Hadashi no Kisetsu
| "Hadashi no Kisetsu" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Seiko Matsuda | ||||
| from the album Squall | ||||
| Language | Japanese | |||
| English title | Barefoot Season | |||
| B-side | "Rainbow ~六月生まれ" | |||
| Released | April 1, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | February 1980 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | CBS/Sony | |||
| Composer | Yuichiro Oda | |||
| Lyricist | Yoshiko Miura | |||
| Seiko Matsuda singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio video | ||||
| "Hadashi no Kisetsu" on YouTube | ||||
"Hadashi no Kisetsu" (Japanese: 裸足の季節; lit. 'Barefoot Season') is the debut single of Japanese idol singer Seiko Matsuda. It peaked at number 12 on the Oricon charts, and sold approximately 300,000 copies.
Background
[edit]In 1978, Matsuda won the Miss Seventeen singing contest, which was held by CBS/Sony in collaboration with teen fashion and culture magazine Seventeen. After Matsuda's win, CBS/Sony producer Muneo Wakamatsu was reviewing cassette tapes that were recorded by each contestant. Upon hearing Matsuda's tape, which contained a recording of her singing a cover of Junko Sakurada's "Kimagure Venus", Wakamatsu decided to pitch her as a potential idol singer.[1][2]
Wakamatsu travelled to Fukuoka, Matsuda's hometown, to meet her and get her signed to a talent agency. Despite strong opposition from Matsuda's father and talent agencies expressing doubt that Matsuda would be a successful idol, Matsuda ultimately signed with the talent agency Sun Music.[3][4]
In February 1980, Matsuda recorded "Hadashi no Kisetsu". The song was composed by Yuichiro Oda, with lyrics by Yoshiko Miura.[5] Wakamatsu recalls Matsuda bursting into tears during the recording, as she was overwhelmed with joy to be debuting after two years of inactivity. [4] Wakamatsu also deliberately chose an imperfect take of the song for the final release, as he believed that a less rehearsed sound would endear Matsuda's voice to listeners.[5][6]
Release and reception
[edit]"Hadashi no Kisetsu" was released as a single on April 1, 1980.[7] It peaked at number 12 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart,[8][6] charting for 11 weeks in total,[9] and sold approximately 300,000 copies.[6]
"Ekubo" advertisement
[edit]"Hadashi no Kisetsu" was to be used in a television advertisement for cosmetics company Shiseido's "Ekubo" facial cleanser. Matsuda was to feature in the advertisement alongside the song. However, due to the product's name, "Ekubo", meaning "dimples" in Japanese, Shiseido wanted a model who had dimples, which Matsuda lacked. This lead to the advertising deal nearly falling through, until a producer from advertising company Hakuhodo, representing Matsuda, pushed for the song to be used in the advertisement.[5]
While "Hadashi no Kisetsu" was used in the advertisement, Matsuda herself was not featured, ultimately being replaced by singer and actress Yukiko Yamada.[10] Matsuda was initially uncredited,[5] and some viewers thought that Yamada was the song's vocalist.[3] Due to rising intrigue regarding the identity of the singer, Matsuda's name was added to the advertisement, which boosted sales of the single.[5]
Legacy
[edit]Prior to Matsuda's debut, at the end of the 1970s, popular idol singer Momoe Yamaguchi, also under CBS/Sony, announced that she would be retiring from the music industry. Popular groups Candies and Pink Lady had also experienced a decline in popularity.[11] Seiko's debut with "Hadashi no Kisetsu" and subsequent rise in popularity at this time lead to her being referred to as Yamaguchi's successor,[12][13] and marking a shift towards new trends in Japanese idol music in the 1980s, with composer Oda bringing his Western pop music influences to Matsuda's early singles.[14][15]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan (Oricon)[8] | 12 |
References
[edit]- ↑ Ota, Satoru (23 July 2026). “松田聖子の誕生”と“歌姫への道” 伝説のプロデューサーが明かす〈SONGS「財津和夫」きょう〉. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). p. 1. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ 秘蔵カセットテープに「デビュー前の松田聖子の声」が！ 聖子を見出した伝説的プロデューサーが44年ぶりに再生して聴いた、驚異の歌声. dailyshincho.jp (in Japanese). 25 July 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- 1 2 Ota, Satoru (27 July 2026). “松田聖子の誕生”と“歌姫への道” 伝説のプロデューサーが明かす〈SONGS「財津和夫」きょう〉. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- 1 2 松田聖子が「裸足の季節」レコーディングで見せた涙 伝説のプロデューサーが秘話を語る. jisin.jp (in Japanese). 29 July 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 松田聖子「裸足の季節」誕生直前の秘話 亡くなった作詞家・三浦徳子さんは他の仕事を断ってまで. dailyshincho.jp (in Japanese). 21 November 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Mizuhara, Kuki (31 July 2022). 松田聖子の80年代伝説 Vol.2 力強いキュートな声で「裸足の季節」「青い珊瑚礁」が大ヒット！. ginzamag.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ 裸足の季節. sonymusic.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- 1 2 “永遠のアイドル”松田聖子が開拓し続けてきた45年 偉大な軌跡をデータで振り返る. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). 2 June 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ 裸足の季節. cd100.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ 山田由起子・洗顔料「エクボ」CMの女の子. middle-edge-neo.jp (in Japanese). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ Ota, Satoru (23 July 2026). “松田聖子の誕生”と“歌姫への道” 伝説のプロデューサーが明かす〈SONGS「財津和夫」きょう〉. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). p. 3.
- ↑ Kondo, Masataka (19 November 2020). 山口百恵と松田聖子の結婚で決定的に違ったものとは？ アイドルと“結婚”というタブーの歴史. bunshun.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ デビュー当時、実は2番手だった松田聖子、大逆転したワケ. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). 12 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ Kurihara, Yuichiro (5 June 2020). 山口百恵と松田聖子 二人に通底する、歌詞と人生の相互作用 (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ Hasegawa, Koichi. 映画「伊豆の踊子」の系譜（1933-1974）と映画「野菊の墓」（1981） (in Japanese). Kyoto University of Advanced Science. p. 松田聖子主演の幻の「伊豆の踊子」. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
