Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣, Hosono Haruomi, born July 9, 1947 in Minato, Tokyo),… Read Full Bio ↴Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣, Hosono Haruomi, born July 9, 1947 in Minato, Tokyo), also known as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese popular musician, best known internationally as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra.

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.

Rock-a-bye My Baby
細野晴臣 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

むかしのメロディーくちずさみ
ろっかばいまいべいびい
ろっかばいまいべいびい
すてきなドレスに身をつつみ
ろっかばいまいべいびい
泣かないでさこれからはダイナ
君といつも一緒だよ

晴れた日はとても青い空
花は咲き乱れ
そよ風に鳥はさえずり
夜は青い月を見つめ

すてきな君そのくちびる
ろっかばいまいべいびい
ろっかばいまいべいびい
おかしな唄このメロディー
ろっかばいまいべいびい

泣かないでさこれからはダイナ
君といつも一緒だよ

Overall Meaning

"Rock-a-bye My Baby" is a nostalgic and tender song that tells the story of a couple breezing through life while singing a melody from the past. The opening lines evoke images of someone humming an old tune, perhaps fondly recalling memories from the past. The chorus repeats the phrase "Rock-a-bye my baby" in English, adding an international flavor to the song. This foreign influence reinforces the idea that music is a universal language, capable of bridging different cultures and time periods.

The second verse paints a picture of a bright and cheerful day, with blooming flowers and chirping birds. The scene is idyllic and perfect, suggesting that the couple is in harmony with their surroundings. The last part of the verse hints at a poetic and romantic nighttime, where the moon shines blue and everything is peaceful.

The final verse brings back the melody from the past, affirming that it is a strange tune but somehow perfect for the occasion. The repetition of the "Rock-a-bye my baby" line reminds the listener that the couple is strong and will face the future together.

Overall, the song is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to the power of music to connect us to others and to our own memories. It's a reminder that, even in our darkest moments, music can bring us light and comfort.

Line by Line Meaning

むかしのメロディーくちずさみ
Humming an old melody

ろっかばいまいべいびい
Rock-a-bye my baby

すてきなドレスに身をつつみ
Wrapped up in a lovely dress

ろっかばいまいべいびい
Rock-a-bye my baby

泣かないでさこれからはダイナ
Don't cry, from now on, it's gonna be all right, Diana

君といつも一緒だよ
I'm always with you

晴れた日はとても青い空
On a clear day, the sky is so blue

花は咲き乱れ
The flowers are blooming

そよ風に鳥はさえずり
In the gentle breeze, the birds are singing

夜は青い月を見つめ
At night, gazing at the blue moon

すてきな君そのくちびる
You, with your lovely lips