Longing for Andalusia
"Longing for Andalusia" is not on Spotify or Apple Music. It would be fine if I had a CDR, but these days, it's a struggle just to get to the song. The same goes for THE BLUE HEARTS, but I really wish they would release them on streaming services. If it became an environment where anyone could easily access them, they would surely reach more people.
Listening to it after a long time, I was convinced that this was Bob Dylan. Specifically, Dylan from the *Rolling Thunder Revue* era. The combination of the violinist Scarlet Rivera, whom he supposedly picked up and brought along, and the guitar. The texture of that ensemble fit Masatoshi Mashima's style perfectly, which is why it became such a masterpiece.
At the time of its release, I never thought it was connected to Bob Dylan. I was still in middle or high school, and the impression of Masahiko Kondo's cover was also strong. For me back then, Dylan only meant his early image, and I never imagined that the roots of this song were there.
Feeling the Dylan influence now, I think it's cool all over again. The message comes across strongly, and as Nagano said, it's that feeling of living out that cheesiness for real. The demeanor, like a Japanese film from the Showa era, is irresistibly cool.
I feel like listening to the album "Raw Life" again, but perhaps repeating just this song is the happiest way to enjoy it.
As for THE BLUE HEARTS, the best distance is having them play on the radio every once in a while. I bought back a few albums last year after the "Music Magazine" feature, but I realized I'm not so infatuated that I need to listen to a whole album through.
In the end, I think I just like the singles, the hits, and the coolness of that band sound. Maybe I'm not a pure punk fan. But punk has raw emotions, and songs with good melodies resonate deeply no matter what.
Bob Dylan also has a punk-like nuance of charging forward on initial impulse alone. Listening to "Longing for Andalusia" again this time, I was reminded once more that this mindset resonates deeply with Marcy and THE BLUE HEARTS.