In 1979, Sato released the album Orient, featuring Ueda, Hosono and other frequent collaborators. Hosono’s bassline can be heard on some of Orient’s strongest tracks. While Picnic is an iconic J-Funk track, it isn’t entirely representative of the album as a whole. On much of the album, the exotica influences from his work with Tin Pan Alley are evident. Flying Carpet, another track featuring Hosono, mixes the two styles well.
Though Sato has a large catalog of solo work, he is probably best known in Japan for his contributions to the work of others as a keyboard player, composer, arranger, producer, and sound engineer. Tatsuro Yamashita considered him Japan’s best pianist, and Sato played keyboards on almost all of Yamashita’s work in the 70s and 80s, including seminal albums Spacy and For You. Sato contributed to much of Haruomi Hosono’s pre-YMO work during this period as well, including solo album Cochin Moon. In the 1980s, Sato continued to contribute to the work of artists such as Masaki Ueda, Cindy, Anri, and Toshiki Kadomatsu. For this reason, he may be the most featured artist in this series.
In 1980, Sato moved to LA and signed with Alpha Records. During this time he met Wendy Matthews and the two collaborated on Sato’s most iconic album, Awakening. Though Tatsuro Yamashita plays a Telecaster on several tracks – For You was recorded in the U.S. during this same period – very few individuals were involved in the record’s creation outside of Sato and Matthews. Alpha was able to provide Sato with access to a LINN LM-1 drum machine, and this entirely replaced the rythym section on Awakening. One of the album’s biggest strengths is its variance in tempo, typified by the two versions of Blue and Moody Music that bookend a majority of the album.
On 1984’s Sailing Blaster, Sato collaborated with Cindy on a more traditional record featuring live drums and more guitar. Standout track Always showed that the style perfected on Awakening remained one of Sato’s strengths.
Back in Japan and a well-established musician, Sato built his own studio in order to have more control over the engineering process. With this in place, his collaborative work on the production side increased greatly, and solo albums became less frequent. Sato continued to produce, mix, and engineer for the next generation of musicians through the millennium, producing a Gold single for Thelma Aoyama as recently as 2008.
“His life’s work was pouring his everything enthusiastically into music. He also loved his studio in Yokohama, putting in speakers and installing the equipment and synthesizers one by one. He fell down and breathed his last breath in that studio while he was making music. He was sixty-five years old, and an Acute Dissecting Aneurysm of the aorta was the cause of his death. However, this is the least important aspect of his passing. Despite an instant death, I believe he knew the time had come, because he was sitting cross-legged with his hands joined together, as if practicing Zen meditation. He was alone, but not lonely, because whenever he was surrounded by music he was happy, as if he were an innocent child. He lived life as a musician and lived as a musician with his whole life.” - Chirudo Sato
On Sailing Blaster, Sato sings,“I’m gonna shine forever, I’m gonna find a way to win over time”. Time has finally come for Sato and for his studio, built in his rented house. Yet the sun rises and sets on Yokohama, just as it always has. And the music plays.
Hiroshi Sato 1947-2012
Say Goodbye
Hiroshi Sato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me make my break from this state of mind
And say goodbye
I'm gone
Though you tried to own me
I guess there's no harm done
Hope you won't be lonely
I just can't be such good friends with your friends
So say goodbye
My dear
Don't believe it's easy
And when the air is clear
Hope you'll want to see me
Though this scene might be worth playing out
Till I've got some clue to what it's about
I'll say goodbye
I'm gone
Though you tried to own me
I guess there's no harm done
Hope you won't be lonely
I'll say goodbye
I'm gone
Though you tried to own me
I guess there's no harm done
Hope you won't be lonely
The song "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato is a break-up anthem for someone who has finally realized that the relationship was wrong and it's time to leave. The singer begins with an admission that they can't apologize anymore and they need to break free from their negative state of mind. They want to say goodbye and move on. Despite the other person's attempt to control them, the singer believes that there's no harm done and hopes that the other person won't be lonely.
The singer then expresses that their life is too closely entwined with the other person's, which means it's difficult to be friends with their friends. They acknowledge that parting ways is not easy and that they hope to remain in each other's lives in some capacity. The singer contemplates the possibility of playing out the scene for a while longer, but they realize they need to say goodbye and move on. Overall, the song is a message of empowerment, and the singer is taking control of their own life and leaving behind a toxic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't say I'm sorry one more time
I am tired of constantly apologizing and it's time for us to part ways.
Let me make my break from this state of mind
I need to free myself from this toxic mindset and move on.
And say goodbye
It's time for us to say farewell.
I'm gone
I am leaving and not looking back.
Though you tried to own me
You attempted to control me and it's time for me to break free from your grip.
I guess there's no harm done
You didn't mean to harm me, but you did, and it's time for me to move on from that hurt.
Hope you won't be lonely
I don't want you to feel alone after our separation, but it's necessary for me to move on.
My life tuned to yours; where does that end?
I allowed my life to revolve around yours, but I can't continue doing that. Where does that pattern come to a halt?
I just can't be such good friends with your friends
I can't maintain a friendship with your friends when our relationship has ended.
So say goodbye
It's time for us to bid each other farewell.
My dear
I still care deeply for you, but it's time for us to go our separate ways.
Don't believe it's easy
Ending this relationship is not an easy decision.
And when the air is clear
When we have both moved on, and there is no animosity between us.
Hope you'll want to see me
I hope we can still connect as friends when the time is right.
Though this scene might be worth playing out
Our relationship could be salvageable, but it's not worth the pain it's causing both of us.
Till I've got some clue to what it's about
Until I understand the root of our problems, there's no point in continuing this relationship.
Writer(s): 佐藤 博, Feather Lorraine, 佐藤 博
Contributed by Aaliyah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.