Star Deluxe

[Machine Translation] This is the best album of Eiko Hirai, a prodigious girl singer in the prewar period. --After the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, Japanese people of all generations are now nostalgic for the lyrical Japanese original landscape, and many children's songs have become a source of comfort for them as they look back to their origins with nostalgia. Kitaara Hakushu, Noguchi Amejo, Saijo Hachijo, Miki Rofu... These gems of children's songs are now also sung as classical songs, and have become Japanese standards. Eiko Hirai, a prodigious girl singer before World War II, successively recorded beautiful songs such as "Furusato," "January 1st," "Soap Bubble," "Oboro Tsukiyo," "Canary," "Momotaro," and "Umi," which have become a source of inspiration for the Japanese people. In a sense, she was the greatest hit singer and idol in the Japanese recording industry, and a symbol of "Showa-era children. She is a voice that the Showa era generation will never forget. Since her records were repressed even after the war, many people in their 60s and baby boomers miss her voice more than the fans of the prewar period. All of the children's songs that are still sung today can be said to be covers by Eiko Hirai, who was the original singer. Eiko Hirai, who has created many famous children's songs, has been an exclusive singer for Victor since the company's founding, and has made a great contribution to the company. It has been 86 years since Victor sold its first record in Japan. We would like to compile the best selections of songs from the great singers of Victor's founding era on a CD while the singers themselves are still alive. ( Planning Supervisor: Masato Takahashi )

戦前、天才少女歌手として活躍した 平井英子のベストアルバム。――震災後、私たち日本人が世代を超えて叙情的な日本の原風景をいまひとたび懐かしみ、いとおしみ、ノスタルジーとともに原点を振り返る、その心のよりどころに数々の童謡がある。北原白秋、野口雨情、西条八十、三木露風・・・珠玉の童謡はいまやクラシックの歌曲としても歌われ、日本のスタンダードとなった。戦前、天才少女歌手として活躍した平井英子は、「ふるさと」「一月一日」「シャボン玉」「おぼろ月夜」「カナリア」「桃太郎」「海」など日本人の心のよりどころとなる美しい歌をつぎつぎ録音、子供のいる家庭で彼女のレコードがなかった家はない。ある意味日本のレコード界最高のヒットシンガーであり、アイドルであり、「昭和の子供」の象徴であった。昭和ひとけた世代には、絶対忘れられない声だ。また、戦後もレコードを再プレスしていたため、戦前のファンより、1世代後の現在60代～団塊の世代にも彼女の声を懐かしむ人は多い。今も歌われている童謡はすべて(オリジナル歌唱者であった)平井英子のカヴァーといってもよい。数々の名作童謡を世に送り出した平井英子はビクター創立時からの専属歌手であり、多大な貢献を果たした功労者である。ビクターが日本で第一号のレコードを販売してから86年。ビクター創立時代の偉大な歌手の功績を歌手本人が存命の間に、是非ベストな選曲でCDにまとめたいと思う。(企画監修: 高橋正人)