Variation (Hensoukyoku)

Variation (Hensoukyoku) is the second studio album by Japanese singer Akina Nakamori. It was released on 27 October 1982 under the Warner Pioneer label. The album includes the controversial single hit "Shoujo A". It became Nakamori's first number-one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart and her best sold album.

Variation (Hensoukyoku)
Studio album by
Akina Nakamori
Released27 October 1982
Recorded1982
GenreIdol Kayokyoku
Length44:08
LanguageJapanese
LabelWarner Pioneer
ProducerHiroo Oda
Akina Nakamori chronology
Prologue (Jomaku)
(1982)		 Variation (Hensoukyoku)
(1982)		 Fantasy (Gensoukyoku)
(1983)
Singles from Variation (Hensoukyoku)
  1. "Shoujo A"
    Released: 28 July 1982

Background

Variation (Hensoukyoku) is Nakamori's second studio album, released in 1982, three months after the release of her debut album.

The music production team consisted of main arrangers Mitsuo Hagita and Kei Wakakusa, Kisugi siblings Etsuko and Takao, Masao Urino, Hiroaki Serizawa, Yukinojo Mori and Yoshitaka Minami.[1][2]

Although the album consists of twelve tracks, "Introduction" and "Ending" are instrumental songs written and arranged by Kei Wakakusa.

Promotion

Single

The album had one promotional single, "Shoujo A". The single debuted at number 5 on the Oricon Single Weekly Charts and remained on the yearly chart at number 34. In the Best Ten Rankings, the single debuted at number 3 and remained on the 1982 yearly chart at number 13.[3]

Music home video

On 1 May 1985, Nakamori's third debut anniversary, the second music home video Hajimemashita Nakamori Akina was released. The music video clips were filmed in the United States, mainly in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Filming began before her debut, between 11 and 17 March 1982.[4] Songs recorded from the original Variation album were "Moroi Gogo", "Maerchen Location", "Bye Bye Lullaby", "Shoujo A", "Sakihokoru Hana Ni" and "Aishū Magic".[5]

Stage performances

"Shoujo A" has been performed very often in the Yoru no Hit Studio, The Best Ten and various live tours.

Most of the songs were performed in the live tour Milky Way in 1983, including "Cancel", "Moroi Gogo", "Aishū Magic" , "Bye Bye Lullaby", "Catastrophe no Amagasa", "Maerchen Location" and "Sakihokoru Hana Ni".[6]

"Yokohama Akuma" and "Dai Nanakan (Septieme Sens)" were performed in the live tour Rainbow Shower in 1983.

"Catastrophe no Amagasa" was performed again in the acoustic live Akina Nakamori: 21 Seiki he no Tabidachi in 2000.

Chart performance

The album reached number one on the Oricon Album Weekly Chart for three consecutive weeks, charted 34 weeks and sold over 742,900 copies. It is Nakamori's best sold album. The album was ranked at number 8 on the Oricon Album Yearly Chart in 1983.[7]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Introduction" Kei WakakusaWakakusa1:46
2."Cancel!"Masao UrinoKazuhiko IzuMitsuo Hagita3:24
3."Moroi Gogo"Tsuzuru NakasatoNoboru MimuroHagita4:21
4."Aishū Magic"Yukinojou MoriYasuo KosugiHagita4:32
5."Sakihokoru Hana ni..."Etsuko KisugiTakao KisugiWakakusa4:37
6."Yokohama Akuma"NakasatoYoshitaka MinamiHagita3:42
7."Märchen Location"NakasatoMimuroHagita4:37
8."Shoujo A"UrinoHiroaki SerizawaHagita3:34
9."Dai Nanakan (Septieme Sens)"Mayumi ShinozukaMinamiHagita4:12
10."Bye Bye Lullaby"MoriKosugiHagita3:43
11."Catastrophe no Amagasa"ShinozukaTsunehiro IzumiWakakusa4:56
12."Ending" WakakusaWakakusa0:44

Notes:

  • "Introduction" and "Ending" are stylised within parentheses.

Covers

Japanese singer Azumi Uehara covered "Shojo A" on the cover album The Hit Parade, produced by Tak Matsumoto.[8]

References
  1. "バリエーション〈変奏曲〉 (中森明菜 ) - Warner Music Japan". wmg.jp. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02.
  2. "中森明菜 / バリエーション〈変奏曲〉". cdjournal.com.
  3. Akina (Media notes). Warner Music Japan. 1993-11-10. WPCL-770〜3.
  4. "DVD Collection 2 | Akina Nakakamori | Warner Music Japan". Warner Music Japan. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
  5. Akina Nakamori (1 May 1985). Hajimemashite Nakamori Akina (VHS). Warner Music Japan. 10PV-38.
  6. (1983年) 中森明菜 Ballade Best: 25th Anniversary Selection〜#Akina Milkyway '83 Haru no Kaze wo Kanjite|Akina Milkyway '83 Haru no Kaze wo Kanjite Tour Pamphlet. (MILKY HOUSE)
  7. Oricon Album Chart Book Complete Edition 1970-2005. オリコン・マーケティング・プロモーション. 25 April 2006. pp. 3, 455–457, 883. ISBN 4871310779.
  8. "TAK MATSUMOTO ソロ・プロジェクト・カヴァー・アルバム 『THE HIT PARADE』11月26日リリース！". Music Freak Magazine.
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