Variety (Mariya Takeuchi album)

Last updated
Variety
Variety (Mariya Takeuchi) cover.jpeg
Studio album by
Released25 April 1984 (1984-04-25)
RecordedJuly 1983January 1984
Genre J-pop
Length42:14
LanguageJapanese, English
Label Moon Records
Producer Tatsuro Yamashita
Mariya Takeuchi chronology
Viva Mariya!
(1982)
Variety
(1984)
Request
(1987)
Singles from Variety
  1. "Mou Ichido"
    Released: April 10, 1984 (1984-04-10)
  2. "Mersey Beat de Utawasete"
    Released: August 25, 1984 (1984-08-25)
  3. "Plastic Love"
    Released: March 25, 1985 (1985-03-25)

Variety is the sixth studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. It was released on 25 April 1984 [1] through Moon Records. Variety is considered as Takeuchi's "comeback" album after being on hiatus since 1981, [2] [3] and is the first album entirely written by her. [4] The album is produced by Takeuchi's husband, Tatsuro Yamashita. [4]

Contents

To international audiences, Variety is known for containing "Plastic Love" which, although only seeing moderate success in Japan when it was released as a single in 1985, saw a resurgence in popularity internationally in 2017 after a remix was uploaded to YouTube. [2]

Production and release

Takeuchi's five albums released before Variety were mostly written by other songwriters which, although they featured industry stars such as Haruomi Hosono and members of Toto, left her feeling "exhausted". [2] She went on hiatus at the end of 1981 due to a sore throat, as well as to marry Yamashita in 1982. [2] [5]

During her break, Yamashita left his record label, RCA Records, for the newly-founded Moon Records. Meanwhile, Takeuchi began writing some of the songs which would be included in Variety. Yamashita originally planned for Takeuchi's comeback album to be written by other songwriters, but changed his mind after listening to some of Takeuchi's work. [6] A promotional single, "Mou Ichido", was released on 10 April 1984, followed by a full release on 25 April. [1] [7] The album topped the Oricon Albums Chart. [6]

A 30th Anniversary edition of the album was released on 19 November 2014. The version included a previously unreleased track, "Aka no Enamel" (赤のエナメル), both club remixes from the single release of "Plastic Love", and karaoke versions of four tracks. [8] [9]

The 30th Anniversary edition of the album became available on music streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify on 3 November 2021, the same date when the 2021 vinyl reissue was released. [10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mariya Takeuchi

No.TitleArrangementLength
1."Mou Ichido" (もう一度) Tatsuro Yamashita 4:06
2."Plastic Love" (プラスティック・ラブ)Tatsuro Yamashita4:51
3."Honki de Only You (Let's Get Married)" (本気でオンリーユー)Tatsuro Yamashita3:53
4."One Night Stand"Tatsuro Yamashita
Nobutaka Tsugei (background vocal arrange)
3:57
5."Broken Heart"Tatsuro Yamashita3:55
6."Night at the Amphitheater" (アンフィシアターの夜)Tatsuro Yamashita
Kazuo Shiina (horn arrange)
3:33
7."Todokanu Omoi" (とどかぬ想い)Tatsuro Yamashita3:34
8."Mersey Beat de Utawasete" (マージービートで唄わせて)Tatsuro Yamashita3:19
9."Mizu to Anata to Taiyō to" (水とあなたと太陽と)Tatsuro Yamashita3:29
10."Going Steady" (ふたりはステディ)Tatsuro Yamashita3:27
11."Shetland ni Hoho wo Uzumete" (シェットランドに頬をうずめて)Tatsuro Yamashita
Hiroki Inui (strings arrange)
3:42
Total length:42:14
30th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Aka no Enameru [Previously Unreleased]" (赤のエナメル)2:55
13."Plastic Love [12” Extended Club Mix]"9:18
14."Plastic Love [12” Original Length Remix]"4:55
15."Plastic Love [Karaoke]"4:56
16."Honki de Only You (Let's Get Married) [Karaoke]" (本気でオンリーユー)3:59
17."Night at the Amphitheater [Previously Unreleased Karaoke]" (アンフィシアターの夜)3:38
18."Mersey Beat de Utawasete [Previously Unreleased Karaoke]" (マージービートで唄わせて)3:21
Total length:75:16

Charts

Weekly charts

YearAlbumChartPositionSales
1984VarietyOricon Weekly LP Albums Chart1316,000 [11]
Oricon Weekly CT Albums Chart2167,000 [11]
2014Variety "30th Anniversary Edition"Oricon Weekly Albums Chart13 [12]
2021Variety "2021 Vinyl Edition"6 [13]

Year-end charts

YearAlbumChartPositionSales
1984VarietyOricon Yearly Albums Chart11481,000 [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariya Takeuchi</span> Japanese singer-songwriter (born 1955)

Mariya Takeuchi is a Japanese singer and songwriter. Regarded as an influential figure in the city pop genre, she is one of the best-selling music artists in Japan, having sold over 16 million records, and has received several accolades. Her husband is Tatsuro Yamashita, a singer-songwriter and record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatsuro Yamashita</span> Japanese musical artist

Tatsurō Yamashita, occasionally referred to as Tatsu Yamashita or Tats Yamashita, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer, who is known for pioneering the city pop style of music.

Aoi Teshima is a Japanese singer and voice actress from Kasuga, Fukuoka. She is known for singing and acting in several Goro Miyazaki movies including Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill.

The discography of Japanese Shibuya-kei group Pizzicato Five includes 13 studio albums, one live album, one soundtrack album, 16 compilation albums, nine remix albums, six video albums, 13 extended plays and 22 singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yukiko Okada</span> Japanese pop singer (1967–1986)

Yukiko Okada was a Japanese singer and actress, active in the mid-1980s. After winning a nationwide television show at age 15 in 1983, she debuted as an idol in 1984. Her death by suicide two years later led to a number of copycat suicides, a phenomenon that would bear her name.

<i>Big Wave</i> (Tatsuro Yamashita album) 1984 soundtrack album by Tatsuro Yamashita

Big Wave is the soundtrack album for the motion picture of the same name, produced and recorded by Japanese singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita. It was released in June 1984 and peaked at No.2 on the Oricon Albums Chart for a 19-week stay. The album was heavily influenced by the songwriting and production of Brian Wilson. Its first half consists of original songs, with English lyrics by Alan O'Day, while the second is mostly cover versions of Beach Boys songs.

<i>Melodies</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Tatsuro Yamashita

Melodies is the eighth studio album recorded by Japanese singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, released in June 1983. It was his first LP issued under the Moon Label which was distributed by Alfa Records at the time.

Mariya Yamada is a Japanese actress and a gravure idol. She won the title of "Miss Young Magazine" in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter Games (2PM song)</span> 2013 single by 2PM

Winter Games is the eighth Japanese single by the South Korean boy band 2PM. It was released on October 16, 2013, in three different editions. The single also includes Stay Here as B-side track, which was supposed to be included in Masquerade. The limited Type B version comes with a bonus track, the Japanese version of Comeback When You Hear This Song from their 3rd Korean studio album Grown.

The 56th Japan Record Awards (第56回日本レコード大賞) took place at the New National Theater in Tokyo on December 30, 2014. The ceremony was televised in Japan on TBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariya Nagao</span> Japanese television personality

Mariya Nagao is a Japanese television personality and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. Nagao is represented by Irving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic Love</span> 1984 song by Mariya Takeuchi

"Plastic Love" is a song by the Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album Variety. Written by Takeuchi and arranged by Tatsuro Yamashita, the song was released as the album's third single on March 25, 1985. "Plastic Love" is a city pop song; its upbeat arrangement contrasts with melancholic lyrics that describe a woman who embraces a hollow, hedonistic lifestyle after being scorned by a lover. Upon its initial release as a single, the song was a moderate success in Japan, peaking at number 86 on the Oricon Singles Chart and selling around 10,000 copies.

<i>Crimson</i> (Akina Nakamori album) 1986 studio album by Akina Nakamori

Crimson is the tenth studio album by Japanese singer Akina Nakamori. It was released on 24 December 1986 under the Warner Pioneer label. The album includes the original version of Eki.

<i>Akina</i> (Akina Nakamori album) 2017 studio album by Akina Nakamori

Akina (明菜) is the twenty-fifth studio album by Japanese singer Akina Nakamori and final studio album to be released during the 2010 decade. It was released on 8 November 2017 under the Universal Music Group Japan label. The album was released as a part of the 35th debut anniversary celebration and on the same day as a cover album "Cage".

<i>Twin Memories</i> 1989 studio album by Wink

Twin Memories is the third studio album by Japanese idol duo Wink, released by Polystar on December 1, 1989. It features the No. 1 singles "Samishii Nettaigyo" and "One Night in Heaven ". Also included in the album are Japanese-language covers of Bobby Caldwell's "Special to Me", Paul Gurvitz's "I Never Stopped Loving You", REO Speedwagon's "In Your Letter", Shocking Blue's "Never Marry a Railroad Man", Kool & the Gang's "Joanna", and John Lennon's "Oh My Love". "Special to Me" was released as a promotional single in 2018 to celebrate the duo's 30th anniversary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single Again (Mariya Takeuchi song)</span> 1989 song by Mariya Takeuchi

"Single Again" is the 18th single by Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. Written by Takeuchi and produced by Tatsuro Yamashita, the single was released through Moon Records on September 12, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gekka</span> 1994 single by Akina Nakamori

"Gekka" is the 30th single by Japanese entertainer Akina Nakamori. Written by Gorō Matsui and Shūgō Kajiwara, the single was released on October 5, 1994, by MCA Victor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rojo (Tierra)</span> 2015 single by Akina Nakamori

"Rojo (Tierra)" (ロホ・ティエラ, Roho Tiera) is the 49th single by Japanese entertainer Akina Nakamori. Written by Minako Kawae, Nakamori (under the pseudonym "Miran:Miran"), and Daisuke Asakura, the single was released on January 21, 2015, by Utahime Records and Universal Music Japan in two editions: CD single and the limited edition CD + DVD edition. It was also the lead single from her 24th studio album Fixer.

<i>Mie to 未唯mie: 1981–2023 All Time Best</i> 2023 compilation album by Mie

Mie to 未唯mie: 1981–2023 All Time Best is a compilation album by Japanese singer Mie. Released through Victor on March 1, 2023 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Mie's solo career, the album compiles her solo works from 1981 to 2006, plus the unreleased song "Oyasuminasai" and her cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".

<i>50th Anniversary Special A Tribute of Hayashi Tetsuji: Saudade</i> 2023 compilation album by Various Artists

50th Anniversary Special A Tribute of Hayashi Tetsuji: Saudade is a tribute album consisting of songs written by Tetsuji Hayashi, released on November 8, 2023 by VAP. The album contains re-recorded and cover versions of some of Hayashi's hit songs written throughout his 5-decade career as a composer and songwriter.

References

  1. 1 2 "アルバム・ディスコグラフィー MOON/WARNER編 (1984-現在)". Mariya Takeuchi Official Website (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 St. Michel, Patrick (17 November 2018). "Mariya Takeuchi: The pop genius behind 2018's surprise online smash hit from Japan". The Japan Times . Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. "竹内まりや 『もう一度』". Men's Non-no (in Japanese). Shueisha. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 (1984). Album notes for Variety by Mariya Takeuchi, vinyl back cover. Tokyo: Moon Records (MOCT-28011)
  5. "戻ってきた竹内まりや!80年代を代表する神アルバム「VARIETY」". Re:minder (in Japanese). 14 September 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  6. 1 2 天辰保文 (7 May 2019). "1984年5月7日竹内まりや『VARIETY』がオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を記録~世界的に再評価されている「プラスティック・ラブ」収録". Nippon Broadcasting System (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  7. "シングル・ディスコグラフィー [Part 1] (1978-1989)". Mariya Takeuchi Official Website (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  8. "Variety -30th Anniversary Edition". Warner Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  9. "【CD】 ヴァラエティ 30th Anniversary Edition". Tower Records Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  10. "竹内まりや Official Web Site". 竹内まりや Official Web Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  11. 1 2 "竹内まりや" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  12. "Variety(30th Anniversary Edition)" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  13. "Variety(2021 Vinyl Edition)" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  14. "年間アルバムヒットチャート 1984年". Private Life エンタメデータ&ランキング (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2023.