The cute Japanese singer and actress Ayumi Ishida was born in Osaka in 1948. She seems to have started her singing career in 1964 at the young age of 16. Ayumi recorded at least 23 singles with Victor in Japan during 1964-1967 and although she had some popularity with great songs like Shadow of Love on that recording label, it wasn’t until she left Victor and started recording with Columbia that she found super stardom thanks to her popular hit Blue Light Yokohama. Blue Light Yokohama was written by the well-known Japanese songwriter Tsutsumi Kyohei who wrote many popular Japanese songs during the 1960s & 70s. The song was a huge hit for Ayumi Ishida & Tsutsumi Kyohei, and it spent 32 weeks on the Japanese music charts. Blue Light Yokohama combines the charm of old style Enka music with a much more modern sound and in turn appealed to Japanese music fans of all-ages.
For your listening pleasure here are two of Ayumi Ishida’s popular singles. The first is Shadow of Love which was recorded in 1967 for Victor and was composed by Suzuki Kunihiko who’s also responsible for many popular Japanese songs during the 60s-70s as well as soundtracks for some great Japanese movies such as Onna banchô: Nora-neko rokku (Female Juvenile Delinquent Leader: Stray Cat Rock) the second is her big hit Blue Light Yokohama which was recorded in 1968 for Columbia.
Ayumi Ishida - Shadow of Love
Ayumi Ishida - Blue Light Yokohama
Last but not least, here’s a short but great video featuring Ayumi Ishida singing Blue Light Yokohama!
- brought to you by cinebeats
Oh man, “Blue Light Yokohama” is my FAVORITE Ayumi Ishida song. I never knew there was a video!!
Comment by easytempo — October 25, 2006 @ 7:40 pm
I only wish the video was a bit longer. It sort of ends early & abruptly, but she looks so cute singing the song.
Comment by cinebeats — October 26, 2006 @ 5:47 pm
Hi! Thanks for adding me to your friends on Last.FM. This song is amazing, I’ve been listening to it for the last ten years, mostly from the original japanese 7″ single. I got very happy when I first found it on the web some 6 years ago, now I don’t have to wear out the vinyl anymore. I have some more questions to you about asian (japanese) music, but that will come later, I think!
) Love your musical taste and cultural insight & I’d like to get to know you well!
Now I’ll enjoy more of your sites!
Best regards,
RetroTor
Comment by Tor Erik Gorud — October 28, 2006 @ 10:16 pm
Thanks for the nice comment RetroTor! Ayumi recorded some great songs and I enjoyed sharing a few here. I always enjoy meeting and chatting with others who are interested in Japanese music and culture. I’ve been a bit obssessed with everything Japanese since I was a kid. I first visited Japan in 1976 and the trip really made an impact on me and I fell in love with Japanese music, movies, TV, manga, toys, etc. Anyways, I’m glad we met on lastfm and I’d be happy to exchange emails anytime!
Comment by cinebeats — October 29, 2006 @ 6:28 am
Oh man… I get here a month too late. Any chance you could make these links available again please? I’ve been trying to track down stuff fruitlessly for years after hearing “Yuwakuteki Na Gogo” on “Goodnight Tokyo” and being completely knocked out by it, and I have amassed a total of about four songs by her, in the last 3 years, which is pretty lame. I must be looking in the wrong places, anyway any help would be much appreciated.
Comment by Chris — December 31, 2006 @ 12:17 am
I really love this page. Have you discontinued it?
Comment by bubblegumfink — January 12, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Thanks Chris & bubblegumfink! We’re back up and running for the new year!
Comment by CineBeats — January 19, 2007 @ 2:08 am
I keep discovering awesome items right when they’re gone >_
Comment by Nekketsu Gaijinder — January 24, 2007 @ 2:10 am
i just came across this fantastic blog and i saw a familiar name as the blogger. Ishida Ayumi is awesome… sophisticated… beautiful and cute… great actress and great singer! my favorite song is ‘nani ga anata o saseta’. thanks for sharing !
Comment by ushiroyubi — August 31, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
very nice i found it her on the net … she s bring s memorys to me in those day s 1970 i was in ensenada mexico there was a strike in the ports of usa .. then all those cargo s/ship s stop in ensenada b.c. mexico i was working on one of those ship , coming from japan the one younger japanise , as a gift we make friend s during partial time, he give me that vinyl record single …my god !! it hit me that song very deep .. that i was recently merried..and me and my wife we enjoy to listening ayumi ishida blue light yokohama….today….still love it …april/15 / 2008
I dedicated this beutyfulsong to my blanca my ex wife with all my love to her sincerly victor love you blanca forever and ever.
Comment by victor conde — April 15, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
Hi. I love Ayumi Ishida’s Blue Light Yokohama and am looking forward to her other songs, could you re-upload Shadow of Love? The link expired. You could try uploading it on mediafire.com (it’ll last longer) there. Thanks!
Comment by Mimi — May 21, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
I love the song”Blue Night Yokohama” Although I don’t understand the lyrics. But I still love it till now since I heard from A single LP. Thank You,Ishida.
Comment by Chung Nam Leung — August 9, 2008 @ 12:16 am