Ride On Time, for any Tatsuro Yamashita fan, or for any devoted Japanese pop fan in general, is a song that simply needs no introduction. It is one of the most essential songs to come out of Japan in the 80s, a one in a lifetime achievement, that had a lot of relevance for both Tatsuro's career, as well as for the slow rise of the new wave of Japanese pop that would take the 80's by storm.
It is a song that came out after years marked by a rough path for the artist, years where he faced rough criticisms, almost no attention from the mainstream, and an artistic frustration where he was aware of the passion he invested into his music, but that didn't seem to give anything in return. The man wasn't inspired or moved forward due to a desire for fame or money, he simply wanted to put his own compositions to everyone's reach, elaborating it the way he saw fit, diving into many genres, but always holding a same spirit and energy regardless of the tone or atmosphere. Tatsuro Yamashita delivered an incredible amount of quality projects, collaborations, and albums from his early days with Sugar Babe in 1974 to the fantastic creation of Moonglow in 1979, leading to the man getting a loyal underground fanbase in Tokyo, as well as being respected and admired by many musicians at the time, from big names like Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto, to some aspiring and talented artists like Minako Yoshida and Mariya Takeuchi. He was unfairly criticized for creating music that was just ahead of its time, just for it to eventually be revered and hold as great pieces of music that were full of timeless songs where the passion for a craft was above anything else. Anyone could go in further detail (I know I have) about how each one of his albums has their own pop masterpieces to offer, or even how the Ride On Time album is just a fantastic achievement for Tatsuro. But that sort of in depth look just wouldn't do justice when applied to the Ride On Time single alone, to the sheer beauty and perfection that the song holds in every aspect possible.
A song where the iconic Jun Aoyama, Hironiro Ito, Kazuo Shiina, and Hiroyuki Namba lineup was first introduced, making up for a hell of a debut track. From the powerful piano melody the small addition of details with the use of percussion instruments, a simple guitar, the emotional, yet upbeat, saxophone, or the already iconic and legendary funk driven basslines that complement every other aspect, making up for one of Tatsuro's most, if not THE most, memorable and polished instrumental arrangement that can be found on his entire career. But the cherry on top, the thing that makes the entire song work the way it does, are Tatsuro's powerful vocals (as always supported by Minako's great background vocals), with that incredibly memorable chorus that just bleeds of emotion and passion. Every element that appears on the song is just in the right place, used at the right time, making up for a very captivating, layered, and memorable experience; something that only few can declare as to having achieved on their musical career. An important song for the artist, the culmination of years of hard work and rough paths, being his first top 10 single, and catapulting his career to a higher level, starting a new bright and prolific decade for his music. It would go down as a definitive pioneer of City Pop in the mainstream, as well as stablishing pop as a relevant force during a time where rock seemed to be overshadowing it completely.
First released with Moonglow's Rainy Walk, and then reissued in 2003 with あまく危険な香りdue to the song being used on a new TV show at the time, and even though both of those songs are still great classics form the master himself, they simply do not get to the level that Ride On Time sets with just four and a half minutes. But, the definitive way to experience this single is with the 2003 issue, with あまく危険な香りbeing the most powerful and captivating single out of the B-sides that accompanied the album, also being used for a TV show but at first put on the Greatest Hits! album in 1982, making up for an almost flawless experience along side the main highlight of the release (with a fantastic piano solo at the middle of the song, being very mellow and sweet in atmosphere, and definitely being a gem within the man's catalog). The karaoke versions of both songs are also very much appreciated, letting anyone admire the detailed craft of all the layers that went into arranging both tracks so that they came out conveying a rather simple, yet engaging, rhythm. But more than that, it comes with the amazing and beautiful acapella short version of Ride On Time, iconic for its inclusion on the album version, but being able to be appreciated in full glory within this release. Ride On Time would lead to wonderful music being released, all still maintaining the spirit of the artist, and excellent tracks were released before it came to be; but this is just one of those special songs, special occasions in history that just deserve to be admired and appreciated on its own.
It is simply a song that has to be heard in order to be completely understood. A timeless song, that does not know age or context, full of passion and emotion, feeling as fresh, powerful; perfect now as it was for thousands of people in 1980. The heart of Tatsuro Yamashita, can be found in this track, his most important release, inviting anyone to get invested on the captivating melody that it has to offer. It is just something beautiful, and I truly doubt it will ever stop being as such in decades or centuries to come.
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
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