Shiroi Kyoto - Great White Tower

[Dave]

At long last, I've acquired a couple of episodes of the Japanese Hospital series "Shiroi Kyoto - Great White Tower" in which Hayley's recording of Amazing Grace is featured. This is apparently an extremely popular series in Japan, perhaps along the lines of "Casualty" in the UK but it features much less (if any) "explosive action". It's more of a human interest drama without all the big action scenes and special effects that you often get in this sort of series. A lot of it takes place in the hospital back rooms, meeting places and in conferences.

How do I know this? Well, I've just watched two 45 minute episodes, all in Japanese with no subtitles, LOL i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif But it's surprising how much you can pick up, it really is! Anyway... I can at last explain how Hayley fits into all this.

A.G (the original "Pure" version) seems to be used at the climax of each episode, whether that be right at the end or sometimes, 5 or 10 minutes earlier. In the first episode I watched, there was first a guitar solo of A.G. (no Hayley) played in the background during an important scene 10 minutes from the end, then, Hayley's version of it was played more or less in full, over the end titles.

In the second episode, Hayley's version of A.G was played in the background in full during the programme itself, about 10 minutes from the end. This seemed to be one of the climactic scenes but unfortunately, I couldn't follow the dialogue! Then, a completely different theme (nothing to do with Hayley) was played over the end titles.

So, A.G. isn't just your average "end title" theme but Hayley's vocals seem to form an integral part of each programme in the series. It may also help to explain the phenomenal success of A.G. as a single in Japan for over a year. Would it be of any interest if I did video clips of the bits I descibed, or is it OK left to the imagination, I wonder?

[HWI]

Hi Dave,

I think clips of this could be well worthwhile. There has been a lot of talk about A. G. and this programme. So, the novelty aspect would ride pretty high, I would think. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

When I think of it being in Japanese, I suppose it reminds me of Welsh - I can read Welsh, just have no idea what it means.

Cheers,
Keith.

[Richard]

Hello Dave and Keith!

I would certainly like to see the video clips, as you suggest. The video clips are definitely one of this web site's outstanding features!

Not the only outstanding feature of course! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

See you at Olympia on 20th March (plug, plug)!

Richard

[Dave]

OK, you talked me into it

I've attempted to put each clip in context so there's a minute or two more than just Hayley's song, hopefully this will give a feel for the part Amazing Grace has played in the series.

Episode 9 covers a senior doctor's descent into despair after serious personal problems, and the programme ends for him with a jolt as he apparently loses his job to a younger doctor... Hayley sings immediately afterwards over the end titles and it seems to highlight his plight (it isn't always played in the end titles).

Episode 10 shows the same doctor's struggle to regain his position at the hospital and finally, near the end, his return is shown... with Amazing Grace in the background, this time highlighting his satisfaction, and the apparent success of an operation. So, play them in the corrrect order!

The clip from Episode 9 (3m 24s, 7.6MB) is here and from Episode 10 (3m 57s, 8.9 MB) it's here

I will leave them there for a couple of days, so HWI guys, if you want 'em for the website, grab 'em quick! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Dave]

Quoted From the Hayley Sings Japanese Songs thread:

Jun 8, 2010 10:12:15 GMT grant said:

From a post made by Dave on February 16th 2004

Hayley's Japanese single Amazing Grace is featured throughout the massively popular new hospital soap opera, "Shiroi Kyoto". The [single] was released on 29th October and has had a huge impact - Sales are now at 33,000, and the single is #1 in the international single charts and #20 in the overall single charts."

... and that was just the beginning.

...she was the voice from the TV show - he apparently became very animated and excited - proving that, at the time, she was more popular from that show that for her singing ability.

Hi Grant,

I know what you mean and I know you know what you mean but to clarify, for anyone who is unfamiliar with it, Hayley never appeared in the hospital serial "Shiroi Kyoto" but they used parts of her studio audio recording of Amazing Grace to add emotional impact in certain key scenes, at least once in each episode. Sometimes right at the end, which certainly helped to leave the viewers wanting more!

So what the TV serial did is to bring her voice to a far wider audience than she otherwise would have had, but it was of course her singing voice (in this dramatic context) that finally prompted people to go out and buy the CD(s).

The clips I linked above in an old post are no longer available there, but if anyone wishes to see them again, just ask and I will dig them out to upload them again. I am sure that somewhere, I have the entire serial, complete!

Cheers, Dave

[grant]

HaHa Dave!

Jun 8, 2010 13:53:58 GMT Dave said:

I know what you mean and I know you know what you mean

Yes, I see what you mean - I didn't explain it very clearly did !??

Never mind - all straightened out now!

Best wishes
Grant

[maya]

Jun 8, 2010 13:53:58 GMT Dave said:

So what the TV serial did is to bring her voice to a far wider audience than she otherwise would have had, but it was of course her singing voice (in this dramatic context) that finally prompted people to go out and buy the CD(s).

The other day there were 2 old women in my car on the way to the suburb. I was playing CDs of Hayley as I always do. I played HSJS first and then played Pure. They were old enough close to my mother's age and they did not know popular songs so much. But they recognized Nada Sou Sou and some of other songs of HSJS. They both said,
“How lovely the voice is.”
I explained them about Hayley and the backgrounds of the CD. But they did not know her name. When Pure was played and as soon as A.G. was started, one of the ladies said,
“ I know this! I have heard this before many times.”
Then I said,
“In the TV programme “Shiroi Kyoto”?”
She quickly replied me saying,
”Oh yes, I have watched it many times and heard the song.”
The other woman said,
“Now I remembered and understood. While HSJS was played I thought I have heard the voice somewhere before but I couldn't remember it well.”

“Shiroi Kyoto” was such very popular TV programmes in Japan and the incident like this may happen often. “Shiroi Kyoto” was also broadcast in Taiwan, Korea and China. As I read the comments of Hayley's performances in Taiwan at the World Game @ Y.T., some one was mentioning about the name “Zaizen” who was the main character of “Shiroi Kyoto”. So I think Hayley's success in Taiwan was somewhat related to “Shiroi Kyoto” broadcast there too.

Hayley's success in Japan and Taiwan is partly related to the theme song used for the popular TV programme. I can easily assume.

Best wishes
Maya

[maya]

The video on the Youtube below reminded me the day when I have heard Hayley's voice for the first time in Japan. This has triggered people here to wonder who Heyley / ヘイリー was.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe7ElijvyCc

Below is the snap shot of the scene when Hayley's name appeared as ヘイリー.


Maya