A Covert Operation - Mission 1: Kaorin

A couple of days ago I wrote about Melon Kinenbi's cover single "Namida no Taiyou" and I included a list of Hello! Project cover singles. This brought me to thoughts of the entire cover albums that have also been released. And thus I have decided to embark on a quest to collect the originals of songs covered by Hello! Project. Now begins A Covert Operation.

Mission 1: Kaorin

While still an active member of Morning Musume Iida Kaori released three albums and two singles, and after she graduated she released one more album. These releases all had a Mediterranean theme, and in fact the first two albums were cover albums of popular songs in French, Italian, and Greek. Her fourth album also contained two covers, one in French and one in Italian.

Osavurio ~Ai wa Matte Kurenai~ (オサヴリオ〜愛は待ってくれない〜)

For uninterrupted play use this YouTube playlist.

1. "Osavurio ~Ai wa Matte Kurenai~" (オサヴリオ〜愛は待ってくれない〜)
Originally "Os aurio" (Ως αύριο) by Nana Mouskouri



2. "Cherbourg no Amagasa" (シェルブールの雨傘)
Originally "Les parapluies de Cherbourg" by Danielle Licari



3. "Ipanema no Musume" (イパネマの娘)
Originally "La fille d'Ipanema" by Jacqueline François
Originally originally "Garota de Ipanema" by Antônio Carlos Jobim, but Iida sang the French lyrics.



4. "Muzousa Shinshi" (無造作紳士)
Originally "L'aquoiboniste" by Jane Birkin



5. "Eha ya ~Sayonara~" (エヘ ヤ〜さようなら〜)
Originally "Ehe Geiá" (Εχε Γειά) by Eleftheria Arvanitaki



6. "Down.Town" (ダウン・タウン)
Originally "Dans le temps" by Petula Clark
Originally originally "Down Town" by Petula Clark, and this video is though English version although Iida sang it in French.



7. "Amore Scusami" (アモーレ・スクーザミ)
Originally "Amore Scusami" by Dalida



8. "Suteki no Oujisama" (素敵な王子様)
Originally "Un Prince Charmant" by France Gall



9. "Otome no Namida" (乙女の涙)
Originally "Une écharpe, une rose" by Chantal Goya



10. "Barairo no Jinsei" (バラ色の人生)
Originally "La vie en rose" by Édith Piaf



Paradinome ~Koi ni Mi wo Yudanete~ (パラディノメ 〜恋に身をゆだねて〜)

For uninterrupted play use this YouTube playlist.

1. "Paradinome ~Koi ni Mi wo Yudanete~" (パラディノメ 〜恋に身をゆだねて〜)
Originally "Paradinomai" (Παραδινομαι) by Haris Alexiou



2. "Lila no Kisetsu" (リラの季節)
Originally "Un jour, un enfant" by Frida Boccara



3. "Aux, Champs Elysees" (オー・シャンゼリゼ)
Originally "Les Champs-Élysées" by Joe Dassin



4. "Aa, Jinsei" (ああ、人生)
Originally "Ah! I Zoi" (Αχ! Η ζωή) by Konstantina

I spent hours looking for a video of this song. The best I could find is a 30-second clip. It's track 2 here.

5. "Marine-Blue no Hitomi" (マリン・ブルーの瞳)
Originally "Pull Marine" by Isabelle Adjani



6. "Sora" (空)
Originally "Cielo" by Little Peggy March



7. "Suna ni Kieta Namida" (砂に消えた涙)
Originally "Un buco nella sabbia" by Mina



8. "Wasure Sarareta Michi" (忘れ去られた道)
Originally "Dromi Lismonimeni" (Δρόμοι λησμονημένοι) by Haris Alexiou



9. "Yume Miru Omoi" (夢見る想い)
Originally "Non ho l'età per amarti" by Gigliola Cinquetti



10. "Jasmine" (ジャスミン)
Originally "To Giasemi" a traditional Cypriot song. This version by Ann Vissi



Plein d'Amour ~Ai ga Ippai~ (プラン・ダムール〜愛がいっぱい〜)

5. "IRRESISTIBLEMENT ~Anata no Toriko~" (IRRESISTIBLEMENT〜あなたのとりこ〜)
Originally "Irresistiblement" by Sylvie Vartan



6. "LA NOTTE DELL'ADDIO ~Wakare no Yoru~" (LA NOTTE DELL'ADDIO〜別れの夜〜)
Originally "La notte dell'addio" by Iva Zanicchi




I hope you'll return for Mission 2: Double You.