Band Teacher First Time Hearing Cowboy Bebop Tank! by Seatbelts

[@bobcieslinski]

Wow I was surprised by this one! It was so Jazzy! Buy Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack : apple.co/3S4aM9i Join Newsletter: bit.ly/BobCieslinskiNewsletter Buy the Best Cookies and save 10% by using MUSICFRIENDS at checkout: bit.ly/Bangcookies Merch Store: bobcieslinski.myspreadshop.com/ Make a Donation: www.buymeacoffee.com/BobCieslinski Buy Highfidelity Ear Protection for concerts and everyday life: bit.ly/highfidelityearplugs Join Channel Membership: bit.ly/BobCieslinskimembership Buy Apple Music Subscription Here: apple.co/3xl0Ey6 Ekster Wallets, Bags and Cases: ekster.com?sca_ref=4171993.L0f4OQQsAl Browse or Buy Music Gear:bit.ly/SweetwaterMusicStore My Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/bobcieslinski Free 1 Month Apple Music Subscription Here: apple.co/3xl0Ey6

[@silverjohn6037]

It may just be me but she seems to have been influenced by some of the jazz style TV themes from shows like Peter Gunn, Mannix and The Streets of San Francisco.

[@ASMRPongpoom]

check this hai yorokonde japan version it got 60m view in 2 month

[@gurubuckaroo]

I'm really happy you've been turned on to The Seatbelts. They were a single-purpose band, put together to do this soundtrack (and reunited to do the Cowboy Bebop Movie soundtrack). The amazing thing about the entire thing is the variety. If you can, I highly encourage you to listen to as much as you can. Personal highlights of mine include "What Planet Is This?", "Clutch", "Rush", "Piano Black", and a few others that follow this same style. Plus, you've got Lounge Lizard music like "Words we Couldn't Say", "Piano Bar", "The Singing Sea". Even country ("Diggin'"), heavy metal ("Pushing the Sky"), endless more blues, and all sorts of experimental stuff. One notable number is "Call Me Call Me", which - once you know the context of the scene it's used in - will never fail to make you bawl. It's rare that you can say this about a group, even one as specific as this, but they pretty much didn't do anything I wouldn't call spectacular. They put out a 5-disc collection, with the 5th disc containing the single live concert they did for the release of a game. And every song has so many layers - "Time to Know ~ Be waltz" being emblematic of this. Then there's "3.14" - which is literally just one character (Edward, the young girl) sleepily singing the digits of pi. If you want classic Spy music, there's "Spy" (literally) and "You Make Me Cool". I could go on and on (god, I haven't even mentioned Space Lion, or Rain, or Green Bird...) This is all stuff I would have killed to play back when I was a French Horn player from 4th grade through college. For other Anime recommendations, I'd consider the Dot Hack Sign soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura. Another one where they're practically no bad tracks (although the opening song, "Yasashii Yoake", is not my favorite). Also the opening for Paranoia Agent, called "Dream Island Obsessional Park", by Susumu Hirasawa.

[@TheNabeshein]

Soundtrack (singular)? There were five Cowboy Bebop soundtracks last I checked, and it STILL doesn't cover all the music in the single-season-long show. It was the super heavy use of music in this show that inspired future shows to have great music, and a lot of it too.

[@asianartist1]

lol - you guys are finding the foundations i grew up with.

[@crackedjabber]

Fun fact about this song... this is the first time the Seatbelts performed it. This was a recorded rehearsal, and they just never got a chance to go back to the studio and rerecord it, so the official version was a first take.

[@missdebra5858]

❤

[@EsdrasRibeirodosSantosCunha]

you literally made this song so much more special to me now

[@2119Barry]

Unreal 😎

[@KrimsoMusic]

this actually makes so much sense. There are some spots where you can hear that the horns aren't *quite* nailing the runs, but damn the energy on this take is so raw, I'm not even sure it would have been better if they re-recorded it.

[@thadima1996]

you learn something new everyday. thanks.

[@DefenestrateYourself]

Yoko Kanno is the composer for this show. She’s absolutely brilliant 🔥

[@bobcieslinski]

She really is. I loved it.

[@aelfycarcini3992]

And this show was created to fit her music. Shinichiro Watanabe acknowledged it...that he created Cowboy Bebop inspired by the music of Yoko Kanno. That's why it's a unique anime.

[@UncleMilo]

@@aelfycarcini3992 Yoko Kanno worked with Watanabe on Macross Plus as well... and the music in that OAV is simply outstanding as well.

[@otysafiry]

​@@bobcieslinski her versatility and ability to adapt to different styles is amazing. This show actually really highlights that aspect of her ability since each episode has a music style in its title and she uses that I the episode.

[@JeffreyMcLain]

If I recall correctly, I don't think she was into jazz hardly at all before leaning in HUGE to compose for the show? Am I making that up? I feel like I heard that once and remembered because I was so blown away after loving this show since I was a kid and then being like.....wtf? You mean she wasn't a lifelong jazz composer? xD

[@aelfycarcini3992]

Yoko Kanno, legendary anime composer. She took a trip through the United States, all the jazz clubs and streets to learn the raw way of playing jazz and blues, of feeling it. And all because she knew she was a perfectionist and she had to let her emotions flow... and she thought that only in America would she understand. She composed the fabulous score for Cowboy Bebop, but also for Vision of Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Macross Plus, etc. Any anime fan who is also a music lover simply adores Yoko Kanno.

[@bobcieslinski]

Well so far she’s awesome to me too. This one was incredible.

[@karebear3152]

amen to that. Legendary artist.

[@aelfycarcini3992]

@@bobcieslinski I recommend you listen to other of her works. It is a total enjoyment. Also his work as an artist, regardless of anime, is very enjoyable.

[@nkechi4635]

​@@aelfycarcini3992 Yoko Kanno is a she

[@revangerang]

@@aelfycarcini3992 Her*

[@VeeDubR32]

That sax break gets me every time. Dude is locked in.

[@bobcieslinski]

For sure.

[@AdamHodges-o6x]

He actually makes it sound like he is pitch bending… amazing on the sax.

[@TriXJester]

No song makes me feel like I'm being chased through dingy back allies like this one lol

[@DaemonKeido]

This is also perfect Nape of Earth Flight Music in a starship

[@KOOLGRAF]

Shout out to my professor a few semesters ago that could play this solo on the sax. This tune was on our final too.

[@bobcieslinski]

Wow yeah they are incredible if they could play this.

[@mlm5150]

The cool thing about this anime, was that the music was integral to the formation of the story. Kano and Watanabe worked closely together, altering scenes to match the scenes and vice versa. Cowboy Bebop is a classic that stands the test of time on so many levels. The OST is just brilliant and worth a complete listen through! And just a side note, The Seatbelts was created specifically for this soundtrack by Kano.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I appreciate all of the info! I’m gonna have to check out more because this was awesome.

[@waynepolo6193]

@@bobcieslinski Come back to us when you do! He’s right, music is such an integral part of this show. Even in the opening shot, the only sound for the first several minutes is just a music box to set the ambience.

[@bobcieslinski]

@@waynepolo6193I’ve recorded Rush. It should be out soon.

[@DaRozeman]

I may be mistaken, but wasn't Watanabe the guy who wrote the score for Final Fantasy 6? it would make sense, that score is amazing.

[@mlm5150]

@@DaRozeman no, Nobuo Uematsu wrote that score. Im not sure Watanabe ever actually wrote music, just inspired by it.

[@erik6114]

Masato Honda, the sax player you mentioned on this track (and others from the soundtrack) was previously the frontman of a jazz fusion group called T-SQUARE, and left the group just prior to his work on this soundtrack. Check out their song 'Megalith' if you want another example of his sax playing. T-SQUARE is fairly well-known as far as jazz fusion goes, their song 'Truth' was famous as the theme for Japan's Formula One coverage. 'The Seatbelts' themselves were composed entirely of session musicians, so there's a *lot* of talent that came together to work on this OST, which is massive and comprises about five or six albums of material.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks for the awesome info Erik! I’ll check out more for sure.

[@peterworth9403]

From what I've seen, when they do "Tank!" live, he never plays the solo the same twice, and it's always amazing.

[@VonSnootingham]

Another interesting tidbit about T-SQUARE: They have a song on their Adventures album called Sister Marian that may sound... familiar to anyone who's played a video game since 1985. Legendary Nintendo composer Koji Kondo was heavily inspired by a lot of pop, jazz, and fusion music and T-SQUARE's Sister Marian was the direct inspiration for the original Super Mario theme.

[@minmodulation]

@@VonSnootingham Yes, T-Square is heavily influential on japanese VGM, their contemporaries Casiopea were also influential, and the keyboardist went on to create the famous japanese subway jingles (that form into a song when connected)

[@Kuzar3]

I remember convincing my highschool teacher to let us play this song for a show. It was awesome.

[@bobcieslinski]

Man that would be awesome!

[@KaraiHime]

Haha, I did the same thing for our Jazz band! And then learned that I had to do that Sax solo and just about died ☠😂

[@djgizmoe]

This honestly should be a high school band standard. It's just so damn accessible and groovy - who could dislike this?

[@bobcieslinski]

Agreed

[@Arnold-l1k]

The Marine Corps 3rd Marine expeditionary Force Band has actually done a cover of this that I highly recommend you listen to ​@@bobcieslinski

[@STS125]

Not many high school jazz bands that could pull it off, but the charts are out there. It has been done by many college jazz bands.

[@SergOnti]

My Highschool played this I was on the saxophone, I had hyped when I found out we were gonna play it!

[@cajungoat]

As a former high school band player I think this song would have killed us.

[@rocotocloc]

Yoko Kanno is an absolute genious. If she was born in the US or the UK i bet she will be considered one of the best movie/tv music composers of all time. She had a TON of great compositions and always showing her immense talent and her refusal to be categorized into a single genre: from fusion jazz to electronic, and pop, rock, blues, country... even samba, you name it Cowboy Bebop is a masterpiece, my favorite anime ever hands down (hence my profile picture lol). 26 episodes and 1 movie full of action, dry humor, charismatic and colourful characters, a bit of a tragic romance story, and ofc a soundtrack that's has to be heard to be believed

[@MariaBarksdale-g1i]

The entire soundtrack of the show is fantastic. Another great tune is Real Folk blues as I am sure you are already aware. Series is indeed a masterpiece!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks for the info! Sounds like I need to check this one out more.

[@DDs878]

This was my dads ring tone for YEARS . Its Iconic for me.

[@Alepap.]

Tank and Rush are classics. The entire OST is amazing and such good sound quality too.

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ll have to check the other one out you mentioned. Thanks!

[@99temporal]

The "what planet is this?" Is also out of this world(literally and metaphorically lol)

[@Alepap.]

@@99temporal True

[@HowiTzer44]

as a former 1st chair tenor, this solo makes me feel that lift in that space under my heart and my fingers start moving. love it

[@bobcieslinski]

Sweet! You had to be awesome if you were first chair. Thats pretty cool man. I loved this one too.

[@OmenAntidote]

i dont condone smoking but as soon as i heard that intro bass, i lit a cig up

[@missdebra5858]

❤

[@guygourley2411]

The intro kind of reminded me of an old Mission Impossible movie. Pretty cool, and we don’t get to hear music like this very often anymore. Those transitions were great.

[@bobcieslinski]

Yeah I can see that one Guy! I loved it it really had that vibe you described. I had no idea what I was about to hear but it was pretty awesome.

[@Alepap.]

It's the bongos, very iconic.

[@armynurseboy]

Archer follows suit

[@bad-people6510]

Cowboy Bebop is not a western, Cowboy Bebop is what I'd describe as a genre Jambalaya. It's got everything tossed in the pot but still comes away having its own flavor.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks!

[@RadeticDaniel]

@@bobcieslinski it's a far west gun slinger inspired show built as a distopic space opera with some vibes of mafia movies. to top it all off, every fight move of the main character in the opening and most of his fights are traced over Bruce Lee movie fighting scenes. So if you've watched those, you are in for a treat. The show is filled with references and tributes in all forms of art, making its sound track quite fitting with the rest of the production. Highly recommend it as a story, even more as an animation. Just stay away from the Netflix live action, it was a disappointing production

[@tresuave6206]

As a cajun , music lover and anime watcher I approve this message lol

[@efretheim]

I would describe it as a "Space Western". Sort of Lost in Space meets Maverick.

[@rosslytle5700]

But there's not any beef ... so you wouldn't really call it "genre Jambalaya with beef," now would ya?

[@elchicko1976]

5:11 🤣That look as the sax solo kicked in. 🤣 … 😋 priceless. 😁

[@bobcieslinski]

😂😀

[@chaost4544]

What I love about this theme is it sets the tone that anime is more than just animation.

[@UncleMilo]

The music of Cowboy Bebop is astounding... and Yoko Kanno is an incredible composer and I love all her works.

[@AubreySciFi]

Cowboy Bebop is a sci-fi western, actually about the adventures of a group of space age bounty hunters trying to bring in intergalactic perps. It's a great show. This is probably my favorite anime of all time! Great music, great artwork, fun characters, humor, drama, great direction, and one of the best english language dubs for an anime I've come across. Well worth seeing sometime!

[@holgualoxford3871]

My wife and I were married in 2004 and walked into our recession party to this song. Only a couple people knew it, one being her late teens cousin. good times!

[@bobcieslinski]

Sweet!!! Sounds like a great reception.

[@jostriedel5201]

That little organ part in the background? Well, that's Yoko Kanno herself!

[@bobcieslinski]

No kidding. Thats awesome!

[@Telukin]

1:00 Starting with stank face is always a good sign.

[@bobcieslinski]

😂

[@triggerfingerstudios]

Yoko Kanno is a real musical genius. Everything she does is incredible.

[@Mark-Elf]

Cowboy Bebop was produced by Sunrise and aired from April to June 1998, with some of the series' 26 episodes. In September 2001, a theatrical version, Cowboy Bebop: Door to Heaven, was released. It won the TV award at the 3rd Kobe Animation Festival in November 1998, and the Nebula Award in the Media category at the Japan Science Fiction Convention in 2000. Set in the solar system centered on Mars in 2071, this space western anime follows the adventures of bounty hunter Spike Spiegel and his crew as they travel aboard the dilapidated spaceship, the Bebop. It features stylish dialogue, cool visuals, and thrilling mecha and gun action. The main story has a hard-boiled touch, but the style varies depending on the episode, with a wide range including suspense, horror, slapstick comedy, and cyberpunk. As the title "Bebop" suggests, the series uses a variety of music genres, including jazz, blues, rock, and techno, and this, combined with its unique worldview, creates a unique style that was not seen in existing science fiction works. Director Shinichiro Watanabe said, "I made this by putting in everything I had wanted to do up until then but couldn't," and "I thought I was making a 20-minute movie each time." When it was first broadcast, many people said it was similar to "Lupin the Third," but according to Watanabe, it is more similar to the TV drama "Detective Story," starring Yusaku Matsuda, which was popular in Japan in the 1970s (including the narration for the next episode preview). Another feature of this work is that the racial characteristics of the characters are well reflected in the design of the world setting. According to character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, this was because director Watanabe gave permission. The production was handled by Sunrise Studio 2. The core staff was made up of people from the network of Watanabe and producer Masahiko Minami, who had previously been involved in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Macross Plus, and Escaflowne. After the TV series was produced, Minami and his team left Sunrise to found Bones, which produced the film. Sunrise is originally a studio that produces many original robot animes with the intention of commercializing toys, but the idea for this work also came from an offer from Bandai Hobby Division, who saw a spaceship boom coming with the resurgence in popularity following the release of the new Star Wars trilogy, to make an anime that could be developed into spaceship plastic models. When Minami asked Watanabe if he had any ideas, he was inspired by the work of American bounty hunters and immediately came up with an idea for a stateless action movie set in space in the near future. The concept was "space jazz" rather than space opera, and the project title was "Shooting Star Bebop!" . However, the unique style of the work was met with a negative response from those around, and it was almost lumped together with another project that Sunrise was working on at the same time. The sponsor almost dropped the project, saying, "This won't sell spaceships," but with the cooperation of Bandai Visual, the show was able to be aired. The record company releasing the soundtrack opposed the idea, saying, "How many jazz records do you think sell in Japan?" (Music director Yoko Kanno also said that she initially thought, "Jazz will never sell"), and those involved who watched the first episode before it aired commented, "It's too dull. It won't sell." With no prospect of royalty income from the toys, a detailed plan was devised to recoup the investment through music CDs and video packages. As a result, the software was a hit, and Sunrise stated that this work "achieved sales of videos and music CDs comparable to those of the Gundam series." According to producer Minami, the production costs were so high that the president of Sunrise said to him, "Minami, are you trying to ruin the company!?" The opening and ending songs and background music in the film were all composed by Yoko Kanno, with the exception of a few, and performed by The Seatbelts, a group that included Kanno and other musicians from Japan and abroad. In addition to the ending song, vocal songs were used extensively. The first soundtrack won the Animation Album of the Year award at the 13th Japan Gold Disc Awards. The theme song, Tank!, was used in the short program of Canadian male single skater Kevin Reynolds at the 2016 Canadian Figure Skating Championships (with costumes by Spike Spiegel). The terrestrial broadcast version was subject to self-censorship, and violent and sexual content, as well as flashing lights, were revised or cut. This was due to the fact that between the start of production and the broadcast, there were violent crimes committed by minors, such as the Kobe serial child murders and the Tochigi female teacher stabbing incident, and TV Tokyo's regulations were strengthened due to the "Pokémon Shock." The final episode, a compilation titled "Yoseatsume Blues - A Collection Blues," is a protest against these restrictions and cuts in the form of monologues by the main characters, and unlike regular compilations, it makes almost no reference to the story itself. The ending concludes with the provocative message, "THIS IS NOT THE END. YOU WILL SEE THE REAL "COWBOY BEBOP" SOMEDAY!" This episode has been excluded from subsequent rebroadcasts and has not been included on video software such as DVDs. In the United States, the series was first released on video and DVD, and was broadcast nationwide (TV-14: ages 14 and over only) on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim slot from September 1, 2001, where it gained popularity. However, the depictions of fake blood and naked women were edited out for this broadcast, and episodes 6 (as they were reminiscent of the Columbine High School shooting), 8 (hijacking), and 22 (building bombing) were not broadcast on the first episode due to broadcasting codes and the influence of the September 11 terrorist attacks (though they were aired in a rerun immediately after). The evolution of the theme songs is as follows 😌 Opening theme "Tank!" Composed by Yoko Kanno / Performed by The Seatbelts (THE SEATBELTS) Ending theme "THE REAL FOLK BLUES" Lyrics by Yuho Iwasato / Composed and arranged by Yoko Kanno / Sung by Mai Yamane "SPACE LION" (#13) Composed by Yoko Kanno / Performed by The Seatbelts (THE SEATBELTS) "BLUE" (#26) Lyrics by Tim Jensen / Composed and arranged by Yoko Kanno / Sung by Mai Yamane Here's the OST 😀 [COWBOY BEBOP SOUNDTRACK 1] Released May 21, 1998 (VICL-60201) Won the Grand Prize in the Animation Album category at the 13th Japan Gold Disc Awards. [COWBOY BEBOP VITAMINLESS] Released June 3, 1998 (VICL-60248) Mini album in a paper jacket. Includes the full version of the ending theme. [COWBOY BEBOP SOUNDTRACK 2 - No Disc] Released October 21, 1998 (VICL-60202) [COWBOY BEBOP SOUNDTRACK 3 - BLUE] Released May 1, 1999 (VICL-60203) Only the first limited edition has the "As you like" jacket. [Cowboy Bebop remixes music for freelance] Released June 2, 1999 (VICL-60371) A remix album of soundtrack songs. The five previous albums have sold 800,000 copies. [COWBOY BEBOP Knockin'on heaven's door Ask DNA] A maxi single of the movie theme song. Limited edition vinyl version available. [FUTURE BLUES〜COWBOY BEBOP -Knockin' on heaven's door] The soundtrack for the movie. Includes the Mai Yamane version of "Rain (DEMO ver.)" that was played in Session #5. - Regular edition (VICL-60756) - The first limited edition (VIZL-54) comes with an 8cm CD "COWGIRL ED O.S.T.". The six songs included are "Goodnight Julia," "PAPA Plastic," "Telephone Shopping," "Kabutogani Kodai no Sakana," "Slipper Sleaze," and "Episode 23." ...Sorry for the long message 😅

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks for the awesome background on what appears to be a ground breaking show with awesome music.

[@Mark-Elf]

@@bobcieslinski You're welcome 🎶😄 I'd like you to watch COWBOY BEBOP if possible.And be sure to check out Yoko Kanno's other amazing works too✨😆 You may think she is a composer who specializes in jazz, but up until this work she was rather good at orchestration and early DTM. I recommend "Escaflowne" as a work that clearly shows this.😌 Also, if you like DTM-like music, please listen to the OST of "Ghost in the Shell SAC" 😊She often sings in her own compositions under the name "Gabriela Robin." Her husband is the famous Japanese cellist, Hajime Mizoguchi.

[@Mark-Elf]

@@bobcieslinski @bobcieslinski You're welcome 🎶😄 I'd like you to watch COWBOY BEBOP if possible.And be sure to check out Yoko Kanno's other amazing works too✨😆 You may think she is a composer who specializes in jazz, but up until this work she was rather good at orchestration and early DTM. I recommend "Escaflowne" as a work that clearly shows this.😌 Also, if you like DTM-like music, please listen to the OST of "Ghost in the Shell SAC" 😊She often sings in her own compositions under the name "Gabriela Robin." Her husband is the famous Japanese cellist, Hajime Mizoguchi.

[@jimmyt7233]

2/10 comment. Not enough detail

[@Mark-Elf]

@@jimmyt7233 You're not my instructor, so from what standpoint are you evaluating people? I don't have enough free time to watch KZbin all day like someone else. Furthermore, there is a character limit for posts, and if you can't understand why they deliberately put a limit on it because they think long posts are a nuisance, then I would advise you not to give people your opinion 😡 In the end, the main thing I want to say is that if you don't like it, research it yourself and write it yourself 😤

[@UncleMilo]

Oh... Cowboy Bebop is one of the ONLY anime series I would actually recommend you watch in English. The show is INCREIDBLY accessible to a western audience. It is AMAZING!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I will.

[@Heracles_FE]

I was not an anime fan , but Adult Swim carried this show , and I was about to change the channel when that theme song started , but I had to watch the show because they earned a chance after choosing that theme.

[@Heracles_FE]

And it was good

[@BadPenny3]

One of the few anime I've seen where the English cast is as stellar as the original Japanese voice actors, and the original cast is absolutely top tier to begin with.

[@RailGun256]

It absolutely had the best dub for its time, very little got trimmed or censored off which was absolutely insane in those days considering this is when the likes of 4kids were going wild with the censoring.

[@grixxy_666]

The jazz band at my high-school played this at every pep rally

[@bobcieslinski]

Man that would be sick. Noice!

[@gusbus76]

Wait till you hear "Blue", still brings a tear to my eye.

[@brotherbuddha89]

Masato Honda doing what he does, making magic on that saxophone. There is a solo piece by him that is also part of the Cowboy Bebop original soundtrack called Cosmos where the melody he plays emulates the singing of the late Tiluvu-Donna Cumberbatch in the first verse of another track from the soundtrack called The Singing Sea.

[@bobcieslinski]

That dude is a beast. He is so good.

[@Trapper50cal]

The high horn at the end is like letting the last bit of air out of the balloon.

[@dragontears]

They did it live over zoom (several of them separated) during the pandemic, and i thought that was amazing. Because theres no way to predict nonsense like internet lag or just any other sort of zoom nonsense especially Early zoom, but it was fantastic.

[@CaseNumber00]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnjadmOtrLKggac

[@Cheese-0x]

Music is a huge part of Cowboy Bebop. The whole show only has 26 episodes but the soundtrack is 6 hours long. And it has many many amazing tracks, Tank! is just the tip of the iceberg.

[@kirktown2046]

Ah, you really do this track justice with your reaction, I hope you listen to more of the soundtrack! Bad Dogs No Biscuits is HIGHLY recommended! The opening is an homage to Tom Waits.

[@tehzerp]

Yoko Kanno is just amazing from Bebops high energy and emotion music to Ghost in the Shells introspection and quirky songs to full on mainstream pop of Macross Frontier she really is amazing.

[@mogaman28]

Don't forget classical music and opera in Escaflowne

[@sleepingbee8997]

Cowboy Bebop is tough to fit into a single genre. Space-western, cyberpunk, and neo-noir all sort of fit. The creators even make reference to "a genre unto itself" in the soundtrack album notes. The first episode is one of the best pilot episodes of all time, but I really suggest watching 'til episode 5 for some incredible music scenes. If you're not hooked at that point, then it's not for you.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks for the info! I’ll be checking it out for sure.

[@Voidgirlinc]

I’m currently showing my boyfriend this show for the first time, I thought I was losing him on episode 4, we watched episode 5 and he became hooked, so I completely second this!

[@ph1shstyx]

@@Voidgirlinc Episode 5, the ballad of fallen angels, one of the greatest single anime episodes ever made

[@shawnashley4938]

That whole album is fire!

[@MariaBarksdale-g1i]

Entire sound track of Cowboy Bebop is tremendous. Many great songs. Try Real Folks Blues next. It was one of the greatest anime series ever created!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks!

[@crimson-rk6di]

My band directors were great and inspiring guys, seeing you out here on the web doing what 'the kids do' is awesome. I remember being in high school jazz band years ago showing our director this song and he was blown away and he let us try it. Obviously we didn't have the chops for it but it was still awesome to give it a shot and learn whilst doing so. My appreciation only grows over the years for the trouble we caused as kids and the true stalwart role models our directors provided us in our formative years.

[@bobcieslinski]

They sound like they were awesome dudes!

[@squaresphere]

The cowboy bebop OST has some crazy songs. I remember back in the 90's every jazz band from middles schools to colleges were playing songs from it.

[@SarahMaeBea]

I love all kinds of jazz, but this piece has to be my favorite. I really appreciate your approach to breaking down the song and commenting on the music. I feel like I'll learn a lot being subscribed! Thanks!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks Sarah! It’s great to have you here on the channel. I love Jazz too!

[@YUKI-qm3ur]

Yoko Kanno is a genius. There are many famous anime songs composed by her. The opening song of the anime ”Protect My Earth'', ”Memory of Time'', is one of my favorites. Every time I listen to it, I feel connected to the grandeur of the work and it makes me cry every time.

[@matthewhippie]

The while soundtrack for this show is amazing. Its so diverse and every song is just as good.

[@EstebanBrenesV]

One thing that I always loved about Tank is that the solo has a great conversation with the rest of the instruments, that if you pay close attention is so organic that it make you loose yourself in that section.

[@Amavisaj]

If you get a chance, there are three versions for this song: This version, The live version, and the 2020 Virtual session. All are great songs, and the solo always kills. If you get a chance, my recommendation is the live version from 18 years ago. The solo there is just...so vibrant!

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ll check it out thanks man.

[@LighthouseBurning]

I actually have never heard the whole song before. I'm just a fan of the show and your channel showed up in my feed. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Everytime this show comes on I would never "Skip Intro" because the intro animation for this show is so great with the music as well. Watch the intro, you can check out how they play with each other. Thanks for your analysis. Start at episode 1 :)

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for commenting!

[@aldo34]

Currently watching Cowboy Bebop all the way through again. There’s a two-parter mid way through where the music is just so f***ing good that it brought me to tears. The outro is so moving. So yeah, they rock but they also do everything else 😊

[@SinCitysOnly]

I could, and have, listened to this song on repeat for hours. I played classical double bass, and always wanted to branch out and try jazz bass, before I realized I sucked at playing and would not be able to make it. But it still fills my heart with joy to hear a great bass line in anything jazzy or big band, and there is no bass line that does that better than this one.

[@bobcieslinski]

I totally agree with you. I love that bass line too. I’ve also listened to this on repeat since learning about it.

[@Bebop-Nic]

The entire soundtrack of this anime is wonderful. Yoko Kanno is a beast. Note. Is more like a space wester noir show...

[@bobcieslinski]

Got ya thanks for the info!

[@mmasque2052]

For another anime theme that is in the style of 60s spy movies is the opening of Read or Die. The original OVA though the series is pretty good too.

[@shorgoth]

Yoko Kanno also did some incredible job on Ghost in the Shell, that franchise has a LOT of special stuff. And it isn't not a Western, well not exactly, it's bounty hunters in space, it has more to do with the Noir genra but it is a mix. It's a lot like Firefly

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ve heard of it but don’t know it personally.

[@Kupoinfo]

I've been jamming to this song for over 20 years, awesome seeing people listen to it for the first time.

[@bobcieslinski]

Wow that’s hard to believe it’s been around that long but good music stands the test of time.

[@goatkiller666]

What I like most is that the album liner (or the CD pamphlet… whatever the printed paper that comes with the recording media), there’s a brief description of the band The Seatbelts. It describes them as a band that exists in the fictional universe of the show. It’s so meta.

[@bobcieslinski]

That’s cool!

[@Mikefromcabo]

I'va always loved this soundtrack. listening to Tank! for the first time on a TV ad for Cowboy Bebop was the main reason I got into anime. I was completely blown away by the entire soundtrack. Would live to hear your thoughts on the second track "Rush". It's always been a personal favorite. You hear it on the very first episode during a great martial arts fight scene.

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ll look for that one because I really want to hear more. Thanks.

[@DaveJonesVideo]

To give this more context, you should watch the opening credits for the show, which is where the song is used. The animation is as wild as the music. It's a futuristic space bounty hunter show, but with the flavor of a Clint Eastwood western movie.

[@bobcieslinski]

I did go back and watch and it was wild. It makes me want to watch the show which I will probably do. Thanks.

[@Bobbias]

​@@bobcieslinskiit is a legitimately well told mature story. If you're not familiar with anime and associate animation with children's cartoons you will be shocked at the depth of the storytelling in shows like Cowboy Bebop.

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ve watched my fair share of cartoons and Anime. Seven Deadly Sins and Demonslayer are awesome!

[@patrickguerriero5425]

Thank you so much for letting the solos play out! So many reactors pause in the solos and it kills me

[@bobcieslinski]

I’m wish I could say I get it right every time but we all make mistakes. Thanks!

[@zatoichiMiyamoto]

I can't believe this happened!! Japanese jazz is the real deal!!

[@bobcieslinski]

Yeah it shocked me. It was incredible.

[@thenonexistinghero]

@@bobcieslinski Well, this is pretty unique among anime music. There's a few other anime that do break conventions though like Giorno's Theme from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (which is probably also a must to hear for anyone who likes music).

[@waffle911]

It's more unreal that the composer, Yoko Kanno, isn't a jazz composer; she's a generalist who studies everything. For the soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop, she toured jazz venues across the U.S. from the East Coast to the West Coast and everything in between to learn everything she could about the genre. The soundtrack really sells the noir vibe of the show. It's billed as a Space Western, and in a lot of ways, it is; but at the end of it, it's a noir about a rag-tag group of down-on-their-luck drifters making their way across the solar system as each one's past catches up with them in one way or another.

[@brianyaniro4797]

This entire soundtrack is amazing. Yoko Kanno is incredible.

[@bobcieslinski]

This song was a banger. She’s awesome!

[@mrmxypltk]

I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen Yoko Kanno perform this live on piano, at the premier of her "Piano Me" project. She has made so many absolutely legendary songs for Anime and other Japanese Media. Please also check out the song "Inner Universe", the opening theme to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, also composed by Yoko Kanno, and sung by the late Origa, in both Russian and English. It's another amazing song!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I’ll check it out.

[@BastiXIII]

Masato Honda is an amazing wind instrumentalist if you watch one of his live solo concerts.

[@JAce94007]

I highly suggest Too Bad Too Good and Bad Dog No Bone from the same soundtrack if you haven't looked into it already!

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ll try thanks

[@johncheney950]

Cowboy Bebop came out in 1998. So this song is like 26 years old. All of the music on that show is fantastic.

[@revangerang]

Cowboy Bebop is definitely a show worth checking out! The director likes to do lots of genre blending, not just with music, but also aesthetics and tropes and such. Cowboy Bebop is a spy/film noir/western set in a dystopian futuristic outer space world. Another great one is Samurai Champloo, which is a modern city/street style action drama set in historic Japan lol

[@timbit1996]

so much fun watching another musician discover this piece of music!

[@chriso6719]

Mission Impossible, Maxwell Smart, and James Bond, all played by Glenn Miller with Carlos Santana. How'd I do? 😁

[@bobcieslinski]

👍

[@DJordydj]

It doesn't matter hopw many times I listen to this song, it doesn't matter where I am, what I'm doing or how I'm feeling, THIS IS A BANGER that makes my blood rush in excitement. WHAT A POWER TRACK. I feel like I want to do amazing parkour while listening to it.

[@marcostakumi]

You can search for Tank! (Live) to see they performing… live. But it’s not an official video, I think.

[@bobcieslinski]

I just found that this morning and man it was incredible.

[@camerongordon5914]

I usually do "favorites" instead of "bests" because art is subjective . . . *but this is the best intro to any anime and maybe second only to Batman TAS as the best intro to anything, EVER.*

[@gixelz]

im still partila to elfen lied

[@korganrocks3995]

The only show I've watched on Netflix where I didn't use the "skip intro" option!

[@GKFF9872]

Hearing this song brings me all the way back to my childhood. Probably the reason why I love jazz so much as an adult.

[@bobcieslinski]

Nice.

[@r0kus]

Very interesting, informed reaction to this great music. BTW, _Cowboy Bebop_ is still in Crunchyroll, so you can easily watch the whole show. Yes, it can be called a western, but a space western. You might consider reacting to the opening, which has wonderful, atmospheric graphics over about 90 seconds of the music.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks for the info!

[@Smrts955]

Tank is one of the all-time best bass lines. Right up there with hysteria

[@Lngbrdninjamasta]

I make sure to listen to this and other music from the seatbelts at least once a month if not once a week. This show when it aired changed my view of music 🎶

[@RepoDraghon]

If you ever get to watch the show Cowboy Bebop you'll understand how you described this intro song totally fits and is soooo accurate as to what you said...

[@ezm311]

This track somewhat reminds me of Bill Chase's Get it On. Both are awesome!

[@SporkPixie]

So glad you enjoyed this song! I've watched the anime and everytime I hear this song I just want to get up and dance! I've always felt this music was underrated!

[@taracampbell2433]

I was waiting for this! ...... and you aired it in the 3 months i was offline focused on studying for a certification exam. Gah! and thank you! I also want to recommend the music of Escaflowne, also by Yoko Kanno, but in a different genre. Old enough the most of the younger anime crowd hasn't heard it, but one of my favorite OSTs of all time.

[@bobcieslinski]

Hope the test went well for you. Timing right. Life can sure be that way. Thanks for the suggestion Tara!

[@taracampbell2433]

@@bobcieslinski Thank YOU! and i'll know how I did in another month... thank goodness there's a backlog of great videos to distract me!

[@bobcieslinski]

@@taracampbell2433well let’s hope you did great🤞I’m sure you did.

[@wfe4210]

Bad dog no biscuit is another great song from this soundtrack.

[@カルボキシ]

Glad you focused on Masato Honda!

[@Isaakmedextraa]

I can hear that it's great, I don't need a schmuck to tell me that. That's why channels like these are great, letting me know what I'm hearing has a purpose behind it. I'm learning and everyone has fun. Best life to live!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks Isaak! Glad you are enjoying it.

[@williamshoemaker5884]

There are soo many amazing soundtracks from various anime, far too many to list but Tank! is my absolute favorite. It has inspired me to start playing Blues Harmonica and have been playing for over a decade now. Thank you Bob Cieslinksi, for your very informative take and genuine reaction to this song! It's very cool and refreshing to see a band teacher go outside of their normal realm of music and actually appreciate the music for what it is, and not be bothered where it came from. Keep doing what you're doing sir. You've made a subscriber out of me just by this one video. Looking forward to what else is on your channel. Best of luck sir! Cheers!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks so much William! I appreciate it and I guess I’ve always been this way when it comes to music. Great is great no matter the genre.

[@bastiangugu4083]

The band is led by Yoko Kanno and was assembled specifically for this soundtrack. There are videos of them playing live. They are amazing. There are many excellent, not only jazz musicians in Japan, many people never heard of. 🙂 Take a listen to e.g. Senri Kawaguchi. Or another one by Yoko Kanno, but totally different, "Inner Universe". It's the OP song to the Ghost in the Shell series.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I’ll be sure to check out more.

[@nuanil]

Kanno Yoko, the composer, wrote this after about a 1 month crash course in Jazz.

[@bobcieslinski]

Holy cow. No way. Thats wild.

[@karebear3152]

Tank has always held a special place in my heart. I absolutely love the song and the show too.

[@jevana]

Space western. but what someone said about it being a jambalaya is sooooo accurate. it's such a good show and very accessible. I also recommend Real Folk Blues (ending song)

[@kayosiiii]

definately check out the show, not only is there a whole bunch of incredible music, but the way they mix the music and visuals is often original and can be haunting.

[@DreDeluxe76]

I love that your reaction to the opening at 01:55 is *exactly* the same as everyone who listens to 'Tank' for the first time!

[@bobcieslinski]

That opening is sick. Loved the whole thing. My kinda tune.

[@rachelshacklady1374]

I have heard this album so many times and still impresses me. Car 24 will always will be my fave tune. Masato Honda is a fave artist of mine he has saxophone skills. 😊

[@bobcieslinski]

Man he is a beast in the sax. I’m so glad I got to hear him play.

[@Bobbias]

Yoko Kanno is a musical chameleon. Shes worked in so many different styles and somehow always manages to get to the heart of whatever style she's working in and make something truly great. But there's just something about the energy of this track that stands out.

[@thesuperdak7224]

Great Reaction! Cowboy Bebop is not a western per se, but it is a western flavored sci-fi series set in a future where the Earth suffered a catastrophic event that split the Moon, most people live on Mars, and the rest of the solar system is more or less colonized. It initially follows a pair of "cowboys", bounty hunters who earn a meager living tracking down dangerous people. If you're serious about checking out an episode, you can't go wrong with Honkey Tonk Women, the third episode, which introduces the third lead character, Faye Valentine.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I’ll be checking it out.

[@jason7120]

Love the Seat Belts. the Live version of Tank! is pure bliss.

[@benlyons2759]

This music and yoko kanno music has been some of my favorites for 20 years now, she is so good

[@OzeroCa]

This tank is unstoppable. Legendary piece since the first time it dropped.

[@Razmoudah]

It's even better when you watch the opening sequence. It does a great job of building on the song's vibes. Real Folk Blues, used for the ending animation, is another great one.

[@Razmoudah]

Yes, I'm replying to myself. Cowboy Bebop is a Sci-Fi show with a Western vibe. The main characters are supposed to be bounty hunters, but most of the time, it's more comedy than anything else.

[@bobcieslinski]

Seems like a pretty cool show that I need to check out. Thr music is incredible.

[@Razmoudah]

@bobcieslinski It is a great show. You should also check out the movie. It's technically set mid-series. The production staff have commented on which two episodes it takes place between, but I don't recall right off hand. There's also a remake of the series, though I'm partial to the original.

[@bobcieslinski]

@@RazmoudahI’ll have to add it to my list. Thanks for the info!

[@Razmoudah]

@bobcieslinski After watching a couple of your other reaction videos I think you may also enjoy the animes AKB0048 (a sci-fi that is loosely inspired by the pop idol group AKB48) and Show by Rock! (this one really re-defines the idea of a battle of the bands, but in a good way). Both of them feature music groups and have a variety of music in them, though the later focuses more towards rock 'n' roll. You also commented at the start of this video that there's a lot of good music in anime. A big part of that is because most of the music is explicitly created for the show, rather than being a more 'generic' piece that they try to adapt to it. It helps the pieces to be more focused in concept as well as what they are doing, and frequently improves the way they can do the overall composition. Not that such a thing is new, but it doesn't feel all that common anymore.

[@johnniejohnsonv]

"Clutch" is one of my absolute favorites from the series. Great vid! Subbed.

[@bobcieslinski]

I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for subbing! I hope you enjoy the channel.

[@cesargonzalez4146]

I love how Bob finds something really cool and instead of stopping to make comments he just wants to know what comes later, he's really enjoying himself, just like the musicians when they recorded this piece.

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks Cesar! I appreciate the kind words man. This song was a masterpiece.

[@kreskinkun]

Great show filled with music just like this, although a lot of it is more relaxed or melancholic.

[@haukionkannel]

Cowboy bepop has one of the best soundtrack that i have ever heard of. And one hook that keep me watching the series! Also get me get all possible albums for the music. Check other songs also!

[@bobcieslinski]

Thanks I’ll have to check out more.

[@Kazuto88]

This is definitely one of my favorites. You kept referring to 60’s spy theme and now I recall Jonny Quest and how much I love that theme song too! I’m going to have to go and listen to that one again, I think they are quite similar and I never ever thought to compare the two.

[@bobcieslinski]

Johnny Question was awesome! Watched it too and loved the theme.

[@mariuspuiu9555]

The Cowboy Bebop OST is legendary.