Cherry Blossom Girl
by Air

Album: Talkie Walkie (2004)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This depiction of shy love was released as the first single from Air's 2004 album Talkie Walkie. It achieved some chart success, reaching the Top 20 in Finland and the Top 100 in France, Germany and Italy. Air's Nicolas Godin told Radio.com: "We're not the kind of band to have very many hit songs, so when we do manage to create one, it's a big deal for us."
  • The song was sung by Air's Jean-Benoît Dunckel. He recalled to Radio.com the input of producer Nigel Godrich, who is best known for his work with Radiohead. "I like to think of Nigel as the guardian of the mood on Talkie Walkie," said Dunckel. "Like on 'Cherry Blossom Girl,' I wanted to redo some of the vocals. So I went into the studio and recorded more vocals for it, but Nigel didn't like them. He preferred the original take, even though there were some minor mistakes. He really helped us maintain the spirit throughout the whole album."
  • The 7" and CD single releases include an alternate version of the song that features Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star on vocals. Dunckel recalled: "We'd seen Mazzy Star play in France, and the experience was just so slow and beautiful. We were quite moved by the show, and inspired to write the slowest Air song ever, so we wrote 'Cherry Blossom Girl' with her in mind, and she was kind enough to sing it for us. It didn't work for the album, since it ended up just being JB and I on the record, but that version is very special to me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?

Scott Stapp

Scott StappSongwriter Interviews

The Creed lead singer reveals the "ego and self-fulfillment" he now sees in one of the band's biggest hits.

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?