PINK LADY: THE SILVER ALBUM
by Trooper Tru McCray
Konnichi-wa, and welcome back to the Trooper’s Review! Today’s subject is the “Silver Album” which consisted of previously unreleased tracks. On that note, let’s get started.
The Milan Rose: This is a very easy-going soft-rock ballad. This song was performed on the 26th of May 2005 as part of the “Unforgettable Final Ovation”. I was especially touched by the ending.
Body & Soul: Another soft-rock selection, this time a little on the past-paced side. This song definitely sounded like MIE & KEI were slowly transitioning to 1980s-style pop, thus eventually preparing them for “Pink Lady Again: Suspense”. In fact, this kind of reminded me of a few classic soft-rock songs from the 1980s.
Sugar Talk: Very fast paced! Upon hearing the opening riffs, I imagined MIE & KEI riding motorcycles while singing this song. After the first chorus, I imagined them stopping at a malt shop (if there are any more of those in this day and age) for a brief bit… then just before the next verse, they’re back on the road and singing again. Then right at the final lyric, they raise their fists in the air. Then they ride some more – until they reach their own “motorcycle club”. At the closing note, they stop their bikes and give each other a high-five before going into the building. [Geez – I could almost be a music video director!]
Fantasia: For this song, I imagined MIE & KEI singing at a fancy ball that was fit for royalty; Kings & Queens, Princes & Princesses, Dukes & Duchesses… anyone who was of extreme importance was dancing the night away to this exquisitely beautiful song by Pink Lady. [Here I go again – setting up the scene for another music video!]
Arabic Romance: Appropriately titled, considering the opening riffs. The rest of the song was medium-paced soft-rock fused with (what I like to call) “Arabian music”. Very enjoyable.
Young Love: This song took me back to the 1970s-disco era. For this one, I pictured MIE & KEI singing at a disco club – but not on the stage; they were all over the place. Then right at the 3:11 mark, they would bust out into a dance number – and the rest of the people at the club would do the exact same dance moves that MIE & KEI were doing. Then it’s back to the singing to close out the song.
Melody to Desire: A very beautiful ballad. They each have a verse of their own. Then they sing the chorus together, before the saxophone comes in. They sound very beautiful as always.
Virgin: Another fast-paced rock song, enjoyable as always.
Alchemy of Love: Another medium-paced rock song, uniquely done. After the chorus, they split the verse. Then their voices come together for the bridge before the chorus once again. CONFESSION: the sound of the guitars gets me going every time.
Sherlock Holmes No Suteki Na Koi (Mitsuyo Nemoto solo): For a soft-rock song, this song had a lot of energy. The guitars, horns, and organs added to the intensity. And of course, MIE brought her own energy to it.
California Blue (Keiko Masuda solo): KEI did an awesome job with this song. According to someone with whom Jeffrey Branch lost contact, this song was Kei’s chronicle of her time in Los Angeles filming “Pink Lady & Jeff” with MIE and how the experience had been melancholy for her since she was separated from her boyfriend. I just thought this was a decent song for KEI, and she sounded awesome.
Well folks, that does it for another edition of the Trooper’s Review. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed hearing these songs. Once again, I thank my fellow Chicagoan Joshua Parris for bringing Pink Lady back to my attention back in 2009, I thank Jeffrey Branch for creating the “Pink Lady America” website, and I thank Mitsuyo Nemoto & Keiko Masuda for bringing Pink Lady to this world. And most of all, I thank all of you for loving Pink Lady as much as I do. See ya next time, Think Pink, and God Bless. Sayonara!