Recommended cheer songs for people in their 90s: a collection of timeless tracks that support life

Tokyo Boogie-WoogieKasaogi Shizuko

Shizuko Kasagi – Tokyo Boogie-Woogie [Music Video]

This classic song by Shizuko Kasagi, a major influence on the Showa-era music scene, stands as a landmark of Japanese pop that brought brightness and vitality to postwar Japan.

Set to the buoyant rhythm of boogie-woogie, it paints a heart-thumping world filled with the joy and hope of youth.

Released by Nippon Columbia in January 1948, it became a record-breaking hit, selling 270,000 copies in its first year.

Its inclusion in the film Drunken Angel helped it win affection across a wide audience.

Etched in people’s hearts alongside memories of the Showa period, this work has the power to evoke nostalgic recollections.

It’s likely to be a treasured song to hum together with older listeners, sharing the happy memories of those days.

On the Day of DepartureSakushi: Kojima Noboru / Sakkyoku: Sakamoto Hiromi

[Chorus Song] On the Day of Departure / With Lyrics / Singing Practice / Graduation Song #chorus #classchorus #graduationsong #choruscontest

There is a song that many older adults love, often associated with the arrival of spring and graduation season.

Originally created at a junior high school in Saitama Prefecture as a gift to graduating students, it has since become a standard performed at schools across Japan.

With hopeful lyrics and a bright melody, it conveys courage and determination for a new beginning.

It also gained attention when it was used in a commercial featuring SMAP.

It’s a wonderful song that lets you look back on nostalgic memories while feeling hopeful about the future.

Why not listen to it together with older adults as an opportunity to reflect on life’s milestones?

SaraiKayama Yūzō

Yuzo Kayama - Sarai (with lyrics)

This is a heartwarming classic that brings back nostalgic memories.

It delicately portrays the feelings of people who leave their hometowns to chase their dreams, and was created by Yuzo Kayama and Shinji Tanimura in November 1992 as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “24-Hour Television.” Its title derives from a Persian word meaning a desert oasis or a staging post, and the soothing melody—like a spiritual homeland—leaves a lasting impression.

The piece was composed based on messages of love sent in by viewers from across the country, and even after more than 30 years, it remains deeply etched in many hearts.

It’s a recommended song for times when you want to quietly bask in memories or connect heart-to-heart with someone special.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your handsSakamoto Kyu

Kyu Sakamoto / If You’re Happy and You Know It (1964–65)

Its charm lies in the way you can enjoy it by expressing a heartwarming classic through full-body movement.

It’s a song that lets you share the joy of connecting with others along with a simple, familiar melody.

Released by Kyu Sakamoto in 1964, it became one of his signature songs alongside “Ue o Muite Arukou” (“Sukiyaki”).

Based on an American folk song, Toshito Kimura wrote the Japanese lyrics with wishes for peace and friendship.

A heartwarming experience in the Philippines inspired the creation of this song, and it is said to have spread through activities at the YMCA.

It has been widely used in films and commercials and has long been cherished in educational settings.

Why not enjoy clapping and body movements together with seniors and let the conversation blossom with fond memories?

cherry blossomMoriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

Speaking of cherry blossoms, they are beautiful flowers that herald the arrival of spring.

This song is a masterpiece that overlays the fleeting nature of sakura with the transience of life.

Naotaro Moriyama’s gentle voice vividly depicts a farewell beneath rows of cherry trees.

Released in March 2003, it became a massive hit, selling over one million copies.

Many may know it as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS program “Sekai Ururun Taizaiki.” It’s a song that resonates at life’s milestones and moments of parting.

How about listening to it with older adults and basking in nostalgic memories? Wrapped in the warmth of spring, you can spend a heartwarming moment together.

spring’s dry windIzumiya Shigeru

Shigeru Izumiya / Spring Karakkaze from “Shin Self Covers: Monster” [Music Video]

A work that sharply portrays social pressure and loneliness was included on the 1973 album “Light and Shadow” and later released as a single.

Shigeru Izumiya wrote and composed the song, with production by Kazuhiko Kato.

Interweaving the north wind of spring with the hardships of daily life, it delicately expresses the conflict between the self and society.

The power and message of folk music resonated with many artists, leading to covers by numerous musicians, including Anarchy, Keisuke Kuwata, and Masaharu Fukuyama.

I hope you will cherish moments when we share the feelings in our hearts through music.

This work contains many deeply moving words, and those who have rich life experience—especially older listeners—will surely grasp its essence.

Words of FarewellKaientai

Farewell Words / Kaientai (with lyrics)

Do you have any nostalgic melodies that make you feel the warmth of spring sunshine the moment you hear them? Kaientai’s classic “Okuru Kotoba” is a heartwarming piece filled with messages perfect for graduation season.

Its lyrics about the sorrow of parting, the courage to trust others, and the depth of love truly resonate.

Released in November 1979, the song also became well-known as the theme for the popular TV drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3-B.” Singing it together with older adults might spark lively conversations about fond memories.

Consider incorporating it into recreational activities at your facility.