Kiyoshiro Imawano’s classic and popular songs

Daddy’s SongImawano Kiyoshirō

Papa No Uta

Even people who aren’t particularly interested in the artist Kiyoshiro Imawano probably know this song.

Released in 1991 as his sixth single, Papa no Uta became widely known and popular after being featured in a Shimizu Corporation TV commercial.

With Shigesato Itoi’s lyrics that exude humorous affection and Kiyoshiro’s moving melody and vocals, the song likely gave confidence to working dads across Japan.

Despite its simplicity, it’s surprisingly difficult to sing: the range is wide and the pitch moves up and down quite a bit, so you may find it harder to perform than expected.

Since the mood shifts between the verse and the chorus, it’s a good idea to practice each section separately.

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KOH-1

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Strange WorldImawano Kiyoshirō

Kiyoshiro Imawano — Strange World

Kiyoshiro Imawano consistently took an anti-war stance.

His song “Strange World,” which he sings, was released in 2003.

The lyrics contrast a world where ordinary yet irreplaceable everyday moments flow by, with a strange, seemingly unreal world of war.

Perhaps he wanted to say: cherish daily life, and realize quickly that war is wrong and bizarre.

Everyone knows war is pointless.

It’s important to keep that awareness alive.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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salarymanImawano Kiyoshirō

Salaryman

Theme song of the drama “Boku no Shūshoku” (My First Job).

Kiyoshiro Imawano himself also appeared in it, and it was also Yutaka Takenouchi’s debut work.

The broadcast coincided with Japan’s employment ice age, and the calmly sung days of a salaryman, along with the final falsetto, strike the heart in a strangely poignant way.

STAND BY MEImawano Kiyoshirō

Stand By Me (Live From Nakano Sun Plaza / 1987)

The classic song “STAND BY ME,” covered by many artists around the world.

Among the versions covered by Japanese artists, the rendition by Kiyoshiro Imawano—which has garnered great popularity—was featured in a 2019 commercial for WONDA.

The fusion of the profound performances by the star-studded cast of Takeshi Kitano and Kankuro Kudo with Kiyoshiro Imawano’s “STAND BY ME” leaves a lasting impression.

Let’s meet at the racetrack.Imawano Kiyoshirō

Let's meet at the racetrack - Kiyoshiro Imawano

This is a song by Kiyoshiro Imawano, a legendary Japanese male singer-songwriter, which was tied up as the JRA commercial theme in 1994.

That year, the legendary racehorse Narita Brian won the Triple Crown, making it a memorable year even for people who aren’t horse racing fans.

Frank loveImawano Kiyoshirō

Blunt Love – Kiyoshiro Imawano & 2•3’s

This is a song by 2・3’s (pronounced “Niizans”), the first band Kiyoshiro formed after RC Succession broke up.

Kiyoshiro said that the band had a bad reputation among his existing fans, and quite a few of them drifted away.

The lineup of 2・3’s included Kenji Oshima, who later became the drummer of THE HIGH-LOWS and has been active as a producer for Fumiya Fujii.

In the night sky after the rainImawano Kiyoshirō

RC Succession – In the Night Sky After the Rain #1

Kiyoshiro Imawano’s signature song, “Ameagari no Yozora ni” (“In the Night Sky After the Rain”), is a memorable track featuring his emotive lyrics—which have influenced countless artists—and an infectious, upbeat melody.

His voice is distinctive, yet the song is known to be surprisingly easy to sing at karaoke.