi (メロン記念日) cover
44. LolitA☆Strawberry in summer - SweetS cover
45. BON VOYAGE! - Bon-Bon Blanco cover
46. 会いたかった (aitakatta) [I Missed You] - AKB48 cover
47. 恋のヘキサゴン (koi no HEXAGON) [Love Hexagon] - Pabo cover
48. 恋のバカンス (koi no VACANCE) [Love Vacation] - The Peanuts (ザ・ピーナッツ) cover


Enjoy!!!!
Idol Retsuden

VA - Utau LOVE PLUS (歌うラブプラス)

Hey guysssss long time no see again... school started for me and I had a busy week at work, so I am EXHAUSTED.  Plus, my iPod is almost FULL!  I have to buy a new one, so I have to control myself.  >_<
I came across this album and wanted to share it, because I thought it was so interesting that a modern dating sim game has the characters singing such old songs!  These are the girls from Love Plus, and you may have heard of it outside of Japan because a college student actually "married" one of the girls (the one on the far right in the pic).
Anyway, typical seiyuu quality singing (i.e. they aren't the BEST singers, but they are cutesy), most famous of the three being Sakura Tange.
I don't know much about this album, it's not on amazon.  Hmm.  Anyway, track 10 was original, so if you feel like hunting down this album to hear it, go right ahead!


1.  TOMORROW by Hayami Saori (早見沙織) - Okamoto Maya (岡本真夜) cover
2.  そばかす (sobakasu) [Freckles] by Tange Sakura (丹下　桜) - JUDY AND MARY cover
3.  MUGO・ん...色っぽい (mugon...iroppoi) [Speechless...Sexy] by Minaguchi Yuko (皆口裕子) - Kudou Shizuka (工藤静香) cover
4.  ラムのラブソング (LUM no LOVE SONG) [Lum's Love Song] by Hayami Saori (早見沙織) - from Urusei Yatsura (うる星やつら)
5.  デリケートに好きして (DELICATE ni sukishite) [Like it Delicate] by Tange Sakura (丹下　桜) - from Magical Angel CREAMY MAMI (魔法の天使クリィミーマミ)
6.  私がオバさんになっても (watashi ga OBA-san ni nattemo) [Even If I Become Middle Aged] by Minaguchi Yuko (皆口裕子) - Moritaka Chisato (森高千里) cover
7.  淋しい熱帯魚 (sabishii nettaigyo) [Lonely Tropical Fish] by Hayami Saori (早見沙織) & Minaguchi Yuko (皆口裕子) - Wink cover
8.  アジアの純真 (ASIA no junshin) [Pure Asia] by Hayami Saori (早見沙織) & Tange Sakura (丹下　桜) - PUFFY cover
9.  渚のシンドバッド (nagisa no SINDBAD) [Shore-side Sindbad] by Tange Sakura (丹下　桜) & Minaguchi Yuko (皆口裕子) - PINK LADY (ピンク・レディー) cover

Enjoy!
Utau Love Plus

Wink Covers Part 4

My last Wink installment (for now).  I'm still missing a lot of their albums!  Gotta try to find...!
I hope you've enjoyed Wink's takes on 80s, disco, and some 60s stuff.  I sure do!  Some of my favorite songs of theirs are covers!  Wish they'd reunite and make some kind of self-cover album... sigh!


Part 4:
1.  12月の織姫 (juu-ni gatsu no orihime) [December Orihime] - Billie Hughes' "My World" cover
2.  Alone Again - Windham Hill Artists' "Nothing Means More To Me Than You" cover***
3.  Celebration - Vanessa Williams' "Save The Best For Last" cover
4.  Frou-Frou - Hot Chocolate's "Brother Louie" cover
5.  ふりむかないで (furimukanaide) [Don't Look Back] - THE PEANUTS (ザ・ピーナッツ) cover
6.  ロマンスの方舟 (ROMANCE no hakobune) [Ark of Romance] - MR. ZIVAGO's "Little Russian" cover
7.  時計をとめて (tokei o tomete) [Stop the Clock] - JACKS (ジャックス) cover
8.  無実のオブジェ (mujitsu no OBJECT) [False Object] - Pat Benatar's "Invincible" cover
9.  霧の楽園 ～THAT'S THE WAY (I Like It)～ (kiri no rakuen) [Mist Paradise] - KC & The Sunshine Band cover
10. JIVE INTO THE NIGHT ～野蛮な夜～ [HYPER EURO MIX] (~yaban na yoru~) [~Savage Night~] - Green Olives' cover
11. 悲しみよりもしたたかに ～MY TURN～ (kanashimi yorimo shitatakani) [More Severe Than Sadness] - Tasha cover
12. 永遠の恋人 ～AIN'T NOBODY～ (eien no koibito) [Eternal Lover] - Rufus & Chaka Khan cover


*Bonus Track*

想い出までそばにいて ～Welcome To The Edge～ (omoide made soba ni ite) [Stay Until We're Memories] - Billie Hughes

***Here is the conundrum for me.  Is it a cover or no?  Singer/songwriter Billie Hughes wrote this, and Wink recorded in 1990... but it became Billie's first single in 1991, and is called self-cover on Japanese Wiki.  Hmm... I'll let you decide.***

Billie Hughes is kinda obscure to me, so if anyone has any info on him that'd be great...

And just who are the Windham Hill Artists!?  Other than a Japanese website (which is pretty bare), I can't find anything on them!  I don't even know if the title of their song is the right one.

Enjoy!

Wink Covers Part 4

Wink Covers Part 3

Gotta get these Wink cover collections up and finished for you!  No, I'm not trying to get Wink out of the way, what are you Saying!?  They truly were the Queens of Covers, and they did it right: they totally owned their own lyrics and sound.  I've heard (and will upload) some pretty lukewarm covers; covers can go horribly wrong if they aren't handled like an individual's song, IMO.


Part 3!
1.  Sexy Music - The Nolans' cover
2.  あの夏のシーガル ～Cherish～ (ano natsu no SEAGULL) [That Summer's Seagull] - Kool & the Gang cover
3.  哀しい枯葉 ～I Can't Deny A Broken Heart～ (kanashii kareha) [Sad Dried Leaves] - Annika Burman cover
4.  夏服のジュリエット ～Dos Hombres～ (natsufuku no JULIET) [Summer-clothed Juliet] - Carmin cover***
5.  夜にはぐれて ～Where Were You Last Night～ (yoru ni hagurete) [Stray In The Night] - Ankie Bagger cover
6.  悪い夢 ～I Was Made For Lovin' You～ (warui yume) [Bad Dream] - Kiss cover
7.  水の星座 (mizu no seiza) [Water Constellation] - Tricia Leigh Fisher's "Let An Angel" cover
8.  銀星倶楽部 ～I'm In Mood For Dancing～ (ginsei kurabu) [Silver Star Club] - The Nolans' cover
9.  雨に消えた初恋 (ame ni kieta hatsukoi) [First Love Disappeared In The Rain] - The Cowsills' "The Rain, the Park, & Other Things" cover
10. Fun Fun Fun - The Beach Boys' cover
11. Mighty Mighty Love - Zager & Evans' "In the Year 2525" cover
12. 夜の月、昼の月 (yoru no tsuki, hiru no tsuki) [Night Moon, Day Moon] - Bette Midler's "Night & Day" cover


***Can anyone give me more info on the Spanish-language singer Carmin?  I'm guessing she's an 80s star.  I could barely find anything on her when I looked up the song.


Enjoy!
Wink Covers Part 3

Wink Covers Part 2

Hey guys!  Sorry for being away, the holiday weekend and work this past week got to me.  But now I'm back with more groovy 80s Wink covers!  Here is part 2!  Always remember to check out Wink @ amazon.co.jp


Part 2 consists of:
1.  Only Lonely - The Dooleys' "Body Language" cover
2.  SPECIAL TO ME - Bobby Caldwell cover
3.  Take Me To Heaven - Annika Burman cover
4.  おしゃれ泥棒 (oshare dorobou) [Fashionable Thief] -  Connie Francis' "I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter" cover
5.  ひきとめないで (hikitomenaide) [Don't Hold Me Back] - Debbie Harry's "You Got Me In Trouble" cover
6.  優しく愛して・・・ (yasashiku aishite) [Love Me Gently] - The Nolans' "Let's Make Love" cover
7.  夜間飛行 ～Never Marry A Railroad Man～ (yakan hikou) [Night Flight] - The Shocking Blue cover
8.  涙をみせないで ～Boys Don't Cry～ (namida wo misenaide) [Don't Show Your Tears] - Moulin Rouge cover
9.  硝子の心 ～Heart Of Glass～ (garasu no kokoro) - Blondie cover
10. 背中まで500マイル (senaka made 500 MILE) [500 Miles To Your Back] - Hedy West's "Five Hundred Miles" cover
11. I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door - Eddie Hodges cover***


***I think The Isley Brothers originally sang this song in 1959, but Eddie Hodges' single was a big teen hit...


Enjoy!
Wink Covers Part 2

Wink Covers Part 1

Wink was a late 80s early 90s pop duo, with nearly half of their work being covers, from obscure Euro 80s hits to oldies.  While their first single, "Sugar Baby Love" was a cover, they didn't get put on the map until their 3rd single, a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Turn It Into Love" which had just come out the same year.

Consisting of Shoko Aida (相田翔子) and Sachiko Suzuki (鈴木早智子), they lasted till 1996 and had to quit from failing sales.  They were really a product of late 80s idol groups and I guess couldn't keep up with the times.

While Shoko is still on talk shows and acting, Sachiko has had a bit of scandal with releasing a soft porn movie and cheating with a married actor!  But... check out their Wink work... ahem... Wink @ amazon.co.jp 

Included in part 1 of my Wink cover selection (sorry, I don't have all their albums... yet!  There are more covers out there!  I want them too!  >_< )


1.  BYE BYE BABY - The Four Seasons cover
2.  DANCE WITH ME - Orleans cover
3.  DING DING 〜恋から始まるふたりのトレイン〜 (~koi kara hajimaru futari no TRAIN~) [Our Train Starting From Love] - Annika Burman's "I en ding ding värld" cover
4.  NAVY BLUE - Diane Renay cover
5.  Sugar Baby Love - Rubettes cover
6.  愛が止まらない ～Turn It Into Love～ (ai ga tomaranai) [Love Doesn't Stop] - Kylie Minogue cover
7.  Baby Me - Holly Knight cover
8.  Especially For You ～優しさにつつまれて～ (~yasashisa ni tsutsumarete~) [Wrap Me In Tenderness] - Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan cover
9.  IN YOUR LETTER - REO Speedwagon cover
10. JOANNA - Kool & the Gang cover
11. OH MY LOVE - John Lennon cover


Enjoy!
Wink Covers Part 1