Meiko Kaji , (born March 24, 1947 in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese E… Read Full Bio ↴Meiko Kaji , (born March 24, 1947 in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese Enka singer and actress.

Meiko Kaji first began work in the film industry under the name Masako Ota at Nikkatsu studio in 1965. In 1970, with little success but extensive experience in the movie business, Meiko Kaji signed up with the Nikkatsu movie studio and was subsequently cast in more or less important roles in the Stray Cat Rock series. The films concern juvenile girl gang confrontations and, although inventive, they suffer from poor scripts throughout the series. In 1971 Nikkatsu started moving into the financially lucrative pink film business. To avoid this Kaji moved to Toei where she met director Shunya Ito and made four women in prison films in the Female Prisoner Scorpion series, which made her famous throughout Japan. The films were adapted from a well-known manga by Toru Shinohara. In the fourth installment Toei replaced director Shunya Ito with Yasuharu Hasebe, a decision that Kaji was unhappy about, and she subsequently left the series, which continued until 1998 with six new installments of markedly lesser quality.

In 1973 she took on the role of Yuki in the revenge-themed film Lady Snowblood, which later gained popularity as a cult film in the West. It was based on a manga by Kazuo Koike who also created the Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub manga series. The film was one of the inspirations for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. It was followed by the sequel, Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance.

Kaji went on to appear in several of Kinji Fukasaku's films, most notably Yakuza Graveyard (1976). In 1978, she starred in a film adaptation of Sonezaki Shinju, for which she earned nominations for Best Actress at five different awards shows, winning four of them. However, the film remains unseen by many of her fans, due to the fact that it has never been released on video or DVD.

Kaji's singing career was closely tied to her movie career, and she often sang on the soundtracks of films she starred in. The theme song to Lady Snowblood, "Flower of Carnage" (Shura no Hana), and the theme song of the Sasori series, "Urami Bushi" (lit. Grudge Song), both sung by Kaji, were used in Tarantino's Kill Bill films. Owing to this, she has seen a surge of renewed interest in her work.

In 1989 Kaji portrayed Omasa, an informant, in the television jidaigeki Onihei Hankachō (the Shochiku-Fuji Television version starring kabuki actor Nakamura Kichiemon II).

Jeans Blues
梶芽衣子 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

札つきオトコと知らないで
抱かれてつくして捨てられて
気づいたときには丸はだか
夏の祭りの夜だった

恋などしないと決めたのに
明日で十九という晩に
笑顔のきれいな若者の

熱い視線に負けたのさ

あゝ私ってあゝついてない
ようやくみつけたそのヒトも
あゝ私だけあゝとり残し
ひとり天国へ行っちゃった

場末の陽気な男達
私の涙にもらい泣き
酒でもあおって忘れなと
財布はたいて飲みあかし

やさしい男にかこまれて
ロックにブルース
黒髪みだして踊っても
胸の空尉はつむじ風

あゝ私ってあゝついてない
いつまで続くの不幸せ

あゝ生き恥をあゝさらすより
いっそあの世へと旅立つさ

Overall Meaning

The song "Jeans Blues" by 梶芽衣子 describes the sad story of a girl who falls in love with a man she didn't know was tagged as a playboy. Eventually, she becomes his lover, but he doesn't take her seriously and leaves her. She realizes the situation when it's too late, and finds herself naked on the night of a summer festival. She had decided not to fall in love but gave in to the charming gaze of a hot young man, who was making her lose her resolve.

The song portrays a sense of disappointment, regret, and sadness. The girl feels hopeless, alone and believes she has terrible luck. She goes to the bars and drinks with the locals, who comfort her and cheer her up. She dances to rock and blues music, and although she has fun, her heart remains empty, like a whirlwind in her chest.

The lyrics are poignant and evoke a deep feeling of empathy. The vibrant music and the melancholic voice of the singer add to the emotion conveyed through the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

札つきオトコと知らないで
Unknowingly slept with a marked man

抱かれてつくして捨てられて
Slept with him and subsequently got dumped

気づいたときには丸はだか
Realized she had been played

夏の祭りの夜だった
It was summer festival night

恋などしないと決めたのに
Had decided not to fall in love

明日で十九という晩に
On the eve of turning 19

笑顔のきれいな若者の
To a handsome young man with a sweet smile

熱い視線に負けたのさ
Lost to his passionate gaze

あゝ私ってあゝついてない
Oh, I'm so unlucky

ようやくみつけたそのヒトも
Even the person she finally found

あゝ私だけあゝとり残し
Oh, I'm still the one left behind