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Yamaguchi Momoe

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Yamaguchi Momoe (1972)

Yamaguchi Momoe (山口百恵 or やまぐち.ももえ) is a Japanese pop singer, actress and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. She was born in Shibuya, Tokyo on January 17, 1959. She is one of the most popular and notable singers in J-pop history with several songs which are frequently covered to this day.

She secured her legacy by bowing out of the entertainment business at the peak of her career to marry her frequent costar, fellow actor Tomokazu Miura (三浦友和).

Even to this day, 25 years after her retirement, Momoe still commands public interest. Recent pictures frequent tabloids, and there are constant inquries about her coming back.

Biography

Momoe was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1959. Near the time she was born she was left in the care of her maternal grandparents, of which she has said she has many fond memories. Around 4 years old she was returned to her parents and the family then moved to Yokohama. At an early age her father left her mother as a single parent to her two daugthers, Momoe and her little sister Toshie. The family moved once again to Yokosuka, where they would stay until Momoe rose to stardom. It is the place she considers home, shown in one of her most popular album tracks "I CAME FROM Yokosuka" (I CAME FROM 横須賀) from her 11th album "Momoe Hakusho" (百恵白書).

Momoe appeared on the idol talent search television show "Star Tanjou" (スター誕生) at the age of 13. She sung the children's song "Kaiten Mokuba" (回転木馬). Though she only came in second place, she still received several deals, and chose a record contract releasing under CBS/Sony.

Her first single titled "Toshigoro" (としごろ), coupled with her first movie of the same name, did not fare very well in the charts, peaking at a low 37 on the oricon. It wasn't until her second single "Aoi Kajitsu" (青い果実) that she really became popular. That single broke the top 10 and peaked at number 9. Momoe fans and Japanese pop culture historians alike have acredited the sugestive lyrics of the song to its sucess. A rough summary of the chorus goes "You can do what ever you want with me, it's ok if rumors spread that I'm a bad girl". All of this coming from a 13 year old Momoe. This trend carried on in her carrer for quite a while. One of her biggest hits, and most memorable soungs to this day is her 5th single "Hito natsu no Keiken" (ひと夏の経験), which includes lyrics like "I'll give you the most precious thing a girl has" and "Everyone does it at least once, The entrapment of temptation".

As time went on, Momoe gained more and more control over her carrer and strayed away from the songs with suggestive lyrics and went for songs more about a woman being strong and ready to support herself. These changes produced some of her most popular and memorable hits. Such as "Kosumosu" (秋桜), "Ii Hi Tabidachi" (いい日旅立ち), and "Sayonara no Mukou Gawa" (さよならの向う側) all of which are all covered frequently to this day. The most popular single she ever released was "Yokosuka STORY" (横須賀ストーリー) in 1976, which sold 600,000+ copies and peaked at number one on the charts.

With ever growning popularity in the music industry, she had the same result in film. Her second film, "Izu no Odoriko" (伊豆の踊子) based off of the Yasunari Kawabata novel, introduced her to Tomokazu Miura. Though Momoe at the time was just 14, and Tomokazu was 22, they hit it off and had great screen chemistry. They starred in a total of 14 of her 17 movies together, one every winter and summer.

Near the end of her carrer Momoe became very sophisticated in her music. Much like the Beatles's carrer in that they started out without much artistic experimentation and ending with influential musical production, Momoe's later carrer posseses many changes which are not typical of pop idols. Because she wanted to make a Rock song before she ended her career, "Rock 'n Roll Widow" was brought out. A popular single, which was included on the concept album Moebius's Game (メビウス・ゲーム). Her 21st album "Phoenix Densetsu" (不死鳥伝説) was infact written as a rock opera. Her 12th and 18th albums, "GOLDEN FLIGHT" and "L.A. Blue", which were both recorded overseas (London and Los Angeles respectively) include heavy influences of music of the country it was recorded in. And just the overall sound of her later songs and albums have a much more mature and complex sound than her early songs.

With constant on screen romance between Momoe and Tomokazu Miura, an off screen romance grew. During a trip to Hawaii in early 1979, Tomokazu proposed to Momoe. She accepted, and she also said that she would retire from the entertainment industry to do so. Momoe officially announced their relationship at a concert in October of 1979, and the official announcement about their marriage date and her retirement was made in March of 1980. And after only 8 months after the announcement, she had her farewell concert at the famous Nippon Budokan on October 5th 1980, released her last album "This is my trial" on October 21st 1980, and released her last single "Ichi E" (一恵) on November 19th 1980.

On October 15th 1980, Momoe offically retired from show business, and on November 19th 1980, Momoe and Tomokazu were married. And though rumors have been circulating since her retirement that she would come back, she has kept to being a housewife and mother to 2 sons ever since her retirement.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Screen appearances

Films

  • [1973.04.14] Toshigoro (としごろ)
  • [1974.12.28] Izu no Odoriko (伊豆の踊子)
  • [1975.04.26] Shiosai (潮騒)
  • [1975.04.26] Onechan Ote Yawaraka ni (お姐ちゃんお手やわらかに)
  • [1975.08.09] Hana no Kou no Trio Hatsukoi Jidai (花の高２トリオ 初恋時代)
  • [1975.12.20] Zetsu Ko (絶唱)
  • [1976.04.24] Eden no Umi (エデンの海)
  • [1976.07.31] Kaze tachinu (風立ちぬ)
  • [1976.12.25] Shun Kin Sho (春琴抄)
  • [1977.07.30] Doro darake no Junjou (泥だらけの純情)
  • [1977.11.26] Masako, Junko, Momoe - Namida no Sotsugyo Shini Shupatsu (昌子・淳子・百恵 - 涙の卒業式 出発)
  • [1977.12.17] Kiri no Hata (霧の旗)
  • [1978.07.22] Furimukeba Ai (ふりむけば愛)
  • [1978.11.23] Honou no Mai (炎の舞)
  • [1979.08.04] WHITE LOVE (ホワイト・ラブ)
  • [1979.12.22] Tenshi o Yuwaku (天使を誘惑)
  • [1980.12.06] Koto (古都)

Doramas

  • [1973.10.09] Kao de Waratte (顔で笑って)
  • [1974.07.08] Genka TV Shousetsu "Akari no Urumu Koro" (銀河テレビ小説 「灯のうるむ頃」)
  • [1974.10.04] Akai Meiro (赤い迷路)
  • [1975.10.03] Akai Giwaku (赤い疑惑)
  • [1976.04.23] Akai Unmei (赤い運命)
  • [1976.11.05] Akai Shougeki (赤い衝撃)
  • [1977.12.02] Akai Kizuna (赤い絆)
  • [1978.11.21] Hito wa Sore wo Scandal to Iu (人はそれをスキャンダルという)
  • [1980.11.07] Yamaguchi Momoe Intai Kinen Special Drama "Akai Shisen" (山口百恵引退記念スペシャルドラマ「赤い死線」)

External links

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