The One about Yamashita Tatsuro - Come Along 3 (2017)

If you are looking for cool albums to listen during the summer, check out all three of Yamashita Tatsuro’s “COME ALONG” albums!

ARTIST: Yamashita Tatsuro (山下達郎)

ALBUM: COME ALONG 3

LABEL: Moon/Warner Music Japan

DURATION: 55:41

CATALOG #: BVCL-835

RELEASED ON AUGUST 2, 2017

Back on March 21, 1980, Yamashita Tatsuro’s first compilation album titled “COME ALONG” was released. The second “COME ALONG II” was released in in 1984 and 33 years later, the third “COME ALONG 3” was released.

For those who don’t know the origins of “COME ALONG”, the plan to release a compilation album was not made by Yamashita but it was the decision of RVC at the time to create an album primarily for promotional purposes. But when the album was played at music stores, many people inquired about it and RVC contacted Yamashita if they could release it as an album.

While Yamashita was reluctant to release the first album, needless to say, the album became a hit. The first “COME ALONG” album featured songs from 1977-1979, “COME ALONG II” covers 1979-1982.

You would have thought with the popularity of the “COME ALONG” series, that the third would be released. But no one knew that it would take 33 years.

The album would cover the Moon Label Era from 1982-2016.

So, a lot of the hits such as “MELODIES”, “BIG WAVE”, “Boku no Naka no Shounen”, “ARTISAN”, “COZY”, “RARITIES” and “Ray of Hope” including the 2016 single “CHEER UP! THE SUMMER” are featured.

Unfortunately, popular DJ/MC Kamisami Kong is not featured in the third album but the DJ features Kobayashi Katsuya who was featured with Kong in “COME ALONG II”.

For those not familiar with the “COME ALONG” series, the album features a DJ speaking and introducing the song. So, think of it like listen to a special radio show hosted by a DJ (Kobayashi speaks in English) who introduces Yamashita’s songs, with some fun MC portions included. So, if you wanted isolated music, then you would have to purchase his best album or original albums, as the music featured on “COME ALONG” will feature the Radio DJ’s talking which is placed through the intro music of the song or at the end.

And the artwork for the CD jacket was created by renown illustrator Suzuki Eijin (who did the previous two albums).

When the album was released, a special limited edition which featured a three-sided box to store all three discs (if you had the other two albums) was released with a special A4 jigsaw puzzle. And this was limited to 300 people.

The album received 28,000 sales for the first week and debuted at #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and also released on the same day was the remastered release of “COME ALONG 2” and was the first time that Yamashita would have two albums in the top 10 album charts.

Personally, I love the radio show format albums. Since “COME ALONG” was released, there are labels that have released their radio show compilation albums but the Yamashita Tatsuro albums are special in the fact that they are summer themed and for me, these are great commuting albums.

Now how does it compare to the previous two “COME ALONG” albums, first let me discuss the radio format. I feel the first “COME ALONG” is a hard album to beat because it goes with a true radio format as Kamisami Kong gets a Hawaii Oahu surf report from a surf reporter, and you had music artists Takeuchi Mariya (who would become a popular singer and wife of Yamashita a few years later) giving a Hawaii event reports.

And “COME ALONG II” featured that same format and gave context for the songs, such as “Ride On Time” being used for a commercial. As well as event reports happening in Hawaii.

“COME ALONG 3” still does the radio show format but instead of the news reports, its more of Kobayashi giving some Hawaii aloha love, talking about a young surfer named Keoki going to the ocean to stories of the ocean and a little goofing off. But no surf reports, no event reports like the first album.

Now, music wise, of course, it is subjective. It all comes down to what era of Yamashita Tatsuro’s music that you prefer. I love his music past and present, but there is no doubt that the music he released from 1979-1982 was special and that was featured in his “COME ALONG II” album. That album featured “FUNKY FLUSHIN'”, “Ride on Time”, “YOUR EYES”, “LOVELAND, ISLAND” etc. are awesome.

But “COME ALONG 3” featured awesome songs such as the recent “CHEER UP! THE SUMMER” but hits such as “Kanashimi no Jody (She Was Crying), “THE THEME FROM BIG WAVE”, “Donut Song”, “Sayonara Natsu no Hi” and many more.

So, for radio show format, the first “COME ALONG” is the best. For music, it’s subject. I enjoyed all three albums equally. I enjoy Yamashita Tatsuro’s music and each of these albums brings something special and also equally entertaining.

So, if you are looking for cool albums to listen during the summer, check out all three of Yamashita Tatsuro’s “COME ALONG” albums!