Virgin Blues

Written by Jun Sakurai, credited for lyrics under the pseudonym "Kirihito Noh" (能吉利人); originally sung by Akiyuki Nosaka for the 1974 film of the same name (where he played himself), then included in his 1975 album Superb Songs! Akiyuki Nosaka (絶唱! 野坂昭如).

Jun Togawa's original plan for her third solo album, 1989's The Dying Year of the Showa Era (昭和享年), only had Susumu Hirasawa arranging "Princess Knight" and "In the Morning" for her to cover. However, when compiling the originals to send over, her manager Kenji Fujita bundled it by mistake to him. Togawa panicked as she felt its subject matter was embarrassing to mention, likely due to either looking up to Hirasawa and/or his uptight public image, but he liked the song and asked to do it.

Lyrics

 * 1 "“Gin gin gin gin…” is a phonetic pun from “virgin” & onomatopoeia of a feeling to stream down a blood vessel."
 * 2 "“Gingiragin” is a non-translatable onomatopoeia describing “a blazing sunset” or “fiercely glowing neon” or alternately “the avaricious atmosphere of a nouveau riche person”."
 * 3 "These are meant to imply the sound of Japanese soldiers’ footsteps from a past war."
 * 4 The lyrics specify it as a hinomaru bento, a boxed lunch of only rice and one pickled plum, arranged to look like the flag of Japan. The [fascist government that ruled the country during World War II pushed it as a symbol of support for the army, particularly as a school meal for children, and as such it is strongly associated with the era.

Versions
Hirasawa asked Togawa to sing in any key she wanted. She recorded the chorus unaccompanied once at the N・Two management office on a boombox. The tape he sent back started from the intro of the second verse, just as Togawa expected.
 * demos

Following the structure established in the demo exchange, this arrangement opens with the chorus sung a capella by Togawa, a choice she found bold. Hirasawa did not follow the original's jazz pop arrangement, turning the song into a synth-heavy march. It features live bass guitar played by an uncredited Kitune Akimoto.
 * The Dying Year of the Showa Era, 1989

To promote the album and accompanying tour, then the single months later, Togawa performed the song live at two versions of the long-running Fuji TV program, backed by Akimoto and Hikaru Kotobuki on synthesizers—credited as "Varichef Homium" (バリケフホニウム) despite only being half of that band—who were kept to an underlit corner of the studio and not interviewed by the presenters both times. Each one featured additional performers: for Nightly Hit Studio Super, Hirasawa on guitar (following the part as played on Nosaka's version); for Hit Studio R&N, Kyoko Togawa and YOU on backing vocals. Both renditions are close to the album arrangement.
 * Hit Studio performances

On a hospital visit, Togawa told Hirasawa of her desire to record "He's a Man Who Could Be Lifted by a Slight Breeze, but (Even So)‎" and release it as the B-side of a single release of this song, he suggested they change the arrangement. The intro contains synth and marimba backing, which Togawa thinks sounds like a music box. The instrumentation is overall lower in the mix, metal percussion and koto tremolo sounds were removed, bells and more brass parts were added. Akimoto's part is retained and followed by a bigger snare roll, just as Togawa had hoped. Though unintentional, both Hirasawa and Togawa felt the arrangement gave Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force/"At Sea"/right-wing vibes. Their tastes matched, but it led Togawa to write the lyrics of the B-side so it would balance that mood out. The single also contains an instrumental mix.
 * single, 1990