Morning Musume “Second Morning”

Of all the albums in the history of girl group Morning Musume, their second album Second Morning may be one of those that some fans of the group may overlook because a few others after it are more well-known. Second Morning is one of those albums that I had wanted to review for some time.

Second Morning was released on July 28, 1999 and the album sold a total of 428,999 copies which isn’t anything to brag about but how does it compare to the group’s first album First Time? We are just going to take a more analyzed approach to reviewing this album. Second Morning also has the significance of having the group’s 1^st #1 single called Daite Hold On Me! Asuka Fukuda who is the youngest member of the 1^st generation left the group before the release of this album even though this is the last studio album to feature her as a member. Second Morning has Ace of Base influences as well as some rap vocals in there but the album does not have those electronic sounds that we would hear on the group’s later albums. On a more positive note about Second Morning, the album reached #3 on the weekly Oricon (Japanese music charts) and charted for 14 weeks. 

Other than the very sad song Furusato, there is much to enjoy about this second release from these girls. There is the very refreshing pop music song Never Forget and the song in terms of its style resembles something that Noriko Sakai would have done back in her most popular days. Just like the song says “I never forget you” we will never forget the impact that Morning Musume has had in Japan. The song is about a girl that reminisces or remembers the first time she met the one that she loved. It is time for her to depart and she is sad but she knows that they will meet again. “Furusato” or hometown in English is about a girl who is living alone in Tokyo and her mother’s kindness was in her heart so she falls in love with a man that doesn’t love her. She vows to come home for a little while during her vacation. Her tears are coming down because of relief. She knows that it is fine for her to fall in love again.

Papa Ni Niteiru Kare or He Who Looks Like Dad is a jazz influenced song about love and romance that has to be done in secret because the girl is afraid that her parents will not approve of him. Many of us can relate to a situation like this.

1999 was the time when the members were either still teenagers or in their early 20s and trying to find their way in the entertainment business. Memory Seishun No Hikari is a song about a girl that went through a very tearful breakup. It is almost like a cliché to say that breakups are painful. At times though there are people in our lives that break our hearts and leave us wondering what happened. Sometimes in life we can never think about anyone else other than the person that we love dearly. The section where the girls sing “Sayonara just breaking my heart” is one of the most powerful and passionate parts of that song and it certainly makes it stronger. ”Suki de X5” which literally means “I love you X 5” is a classic love song with some jazz influences in it. Already we see a departure of sorts from the group’s first album so Morning Musume experimented early in their career. ‘Love’s First Train” is lyrically about two lovers who will do anything to be with each other even if that means taking that train ride to be with each other in a faraway place.

Overall, Second Morning is definitely a step up from their debut album First Time. I found it delightful listening to it in 2020. I was not into Morning Musume’s music in 1999 because I was too much into heavy metal but at times like this, who needs heavy music like that when there is high energy refreshing pop music like there is on 1999’s Second Time! Lyrically, the album focuses on taking things easy, having the kind of life where you can go on a drive with your boyfriend when there are blue skies present as is the case with the song Manatsu No Kousen.