Hosono first came to attention in Japan as the bass player of the psychedelic rock band Apryl Fool, who released the album "The Apryl Fool" in 1969. Members from this band (including Hosono) then formed the influential folk-rock group Happy End, which led to Hosono's first collaboration with Van Dyke Parks. After Happy End disbanded, Hosono worked with a loose association of artists making "exotica"-style music under the title Tin Pan Alley and also released four solo albums with increasingly eclectic instrumentation. Additionally, he made an innovative electronic soundtrack for the film "Cochin Moon", together with artist Tadanori Yokoo.
In 1978, Hosono formed the Yellow Magic Orchestra with Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The Yellow Magic Orchestra (a.k.a. YMO) released a number of albums in the late 70s and early 80s to considerable acclaim both inside and outside Japan. After YMO disbanded in 1984, Hosono released a number of solo albums covering a variety of styles, including film soundtracks, and a variety of electronic ambient albums.
He was one of the first producers to recognize the appeal of video game sounds and music. YMO's self titled debut in 1978 continued substantial game sounds and after YMO disbanded an early project was an album simply titled "Video Game Music" containing mixed and edited Namco game music and sounds. In the late 80s and early 90s the influence of world music on his music deepened, and he worked with international singers and musicians such as Amina Annabi.
As well as recording his own music, Haruomi has done considerable production work for other artists such as Miharu Koshi, Sheena and the Roketts, Sandii and the Sunsetz, Chisato Moritaka and Seiko Matsuda.
He's produced a number of short term band projects as a band member. His first post-YMO band was Friends of Earth. As with most of his projects he combines musical styles he's interested in. F.O.E. seemed to be a combination of Funk and Techno and included a collaboration with James Brown and Maceo Parker for a remake of the song "Sex Machine". Another notable band project was 1995's Love, Peace & Trance. Members were Mimori Yusa ("Love"), Miyako Koda ("Peace"), Haruomi Hosono ("&") and Mishio Ogawa ("Trance").
In the 1990s he started the Daisyworld label to release a wide range of experimental artists from Japan and the rest of the world. Hosono collorated on many of the releases, such as World Standard, a trip into Americana; HAT, a supergroup (the acronym stands for Hosono, Atom Heart, Tetsu Inoue),and "Quiet Logic", by Mixmaster Morris and Jonah Sharp. The Orb also paid tribute with a series of remixes including the notorious "Hope You Choke On Your Whalemeat".
In 2002 Haruomi formed the duo Sketch Show with his YMO band-mate Yukihiro Takahashi. They have released two albums, one of which, Loophole, has received a UK release. When the third former YMO member, Ryuichi Sakamoto deepened his involvement it was decided to bill those collaborations as Human Audio Sponge.
In 2007, his fellow YMO members and other artist paid tribute to Haruomi with a 2-disc album titled "Tribute to Haruomi" in Spring of 2007. Also, that same year, the animated film "EX MACHINA" (Appleseed) which will be released worldwide will feature a soundtrack performed and supervised by Haruomi Hosono.
ラモナ
細野晴臣 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ラモナ 胸をうつその名
海の彼方 異国の街角
昼も夜も 面影を辿るよ
ラモナ ワルツのリズム
ラモナ 月に照らされて
その名を呼び続けるだけ
ラモナ 消えないで
ラモナ 鈴の音のように
ラモナ 胸に響く歌
時の壁は 谺(こだま)を返すだけ
消えかかる 面影を手繰るよ
ラモナ ワルツのリズム
ラモナ 月に照らされて
その名を呼び続けるだけ
ラモナ 消えないで
ラモナ ワルツのリズム
ラモナ 月に照らされて
その名を呼び続けるだけ
ラモナ 消えないで
The lyrics to 細野晴臣's song ラモナ evoke the nostalgia and longing for a past love. The name "Ramona" is repeated throughout the song, like a mantra or a prayer, as if the singer is trying to hold on to the memory of the person who once held his heart. The music is described as a waltz rhythm, which adds to the romantic and sentimental tone of the song.
The lyrics also suggest that "Ramona" is from a foreign land, as the singer mentions "the other side of the sea" and "street corners in a foreign town." Despite the distance and time that has passed, the singer still follows the footsteps of his lost love, tracing her face and her memories in his mind. The song also makes reference to the passing of time, and how the echoes of the past reverberate through the years.
Overall, ラモナ is a beautiful and haunting song about love and remembrance, with powerful emotions conveyed through simple yet poetic lyrics and a gentle, nostalgic melody.
Line by Line Meaning
ラモナ なつかしい調べ
Ramona, a nostalgic tune
ラモナ 胸をうつその名
Ramona, a name that strikes the heart
海の彼方 異国の街角
On the other side of the sea, at a foreign street corner
昼も夜も 面影を辿るよ
All day and all night, I trace your memory
ラモナ ワルツのリズム
Ramona, to the rhythm of a waltz
ラモナ 月に照らされて
Ramona, illuminated by the moon
その名を呼び続けるだけ
Just keep calling that name
ラモナ 消えないで
Ramona, don't disappear
ラモナ 鈴の音のように
Ramona, like the sound of a bell
ラモナ 胸に響く歌
Ramona, a song that resonates in the heart
時の壁は 谺(こだま)を返すだけ
The wall of time simply echoes back
消えかかる 面影を手繰るよ
I draw in the fading memory
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mabel Wayne/L. Wolfe Gilbert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind