Love from a Flowering Meadow: The Tigers’ “Flower Necklace” 1967–1968

The Tigers changed their name from their predecessor group, The Funnies, and made their debut in 1967 with “My Marie.” Composer Koichi Sugiyama, who had also helped name the group, envisioned their singles as a grand symphonic suite unfolding in a “quiet, dynamic, quiet, dynamic” pattern. He prepared “Romance of the Galaxy” as the fifth track, and “Flower Necklace” was created as a candidate for its B-side. It all began with a contest held by the magazine *Myōjō* in late 1967, which invited the public to submit lyrics they wanted The Tigers to sing. Over 130,000 entries were received from across the country, and the winning entry was a piece by Fusako Sugawara, a high school student from Hokkaido. The original draft was less a conventional set of lyrics and more a mystical story in which girls picking flowers transform into swans, reportedly inspired by Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” Rei Nakanishi, who was tasked with supplementing the lyrics, crafted the final lyrics while preserving that Western-style, fantastical world. Lyrics by Fusako Sugawara, supplementary lyrics by Rei Nakagishi, and music by Koichi Sugiyama. It is said that Sugiyama came up with the melody the moment he read the opening lines of the lyrics and composed the song in just a few minutes. Because the key was higher than usual, Katsumi Kahashi took the lead vocals instead of Kenji Sawada. Although originally intended for the B-side, the song’s high quality led to its release as a double A-side with “Galaxy Romance,” and “Flower Necklace” garnered overwhelming popularity in radio requests. Sales exceeded 670,000 copies, making it The Tigers’ biggest hit. The gentle, natural imagery of “Hina-giku,” “Nobe,” and “Flower Necklace” is overlaid with a longing for a romantic partner. More than just a typical youth pop song, it draws its origins from the tale of a girl transforming into a swan, giving it a fantastical quality reminiscent of a distant European legend. Released in 1968, at the height of the Group Sounds era, the song successfully blended glamorous idol appeal with a literary narrative world, and “Flower Necklace” became a track that symbolized The Tigers’ romantic charm.