CYCLE MUSIC #07
B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”

It’s been a year since the passing of Burt Bacharach, the iconic composer of the 20th century. His art of songwriting, characterized by sophisticated yet beautiful melodies and vibrant, stylish arrangements that make full use of “Bacharach Magic” chord progressions and rhythm changes, along with bold and elegant structures, continues to captivate people’s hearts worldwide. His witty and imaginative compositions, combined with urban and deeply resonant lyrics (especially those of Hal David), create a timeless marriage that still resonates with people around the world, transcending generations.

The records that I consciously purchased and listened to, influenced by Bacharach’s name, exceed lightly 100, including soundtracks and numerous covers. The first time I was drawn to his music was during my junior high school years when three songs played on an FM radio program caught my attention. I’ll never forget it – B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” Dionne Warwick’s “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and Aretha Franklin’s “I Say A Little Prayer.” In this month’s column, let’s explore “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” from the perspective of its connection with bicycle.

Yes, when we mention B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” one cannot forget the iconic scene from the 1969 American New Cinema classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” directed by George Roy Hill, where Paul Newman and Katharine Ross ride a bicycle on their date. Many cinephiles, including some of my friends, consider this scene as a happy and romantic moment that touches the heart in their favorite movies. Although it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Best Original Music Score, my favorite part of this song is the ending, “Because I’m free, Nothing’s worrying me.” Let’s once again pay tribute to the great genius, Burt Bacharach, who has gifted us with many heart-touching moments through his music, and express our gratitude. R.I.P.

B.J. Thomas「Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head」

https://youtu.be/_VyA2f6hGW4?si=uMB1cK0ckVJr8DOT



♬CYCLE MUSIC STORAGE♬
#01 The Style Council “My Ever Changing Moods”
#02 Cordelia “Play Pretend”
#03 Corinne Bailey Rae “Put Your Records On”
#04 Georgie Fame ”Happiness”
#05 Alulu Paranhos “Bicicletinha”
#06 Motoharu Sano “Angelina”
#07 B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”
#08 The Smiths “This Charming Man”
#09 Dominic Miller “Bicycle”
#10 NewJeans “Bubble Gum”
#11 Tank and the Bangas “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”
#12 Kraftwerk “Tour de France”
#13 Livingston Taylor “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream”
#14 RM “Bicycle”
#15 Norah Jones “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)”


Profile

Toru Hashimoto (SUBURBIA)
Editor / Music Selector / DJ / Producer. Founder of Suburbia Factory. Owner of Shibuya’s “Cafe Apres-midi” and “Apres-midi Selecao.” Over 350 compilation CDs, including series like ‘Free Soul,’ ‘Mellow Beats,’ ‘Cafe Apres-midi,’ ‘Jazz Supreme,’ ‘Music With A View,’ and many others, have been curated, making him the world’s foremost selector. He oversees and produces music broadcast channels “usen for Cafe Apres-midi” and “usen for Free Soul” on USEN, wielding significant influence in Japanese music scene since the 1990s. In recent years, his ‘Good Mellows’ series with a focus on mellow chillout has gained great popularity both domestically and internationally.

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CULTURE
CYCLE MUSIC #14
RM
“Bicycle”

The column series “CYCLE MUSIC” introduces a little bicycle-related music each time. This time, I’d like to write about the solo track “Bicycle” by RM, the leader of the hugely popular South Korean group BTS, who is also a hip-hop MC, singer-songwriter, and producer. I’m sure many people know far more about BTS than I do, and I feel quite apologetic for not being very familiar with them. That said, I was deeply moved by this song, which was released as part of the “2021 BTS FESTA”. The track has a laid-back groove led by beautiful guitar cutting—something I’d even recommend to Free Soul fans. It carries a slightly melancholic and sentimental melody. The chorus refrain […]

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CULTURE
CYCLE MUSIC #11
Tank and the Bangas “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”

In last month’s column, I mentioned the DJ party held on 27th April at Cafe Apres-midi. The event brought together the editor and artwork production team of this series, their friends, and even the staff of “Global Ride,” including designers and translators. The atmosphere was filled by good vibes with an array of fantastic music, and it was genuinely a delightful and lively gathering. During the event, our mutual friend and interior designer, Takashi Kobayashi, who runs the architectural firm ima, was spinning records. This month, I’d like to introduce a favourite song of mine that I remembered, “Ah, this one had a bicycle cover too!” They are acclaimed as the best l […]

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CULTURE
CYCLE MUSIC #12
Kraftwerk
“Tour de France”

Ever since this series began, I’ve always thought that if I were to write a column about cycling and music, I would eventually feature Kraftwerk’s “Tour de France” at just the right moment. With their live performance at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2024 now making waves, I feel that now is the perfect time to introduce it. Formed in 1970, the German electronic music group Kraftwerk, known for designing their own album covers and visual images, is a quintessential example of so-called Krautrock (German rock) and a pioneer of techno-pop. They greatly influenced not only YMO but also the British new wave scene, particularly the electro-pop/synth-pop movement known as New Romantic […]

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