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Lovely senior life

Tear-jerking songs recommended for men in their 90s: a collection of moving masterpieces

In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of tear-jerking songs from the Showa era that are especially recommended for men in their 90s.

We’ve focused mainly on works that depict the parting of men and women, so we’re confident you’ll find songs that resonate with your own past experiences and memories.

If you’re reading this, please consider recommending the songs we’re about to introduce to any 90-year-olds around you.

We’d be delighted if this could be an opportunity to discover music that overlaps with past experiences and memories and truly moves the heart.

Tear-Jerking Songs Recommended for Men in Their 90s: A Collection of Moving Masterpieces (11–20)

wandererKobayashi Akira

This work is characterized by a wistful melody and lyrics with deep shadows.

Centered on the themes of a wanderer’s loneliness and melancholy, it depicts how memories of the past resurface each time night falls.

Akira Kobayashi’s distinctive high-register vocals beautifully convey the protagonist’s heartrending emotions.

Released in June 1985, it is widely known as one of Kobayashi’s signature songs.

The theme—discovering the joy of living for love yet ultimately choosing a solitary journey—is striking.

It’s recommended for moments when you stand at a crossroads in life or feel the urge to look back on the past.

I liked it.Tsuruta Koji

The song sung by Koji Tsuruta, known as a celebrated actor of the Showa era, is imbued with a poignant longing for a lost love.

His deep feelings for a beloved person and the sorrow of parting are expressed through a uniquely wistful voice that resonates deeply with listeners.

Released in 1971, this piece has long been cherished as one of Tsuruta’s signature works.

It’s a song that makes you want to cherish the person by your side even more as you reminisce about past love.

Recommended for times when you want to bask in nostalgia or reaffirm your gratitude to someone important.

Yearning for youFuranku Nagai

Composed in 1922, this work—with its moody sound and sultry vocals that exude an adult atmosphere—was later covered in 1961 by mood-kayō singer Frank Nagai, becoming a revival hit.

It depicts someone recalling days with a departed lover and being overwhelmed by loneliness.

Hearing this song may bring back memories of youthful romance for some listeners, and it might even spark a lively conversation about the old days.

It was released as a 7-inch single by Victor Records in 1961, featured on the A-side.

dancerMiura Koichi

This work, known as a classic from the Showa era, pairs its emotionally rich, melodic kayōkyoku style with Koichi Miura’s sincere vocal delivery to deeply resonate with listeners.

Released in 1957, it gained wide support after being broadcast on the Kureha Spinning–sponsored radio program “Kureha Home Song.” Inspired by a literary work, the lyrics portray a poignant farewell set against the backdrop of the Shimoda Highway and the landscapes of Izu.

Delving deeply into the joys and sorrows of love, the song often overlaps with one’s own past experiences and memories, moving many who hear it.

It’s especially recommended for moments of nostalgia or after parting from someone dear.

Black petalsMizuhara Hiroshi

A signature song by Hiroshi Mizuhara that stirs listeners’ hearts with its sweet, aching baritone.

The lyrics, which chronicle the pain of heartbreak and a skepticism toward love, beautifully capture the loneliness and poignancy of romance that everyone has felt.

Released by Toshiba Records in 1959, the song sold over 300,000 copies in its first year.

It was also used as an insert song in the film “Bet Your Youth” and even won the inaugural Japan Record Award—testament to its phenomenal popularity.

If you’ve ever been hurt in love, you’ll surely relate.

Listen while thinking of someone dear, and old memories may come flooding back.