Rydeen / Yellow Magic Orchestra, 1980

“Rydeen” is a single released June 21st, 1980 from Alpha Record by Japanese techno-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra.

The main passage was composed by the drummer Yukihiro Takahashi, he’s singin’ it at a bar by chance and the keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto listened it and transcribed. The title “Rydeen” was named after a legendary Sumo-wrestler　”Raiden（雷電, same name as the main character of Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty）” from late Edo-era and robot-anime “Brave Raideen”.

YMO aimed to create “Japanese Disco” sound, one of the examples is the programmed drum sequence appears on the beginning, that sound is imitation of galloping of horses from the movie “Seven Samurai” directed by Akira Kurosawa.