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  1. #1
    Coppelia-Birdsong Guest

    The Cultural Significance of the Supremes in Japan?

    Hello everyone, I was very interested to read about the popularity of the Supremes in Japan, as I found this fascinating for several reasons, as Japan to this day has a very low rate of immigration like most east asian countries, and xenophobia is a huge problem in Japanese society.

    And yet, in the sixties, with the horrors of world war 2 felt by both sides to each other, from the bombing of Pearl Harbour to the firebombing of Tokyo and the bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we have three young black women performing to the delight and adoration of the Japanese people, experiencing yet another overnight revolutionary shift in their civilisation, this time the Swinging Sixties during the post war economic miracle. It speaks volumes about the global appeal and enduring popularity of the Supremes, but also of their social significance, in this sense, their trans-pacific appeal was helping bridge two nations that had been on opposing sides during the bloodiest conflict in the history of the human race, a war that they had themselves been born into or after in a world recovering from the fallout [[literally in the case of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.)

    In this sense, the Supremes could be considered American ambassadors of goodwill to Japan, a harmony that brings harmony if you will!

    But I was also very interested in what the effect Supremes and other american and british artists of the era would have had on Japanese culture, its music in particular.

    I'm a huge fan of an anime called Sailor Moon, specifically the version from the early 90s. One of the reasons is I love the soundtrack, which is influenced by old time Hollywood movie soundtracks and late 80s, early 90s American and Japanese pop music. A common occurence is use of feminine choruses undercut with soft masculine crooning.... very very similar to the background vocals in Diana Ross's Chain Reaction.

    I am going to research a bit more, but I would be very intriuged to learn more about the cultural impact the Supremes have had on Japan in the Sixties, and maybe if it paved the way for future generations of Japanese fans of african american music and culture, [[they are huge fans of Beyonce for example.) Simiarly I am wondering if the Beatles were similarly partially responsible for Japan's long anglophilia obsession and for contributing to modern depicions of masculine beauty: Japan has always held more feminine looking, sensitive, graceful, youthful looking males as the pinnacle of male attractiveness, seen in things like the titular character of the Tale of Genji, or the popularity of onna-gatta, male actors who portrayed female characters in kabuki.

    I'm interested in seeing what things were directly influenced by the Supremes as something new, and what things resonated with an audience that already had a long history of liking it. Since drums have been used in ancient ceremonies in Japan since the dawn of its civilisation [[they are probably the first instrument we ever invented as a species) and continue to be used as part of sacred Shinto festivals and rituals, as well as be a prominent part of things like kabuki and noh theatre, I imagine the heavy precussion such as drums and tambourines in Supremes songs helped bolster their appeal to the Japanese audience. I also imagine Diana Ross corresponded well to many popular depictions of Japanese beauty [[and the others to a lesser extent but Diana exemplifies it the best) as she was very much the Betty Boop/Twiggy flapper style of beauty that is what influenced Osamu Tezuko to create the large, doe eyed characters of modern manga. All three girls were America's sweethearts by this point, and with their youthful but innocent glamour, sweetness and sophistication, they naturally resonated with many Japanese sensibiilities of ideal womanhood despite being the most un Japanese looking women ever, but they exemplified this vision of idealised feminine beauty and sophistication by donning the extremely elaborate wigs and garments of maiko, apprentice geisha.

    Oh here's a song from the Sailor Moon soundtrack. I really like it for having a mix of multiple elements going on but working, sounding very retro [[from several different decades) but very new at the same time, despite coming out over 20 years ago.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQnHz6Nr7W8

    Here's another.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-LmGp4uA4
    Last edited by Coppelia-Birdsong; 06-14-2018 at 12:12 PM.

  2. #2
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    Whatever the Supremes might be to Japan, the Three Degrees are times 10.

  3. #3
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    Nat King Cole made several records in Japanese.....

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    Michael Jackson is better known.

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    The Supremes were important in the sixties, but since Oricon single charts started in 1968, we have little proof of this success.
    It seems Diana Ross took all the light or most of the light since without her, the never charted.

    But, they had quite legacy and they toured, at least 3 times in the seventies.

    This is what I have.

    1974 :
    May 21 · June 1 & 2 Tokyo Kosei Nankin KaikanMay 29 Osaka Festival Hall
    May 24 Nagoya City Hall
    May 25 Kyoto Kaikan
    May 26 Kobe International Conference Hall
    May 31 Shimizu Municipal Hall
    June 5 Hokkaido Welfare Pension Center Hall

    1975, first part by The Nicolas Brothers


    May 21 and 22, Tokyo at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall
    May 23 Shizuoka at Sampu Hall
    May 24 Kagawa Prefectural Hall
    May 27 Tokyo at Kosei Nankin Kaikan
    May 28 Nagoya City Auditorium
    May 29 Osaka Festival Hall
    May 30 Hiroshima at Sumikin Hall
    May 31 Nagasaki City Auditorium
    June 1, Fukuoka Electrical Hall
    June 3 Kanasawa sightseeing hall
    June 4th Niigata at Kenmin Kaikan
    June 7 Tokyo at Kosei Nankin Kaikan



    Diana Ross & The Supremes ranking and sales of Diana Ross and the Supremes' singles and album on the Oricon charts of Japan

    Album
    1970.4.5 Super Deluxe Japan Only SWX 10006 # 70, 4 weeks

    Singles
    1968/12/25 Love Child # 23 , 23 weeks
    1969/10/03 I'm gonna make you love me # 72
    1970/01/25 Someday We'll Be Together # 65 , 6 weeks

  6. #6
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    The Three Degrees were the Supremes of the seventies in Japan. They toured at least 4 times but they never made the Nippon Budokan arena. [[the largest concert hall of Japan)


    Ranking and sales of The Three Degrees albums and singles in the Oricon charts - Japan


    Albums
    1974/3/21 The Three Degrees #7, 54 weeks
    1974/6/21 Love is the message # 84, 2 weeks
    1974/8/25 Maybe # 61, 9 weeks
    1974/11/21 The Three Degrees & MSFB show # 6, 30 weeks
    1974/21/11 Super Hits !! # 24,12 weeks
    1975/02/7 International # 3, 32 weeks
    1975/6/21 New Gold Music # 29, 15 week
    1975/11/1 Live in Japan # 28, 13 weeks
    1975/11/21 The Three Degrees & MSFB show # 88, 1 weeks
    1976/5/21 A toast of love # 21, 12 weeks
    1976/6/20 Grand prix # 44, 8 weeks


    Singles
    1974-01-21 Dirty old man # 36
    1974-04-21 TSOP [[the sound of Philadelphia) # 68
    1974-06-01 When will I see you again # 42
    1974-09-01 天使のささやき # 96
    1974-09-01 Love is the message # 63
    1974-10-21 Midnight train # 50
    1975-02-01 Nigai Namida # 15
    1975-06-21 La chanson populaire # 61
    1975-10-21 Take good care of yourself # 90
    1976-03-21 Do it # 52

  7. #7
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    To wit, here's a marvelous article on The Three Degrees' impact on Japan:

    https://www.thsppl.com/thsppl-articl...ain-connection

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albator View Post
    The Supremes were important in the sixties, but since Oricon single charts started in 1968, we have little proof of this success.
    It seems Diana Ross took all the light or most of the light since without her, the never charted.

    But, they had quite legacy and they toured, at least 3 times in the seventies.

    This is what I have.

    1974 :
    May 21 · June 1 & 2 Tokyo Kosei Nankin KaikanMay 29 Osaka Festival Hall
    May 24 Nagoya City Hall
    May 25 Kyoto Kaikan
    May 26 Kobe International Conference Hall
    May 31 Shimizu Municipal Hall
    June 5 Hokkaido Welfare Pension Center Hall

    1975, first part by The Nicolas Brothers


    May 21 and 22, Tokyo at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall
    May 23 Shizuoka at Sampu Hall
    May 24 Kagawa Prefectural Hall
    May 27 Tokyo at Kosei Nankin Kaikan
    May 28 Nagoya City Auditorium
    May 29 Osaka Festival Hall
    May 30 Hiroshima at Sumikin Hall
    May 31 Nagasaki City Auditorium
    June 1, Fukuoka Electrical Hall
    June 3 Kanasawa sightseeing hall
    June 4th Niigata at Kenmin Kaikan
    June 7 Tokyo at Kosei Nankin Kaikan



    Diana Ross & The Supremes ranking and sales of Diana Ross and the Supremes' singles and album on the Oricon charts of Japan

    Album
    1970.4.5 Super Deluxe Japan Only SWX 10006 # 70, 4 weeks

    Singles
    1968/12/25 Love Child # 23 , 23 weeks
    1969/10/03 I'm gonna make you love me # 72
    1970/01/25 Someday We'll Be Together # 65 , 6 weeks
    The Supremes also toured Japan in 1973. They recorded a live concert album in Japan that year.

  9. #9
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    The Supremes’ legacy led to Diana Ross selling out the Budokan for 45 years - including twice two years ago with Floor seats over $450.00. She has filmed a few specials there. She has had huge hits there, was the first entertainer ever invited to the emperors palace and the country had a special song commissioned for her to sing only to Japanese audiences.

    The three degrees were clearly the #1 female group of the world in the 70s - amazing popularity and they still are in much if the world.

  10. #10
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    It's ironic Japan didn't have any charts until 1968... I wonder where did the original Sukiyaki charted at in Japan? I know it sold a buttload of copies when it was released there in '61 though. I think that song remains one of the biggest-selling Japanese songs in the history of that country.

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