Monday, April 02, 2012
The only time it ever happened
For three weeks in 1963 the number one hit song in the US was sung entirely in Japanese.
From the YouTube notes:
From the YouTube notes:
Kyu Sakamoto (坂本 九, Sakamoto Kyū, born Hisashi Oshima (大島九, Ōshima Hisashi), December 10, 1941 - August 12, 1985) was a Japanese singer and actor.
His most popular song, Ue o muite arukō ("I look up when I walk") was very popular in Japan and North America. Released by Capitol Records in the US as Sukiyaki (Capitol 4945), it topped the Billboard pop charts in the United States for three weeks in 1963 -- to date the only song sung entirely in Japanese to do so. The lyrics were written by Rokusuke Ei and the melody was composed by Hachidai Nakamura. The lyrics tell the story of a young man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears won't fall.
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