Even the opening track on Tropical Dandy by Haruomi Hosono, released in 1975, rings a bell—though it takes a moment to realise why. It’s not one of Hosono’s own hits, but a clever cover of Glenn Miller’s big band classic »Chattanooga Choo Choo«. With it, Hosono sets the tone from the outset: “Yes, my first song is a cover”—a sly move that hints at the sarcastic and conceptual spirit behind the album. He transforms the original into a hybrid piece that blends swing and funk with a dash of humour. Hosono himself called these kinds of musical experiments Soy Sauce Music. Why exactly remains unclear. Perhaps the term reflects his approach of “seasoning” Western genres with Japanese influences—much like soy sauce adds a distinctive touch to a dish.
This idea forms the backbone of the album. At its centre is »Nettaiya«, full of warm guitar riffs and soft percussion. Hosono sings of dreamlike places that are both unbearably hot and idyllic, laced with deliberately kitschy elements. Then there’s »Three O’Clock Lullaby« and its instrumental reprise on the B-side—clear signs of Hosono’s cinematic sensibility, which comes as no surprise given his prolific work as a soundtrack composer. The piece first appears as a delicate, almost childlike ballad, and then continues as a pure instrumental arrangement, like a film score drifting along in the background. These repetitions aren’t just a gimmick, but part of a carefully constructed concept: Hosono »seasons« the 1950s exotica tradition with Japanese pop imagination, adds a pinch of sarcasm (the album title itself suggests he doesn’t take himself too seriously), and blends everything into a playful soundscape that unfolds like a meticulously composed soundtrack.
