Sukiyaki (Japanese love song) - Kyu Sakamoto
The song went to number one on the American Billboard pop charts for three weeks in 1963-- the only song sung entirely in Japanese to ever do so.
The song's original title, Ue o muite arukō ("I Look Up When I Walk") was considered too difficult for American audiences to pronounce and remember, so they changed the name to Sukiyaki which is a type of Japanese food.
The lyrics when translated tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears won't fall. The verses of the song describe him doing this through each season of the year.
The singer, Kyu Sakamoto, is considered one of Japan's most influential musicians. He died in a Japan Airlines crash in 1985. Before the plane crashed, he was able to write a farewell note to his wife.
I hope you like it as much as I do.
XOXO,
Posts
