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), had Koji Ueno arranging this song for her to cover. However, when compiling the originals to send over, her manager Kenji Fujita sent it by mistake to the album's other arranger, Susumu Hirasawa. Togawa panicked, but Hirasawa liked the song and asked to do it. Kitune Akimoto played bass on this version, but went uncredited.

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.