“Kizu Darake no Rola” (1974)

“Kizu Darake no Rola” (傷だらけのローラ lit. “Lola covered in scars”) was the tenth single from Saijo Hideki, released August 25, 1974, with lyrics by Saitou Daizou and music by the prolific (and still writing bangers through the 2010s) Makaino Kouji. This is the third in the trilogy of Hideki singles* in what I like to call the Tragedy Showstopper genre and was (according to the memoir Hideki wrote when he was 20) his first “grown up” song and remained one of his signature songs throughout his career. 

While not necessarily burning up the charts at the time, “Kizu Darake no Rola” was so well received that it not only earned Hideki his second nomination and performance on Kagayaku! Nihon Record Taisho but also his first appearance on the prestigious New Year’s Eve music show NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, both on December 31, 1974. While Hideki appeared in a comparatively staid sparkling silver suit decked with stars for Nihon Record Taisho, for his first appearance on Kouhaku Hideki went all out. 

As the brass section dramatically pounds out the intro, Hideki emerges from backstage dressed in a black cape, a black wide brimmed hat, and a Zorro mask. As the tempo picks up, he whips the cape off to reveal his black mesh spangly shirt and then off comes the hat and mask to reveal his glorious 1970s feathered mullet and gorgeous face. Then--at the most dramatic moment in the entire song--the camera pulls back and the stage fills with dry ice fog (apparently the first use of the technique on Japanese television) which catches the colors of the lights, enveloping Hideki in bright greens and reds as he belts out the final bit of the song looking just blissfully happy. As he should have been. It’s a phenomenal performance.

The early to mid-1970s was a golden era for male solo singers in Japan and Hideki seemed set to join his peers who were starting to try and reach markets outside of Asia. Sawada Kenji had previously recorded in London (Julie II is a masterpiece) and was gearing up to release a double A-side single for the European market: one side in French and one side in English. And Noguchi Goro had also just released his Goro! Love in London. And with the popularity and success of “Kizu Darake no Rola”, Hideki seemed set to join them.

As 1975 dawned, Hideki would record a French language version of the song (to be titled simply, “Lola”) and planned to go to Los Angeles to record. Unfortunately, the American venture was not to be. Hideki had been experiencing some difficulty with his vocal chords and in early 1975 he was no longer able to ignore the warning signs. In order to preserve his voice--his instrument--Hideki went into the hospital for treatment and the American trip was called off. 

“Lola”, en français, was left as a footnote but “Rola” 日本語で would continue to live on. The song is thought to be the first Japanese language song officially broadcast on Korean television when Hideki performed it on stage in Seoul with legendary Korean singer Cho Yong Pil ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. And “Rola” gained new life and new fans in the visual kei scene of the 1990s and again in the 2010s as artists who admired Hideki as youths--and the artists who admired the artists who admired Hideki--reclaimed the song for the new generations, the dramatic hand gestures of “Rola” reaching across the years. 

Gackt had a famous cover and even performed it with Hideki himself, creating some of the most metal kayokyoku you’ll ever hear. And almost twenty years after that Golden Bomber’s Kiryuin Sho paid tribute with “Rola no Kizu Darake” and has even covered the original himself.

But nothing compares to the bombastic glory of the original track. The song opens with a dramatic flourish, a slow but emotional introduction before the showstopper energy takes over and Hideki’s vocal whips around like a bright slash of color in a sea of darkness. He stretches the endings of his phrases into these fantastic glissandos, almost becoming one with the blazing hot brass section.

The lyrics--which charmingly read as adult to the 20-year old Hideki--are pure overwrought and passionate shojo manga in the best way possible. 

(The slow, dramatic intro)

Lola, why are you

Lola, closing your heart to me

Lola, you’re trembling before me
(Then the music picks up into the showstopper energy)

 It’s only me standing before you now

The one who saved you

My life, my heart

My love, I’ll sacrifice it all for you

It’s easy to understand why this song sparked the imaginations of future rock stars and metalheads across the country and it’s a shame that we missed out on it here in the West at the time. But it’s never too late! Dial up one of the many, many live performances on YouTube and sing along--この愛も捧げ〜るうううううううう

* The first two in this series were ちぎれた愛 (“Love Torn Asunder”, released September 5, 1973) and 愛の十字架 (“Cross of Love”, released December 5, 1973).