natsume wrote:Although I wouldn't rule it out 100%, I don't think it has the timbre of Akiko Yano, and I have never heard her sing something quite that sultry. If it was her, I think they would have credited her, perhaps simply with "Akko". Sakamoto is on the album as well, after all. I don't see why they would have been coy or kept that a secret.
The only reason may be that she was possibly in a tricky legal situation at the time, going through a divorce and also changing record labels before the release of "Gohan Ga Dekiyayo". It only sounds like her though if you have her in your head. I think she has sounded like that on occasion, for example on "Dogs Awaiting" and a bit on "Rose Garden" though you are right, the voice isn't quite right. We may yet find out, a couple more people who were at the recording sessions are contributing to Anthony Reynolds book.