"Pepper Keibu" (ペッパー警部, Peppā Keibu, lit. "Inspector Pepper") is the debut single by the Japanese hit duo
Pink Lady. The single was released on August 25, 1976, under the
Victor label. "Pepper Keibu" reached a peak chart position of number four, with a total of 1,050,000 sales.[1] The titular song won the duo the Newcomer Award at the
18th Japan Record Awards. It was also nominated for the
Best New Artist Award, but lost to "Omoide Boro Boro" by Yasuko Naitō.[2] The original recording did not have the signature "Pepper Keibu yo" at the end, as the live performances did. Subsequent recordings and covers do, however, include the line. A number of reissues have been made, including 8 cm and 12 cm CD versions.
According to
Oricon, this was the 14th best selling single from 1977.[3]
Pink Lady also recorded an English-language version titled "Sergeant Pepper" in 1978 for international markets.[4] This version also included an English version of "
Wanted".[5][6]
A re-recorded version of the song was included on the 2-disc greatest hits release, INNOVATION, released in December 2010.
Track listing (7" vinyl)
All lyrics are written by
Yū Aku; all music is composed and arranged by
Shunichi Tokura.
A cover of "Pepper Keibu" was released by the idol pop group
Morning Musume as a single on September 24, 2008[7] under the
Zetima label to promote their upcoming ninth album, Cover You, a tribute to producer
Yū Aku. The
Single V DVD of the single was released on October 22, 2008. The single was their first cover single since "
Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyōtanjima" more than five-and-a-half years before. The single peaked at #3 on the
Oricon weekly chart, charting for six weeks.[8] The single was released in three editions, a limited A coming with a DVD, a limited B comes in special packaging with a 40-page photo booklet and a regular edition.
Reina Tanaka and
Sayumi Michishige are the only members to receive solo lines in the song.