Credits

I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu -- Saigo no Ice Cream (さいごのアイスクリーム)





When Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ) dropped her sophomore album, “Nanda Collection” (なんだこれくしょん), back in June 2013, the first album track that grabbed my attention was “Saigo no Ice Cream”. The song, as the title reveals, talks about one last ice cream and how frustrated Kyary feels after understanding that someone ate her last strawberry-flavored ice cream. This frivolous thematic could probably be a motive to dismiss the song, but when it comes to some J-Pop artists, like Kyary herself or even Morning Musume. (モーニング娘。) in its golden days, silliness is what counts.

Singing about the last ice cream in such dramatic manner, like Kyary does during the chorus, is something only her could pull off that well. If we add the bubbly 80s inspired synth production, courtesy of Yasutaka Nakata (中田ヤスタカ), the song ends being a very pleasurable listen. Although I agree it’s far from being Kyary’s best, “Saigo no Ice Cream” really showcases how Nakata constructs Kyary’s playful and childish world.

“Saigo no Ice Cream” was written, composed and arranged by Yasutaka Nakata. As for the “Nanda Collection” album, it reached #1 on the Oricon charts, selling 250,490 copies. Also, it ended 2013 as the 19th best selling album of th year.

P.S. For the English translation of "Saigo no Ice Cream's" lyrics, please click here

2 comments:

  1. Hi, Marcos.

    I have to say that this is probably the most urgent song about ice cream that I had ever heard. :) The intro synth-organ sounded like the theme song of an old radio soap opera from 50-60 years ago before things went into dance mode. Good time to add the song since we're starting to get into the ice cream season.

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    1. Well, if a serious artist decides to sing about ice cream in the West, I really think that the public would not bite. And that's one of my problems with contemporary Western pop... there's "too much attitude" in the industry, but not enough musicality. I'd rather a fun ice cream song than a song about a guy/girl showing off their tough or rebelious attitude.

      ...and I probably need a strawberry ice cream as well. Tomorrow I'll buy some.

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