Moody Japanese classics: recommended popular songs

Goodbyeofukōsu

Sayonara

A gem of a ballad that gently and poignantly portrays a lovers’ parting.

Against the backdrop of a cold day when rain turns to snow, their memories and emotions are woven with delicate detail.

Kazumasa Oda’s clear, pure vocals beautifully convey the wavering heart of the protagonist who chooses to say goodbye.

Released in December 1979, the song was used as an insert track in the first season of the TBS drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3-B” and reached No.

2 on the Oricon weekly singles chart, making it one of Off Course’s signature classics.

It’s a soul-stirring piece you’ll want to listen to alone on a quiet night, glass in hand.

single bedSha ran Q

Sharam Q “Single Bed” (Music Video)

This is a gem of a ballad that strikingly portrays the poignant feelings of a heartbroken man.

Sharam Q released the song in October 1994. It was used as the ending theme for the Nippon TV anime “D·N·A²: A Girl Who Arrived?” and went on to become a million-selling hit.

It is included on the album “Rettōkan” (Inferiority Complex) and was later featured as an insert song in the 2017 film “Memoirs of a Murderer.” Furniture steeped in memories of a former lover is depicted as a symbol that highlights the protagonist’s loneliness, powerfully expressing a shift in values toward love.

This moving masterpiece is perfect for a calm night drive or for quiet moments when you think of someone dear.

Hymn to LoveKoshiji Fubuki

Koshiji Fubuki – Hymn to Love (from “Koshiji Fubuki: The Magnificent World”)

When it comes to Japanese chanson singers, I think of Fubuki Koshiji.

She was also a former top otokoyaku (male-role) star of the Takarazuka Revue.

Hymne à l’amour is a song by the French chanson singer Édith Piaf, but the Japanese lyrics sung by Fubuki Koshiji are also passionate and wonderful.

It’s a song I’d like to listen to in a dimly lit bar while enjoying a good drink.

To Marie on Fifth AvenuePedoro & Kapurishasu

To Marie on Fifth Avenue

The vocalist at the time of this song’s release was Mariko Takahashi.

She performed this song at the 66th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2015.

Forty-two years after its release, her voice has gained even more depth, giving the performance a richer, more moody quality.

A seagull is a seagull.Naoko Ken

A seagull is a seagull.

Please take a look at Naoko Ken from back then.

She has a very distinctive face that actually feels quite contemporary.

The contrast between her chatty, childlike manner and the way she is when she sings is striking.

Her expression when she starts singing is mature and sultry.

She’s wonderful in variety shows as well, isn’t she?

Like the flow of a riverMisora Hibari

Like the flow of a river

Hibari Misora, the songstress of the Showa era.

She had many other masterpieces, but the year this song was released, she sadly passed away, making it her final work.

The lyrics, which suit her later years perfectly, are deeply moving—and astonishingly, they were written by Yasushi Akimoto.

Love Story Comes SuddenlyOda Kazumasa

Love Story Suddenly – Kazumasa Oda

This is a song that became a hot topic during the heyday of trendy dramas.

It’s also known as the theme song for “Tokyo Love Story.” You can almost hear the line calling out to the protagonist, “Kanchi.” Many people have covered this song, but none can match the effortless, silky way the original artist sings it.