February 9, 2006
Ever since last Sunday, when we went to San Antonio to meet my brother for dinner on the riverwalk, I've been going crazy trying to figure out where I've heard this song. We were sitting next to the river outside the Marriot, eating ice cream while waiting for my brother to arrive from Las Vegas. First the theme song from "The Godfather" played and then this song that I knew I knew. "It's Japanese," I insisted, even though it had a vaguely cowboy sound to it. And why would they be playing a Japanese song in the heart of San Antonio?
The song kept popping up in my head and I vowed to track it down. But how do you search for a song on the internet if you don't know the words, the artist, the song name, when it came out, or what country it's from? You can't type musical notes into Google and have it search every mpeg for a song. Looking for Japanese pop songs, golden oldies, and 1950s hits got me nowhere.
Mentally I hummed the songs from "Totoro" and "Kiki's Delivery Service". Was it that sentimental song from "Tokyo Story"? Nope. And it wasn't the theme song to Chibi Maruko-chan or "Sazae-san". I didn't associate it with any commercials I'd videotaped when I lived in Japan. It wasn't that Miki Hirayama song I liked from that silly movie, Adrenaline Drive.
And then it came to me. There was some other famous pop song that one of my Japan blogging friends discussed some years back because it had a completely unrelated name in English. It had been a big hit. Seems it was Kiyo who mentioned it. I searched his site, but I still couldn't find it. Not chrysanthemum. Not geisha. Not Hiroshima, Mon Amour. Grrrr.
Back to Google. Finally on page 2 of the search "Japanese international hit song writer died" I found it! Sukiyaki (ue o muite arukou) "One popular song in the US, 'Sukiyaki' remains the biggest international hit by a Japanese popular singer." This was exactly the information I was looking for...including mp3s of Japanese and English versions of the song...and even a Spanish version by Selena. Maybe that's why it was playing in San Antonio.
As for Kiyo, he did blog about Sukiyaki...about how Louis Benjamin, the president of a UK record company, introduced the song to the west and renamed it "Sukiyaki" after his favorite Japanese food--apparently because it was one of the few Japanese words familiar to westerners in 1963.
Despite the somewhat cheerful tune, the lyrics are about a heartbroken lover who must "look up as he walks, so the tears won't fall". My Japanese teacher brought the song lyrics to a class I had a couple of years ago.
Kyu Sakamoto, who recorded the hit song, died in 1985 in the crash of JAL Flight 123 north of Tokyo.
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens
February 09, 2006
Comments
"Ue o muite arukou" is one of my favorites among Japanese songs, along with "Shima Uta" (the version I like is done by The Boom). Sakamoto Kyu's popularity still holds strong. In the saddest possible way, I guess he is the "Buddy Holly" of Japan. Enjoyed your blog and will add it to the links section of mine.
Comment by: miyoshijohn. Posted February 15, 2006 07:58 PM.
My family had and may still have a 45 or a 78 of the Japanese version of this song. I remember being fascinated by the cover--it showed Sakamoto Kyu and his band dressed as...beatniks? surf bums? What I found so compelling was the artful disarray of their clothes and their carefully shredded straw hats. Even as a wee thing there was some bizarre cognitive dissonance I picked up on. I'll have to check the Talley archives for this one!
Comment by: KAT. Posted February 22, 2006 12:28 PM.
I would like to find the words and music of a lovely Japanese song which I heard when I was in japan (1970). It goes like this... ima wa mo aki, daremo inai umi... ....wasurenai.. hittori demo shinai wa shinai to.. If you know how and where can i find it, please let me know.
Comment by: cuca van leeuwen. Posted May 7, 2006 02:33 AM.
To: Cuca van Leeuven
The title of that song from 1970 you're trying to find is "Daremo Inai Umi." It was sung by Toi et Moi and was one of the big hits in Japan in 1970. You're right - it was a beautiful song. I remember the lyrics, which are as follows:
Daremo Inai Umi Ima wa mou aki daremo inai umi Shiran kao shite hito ga yukisugite mo Watashi wa wasurenai umi ni yakusoku shita kara Tsurakute mo, tsurakute mo, shini wa shinaito Ima wa mou aki daremo inai umi Taata hitotsu no yume ga yaburete mo Watashi wa wasurenai tsuna ni yakusoku shita kara Samishikute mo, samishikute mo, shini wa shinaito Ima wa mou aki daremo inai umi Itoshii omokage kaeda makute mo Watashi wa wasurenai sora ni yakusoku shita kara Hitoridemo, hitoridemo, shini wa shinaito
I long ago lost the album that included this song; so I've also lost the lyrics and therefore I don't know that I recall all the lyrics exactly. Good luck on finding the song somewhere - I've found that the Japanese are not as much into "golden oldies" as Americans are. I'll do a search too and see if I can find the song - I'd like to hear it again.
* Mike, thanks for sharing! --mss
Comment by: Mike. Posted May 14, 2006 12:47 AM.
After a little search on the Internet, I see that several albums by Toi et Moi are available on CD. The album "Toi et Moi ga Utau Utsukushii Nihon no Uta" has Daremo Inai Umi on it. The price of the album is $22.63 plus shipping. The website is CDJapan and its URL is: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/(mint)/detailview.html?KEY=UICZ-4064 I think I'll order one (or more) of their albums. I look forward to hearing their songs again.
Comment by: Mike. Posted May 14, 2006 02:54 PM.
It just hit me that maybe someone would want Daremo Inai Umi translated into English. Since I don't have the album any longer, I don't have the kanji available to translate the song accurately. But the following translation would be fairly close: A Sea With No One Now it’s fall already - a sea with no one on it Even if a person pretending indifference goes past I’ll not forget because I made a promise to the sea Even if it’s painful to me, I will not die Now it’s fall already - a sea with no one on it Even if one dream is crushed I won’t forget because I made a promise to the sand Even if it’s lonely for me, I won’t die Now it’s fall already - a sea with no one on it Even if a beloved visage is changed completely I won’t forget because I made a promise to the sky Even if I’m by myself, I won’t die
Comment by: Mike. Posted May 16, 2006 06:20 PM.
I am trying to find a Japanese pop instrumental that received airplay in New York in 1980. It was called "Disco Geisha." Do you know who recorded it?
Comment by: Bill Mays. Posted May 18, 2006 11:58 AM.
The Sukiyaki Song! That's the first Japanese song I acquired in my karaoke repertoire, back in the early 1990s when I lived in Tokyo and worked a few evenings a week at a karaoke sunakku in Shibuya. Also I really like SHIMA UTA by The Boom. And Manatsu no Kajitsu, off the Inamura Jane soundtrack.
Comment by: dragonfly jenny. Posted May 28, 2006 10:17 PM.
Hi, I am looking for the lyrics of a japanese song which starts of like "Shinano Yoru, Shinano Yoru yo...." I think it is 50s or 60s....could you get it for me???
Comment by: Chandru. Posted June 1, 2006 12:59 PM.
I share the story about this song I remember hearing (in Spanish) while growing up in Colombia, S.A. in the late 60s, early 70s.
I didn't know the name of the song, much less who sang it, With the help of my father, who I got this urge for great music, I was able to find the name of the song. Thru the Internet I found out about Kyu Sakamoto althought I am exactly sure the version in spanish I remember hearing was his, but if anyone can point me to his version in spanish please, please let me know, send me an e-mail.
Gracias,
A music lover.
Alberto
Comment by: Alberto Paez. Posted July 8, 2006 10:17 PM.
If you like JPOP songs, try this: http://www.archive.org/details/hirigana_prelim
Comment by: Danny Bee. Posted July 28, 2006 09:43 PM.
I was in the Military government in Japan in late 1945 and early 1946. I heard and really liked a song called Shinano yoru, translated as 'Chinese night'. I suceeded in finding a Japanese record of the song. On the other side was, as close as I can remember, a song called 'Ringo no ute', translated as The Apple Song. I still have the record somewhere, stored with other old 78's, but I haven't seen or heard it in years. Bob
Comment by: R.E.Maringer. Posted October 1, 2006 11:24 AM.
The song (Sukiyaki) that the person heard on Riverwalk in San Antonio was done by Andean Fusion a local San Antonio group. You can buy their Romance of the Inkas CD and it is the last song on there. It is just beautiful and I love listening to it!
Comment by: J Peterson. Posted October 19, 2006 04:45 PM.
im sorry to be bothering you but i need to find this song ive been tracking down for years! its japanese...i think. it has both Japanese and spanish in it. i think its from an amine but im not sure. i dont remember how i got the song. i dont know the name or artist. nothing about it. i only know it has spanish in it since i speak it. im not even sure its Japanese. please emailme if you want to search this song with me. its driving me up the wall!! its Cherrysakura5@yahoo.com i have the song if you wish to listen to it.
Comment by: Allison. Posted January 28, 2007 12:53 AM.
Hi guys I am Oroshtimaru and I want to do a question, who knows this song??: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BuQUALXjQ0 please If you know it send me an e-mail to: darklink@hotmail.com, thanks for your help
Comment by: Oroshtimaru. Posted February 26, 2007 09:15 PM.
Hallo there all lovers of the famous SUKIYAKI SONG! My girlfriend and I heard this song originally as a song advert for a mobile telephone company which was broadcast frequently on british t.v. back in 2005. We kept humming this tune and my girlfriend remembered this tune from years ago but she couldn't recall what the name of the song was or who had recorded it. A year later on a visit to Hebden Bridge in North Yorkshire, UK we were walking around the streets where we heard a street busker playing this tune on his accoustic guitar. We suddenly paused and said to each other - "wow" this is the tune we had tried to find information about and so we walked up to the busker and asked if he knew what the tune was called. He replied "sukiyaki"and he asked me if this was the name of a girl, to which I replied no, I think it is a Japanese food of thin slices of beef cooked in a light soya sauce. We gave him a donation into his hat on the ground and we were both happy as he found out what the meaning of sukiyaki was and we learnt the name of the song! PHILIP YU & DENISE BARON Rochdale, Lancs, UK. 13th May 2007
Comment by: Philip. Posted May 13, 2007 05:01 PM.
Yes, I remember Daremo Inai Umi and think it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Incidentally, is anyone familiar with Coffee Rhumba by Nishida Sachiko? I haven't heard that one in ages. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who remembers that song.
Comment by: Fred Harris. Posted May 23, 2007 10:17 PM.
The song "Sukiyaki" was a hit in 1963 and can be found for sale on Amazon.com in Top Hits, 1963. It was recorded in Japanese by a Japanese man. I'm sure I would butcher his name if I spelled it,so I won't. Loved it then and I love it now!
Comment by: Sherrie. Posted June 28, 2007 08:33 PM.
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How do you search for a song on the internet if you don't know the words, the artist, the song name, when it came out, or what country it's from?