is the self-titled debut album by Japanese folk rock

Folk rock

Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...

 band Happy End.

All the album's lyrics were written by Takashi Matsumoto, with the exception of "Tobenai Sora" (Haruomi Hosono

Haruomi Hosono

, also known as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese popular musician, best known internationally as a key member of the rock band Happy End and the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra.-Biography:...

) and "Ira Ira" (Eiichi Ohtaki

Eiichi Ohtaki

, is a Japanese popular musician, who was a member of the influential rock band Happy End and is known for his solo work as well.His 1981 album, A Long Vacation, is particularly famous. It was the first Japanese album to be released on CD, sold over a million copies and has been re-released in 20th...

).

This album marked an important turning point in Japanese music history, as it sparked what would be known as the . There were highly publicized debates held between prominent figures in the Japanese rock industry, most notably the members of Happy End and Yuya Uchida

Yuya Uchida

is a Japanese actor and singer, who is regarded as a major figure in Japanese popular music.He began his music career in 1957, and became one of Japan's pivotal rock and roll figures. He became good friends with John Lennon after touring with The Beatles in 1966...

, regarding whether Japanese rock music sung entirely in Japanese was sustainable (previously, almost all popular rock music in Japan was sung in English). The success of Happy End's debut album, as well as their following album Kazemachi Roman

Kazemachi Roman

translated literally as Wind City Romance, is the second album by Japanese folk rock band Happy End, released in 1971 in Japan on URC Records. In this concept album, Happy End attempted to paint a musical picture of Tokyo before the 1964 Summer Olympics, through which sweeping changes transformed...

, proved the sustainability of Japanese-language rock in Japan.

Side one

1. - 4:17
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Eiichi Ohtaki
2. - 4:32
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Eiichi Ohtaki
3. - 3:06
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Haruomi Hosono
4. - 2:44
   • Lyrics and Music: Haruomi Hosono
5. - 3:00
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Haruomi Hosono

Side two

6. - 2:48
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Haruomi Hosono
7. - 3:27
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Eiichi Ohtaki
8. - 3:15
   • Lyrics and Music: Eiichi Ohtaki
9. - 2:29
   • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Eiichi Ohtaki
10. - 3:26
    • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Haruomi Hosono
11. - 2:20
    • Lyrics: Takashi Matsumoto, Music: Haruomi Hosono

Personnel

- vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

, bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 - vocals, guitar, 12-string guitar - lead guitar, celesta

Celesta

The celesta or celeste is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano or of a large wooden music box . The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal plates suspended over wooden resonators...

 - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, percussion - 12-string guitar, hand clapping