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[Heisei-born, Showa-raised] Oe Yutaka’s easy-to-sing songs
Recently, Hiroshi Oe has been appearing frequently on variety shows and the like.
He first gained popularity through the hit show “Sanma’s SUPER Karakuri TV,” and afterward continued working in earnest as an enka singer.
Today, he boasts a career that places him somewhere between mid-career and veteran status.
This time, we’ve picked out some of Hiroshi Oe’s songs that are especially easy to sing.
There’s also concrete vocal commentary from a former vocal instructor, so be sure to read to the end.
[Born in Heisei, Raised in Showa] Hiroshi Oe’s Easy-to-Sing Songs (1–10)
Shigure Moon in KinosakiŌe Yutaka
While Hiroshi Oe has released pop songs, many people who want to sing his work probably prefer to perform authentic enka, even if the songs are said to be easy to sing.
In that case, I recommend Kinosaki Shigure-zuki.
It’s an orthodox enka piece, but the kobushi (melismatic turns) are very easy, mostly consisting of two-step pitch changes.
Even those who struggle with intricate kobushi can sing it without trouble, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
My hometown now…Ōe Yutaka
The piece “Furusato wa Ima…” is notable for its melody that evokes both wistfulness and warmth.
Its kobushi ornamentation is not very difficult, and the vocal range required isn’t particularly wide.
There is a slightly complex rise-and-fall kobushi just before the chorus, but otherwise the ornamentation is fairly orthodox, so anyone with basic enka singing skills shouldn’t find it too challenging.
Because the song relies on dynamic shading, be sure to control the key points firmly when you sing.
Feel-good song♪Ōe Yutaka
The classic “Gokigen Song♪,” with its bright, smile-inducing melody, leaves a lasting impression.
While the piece faithfully follows the hallmarks of enka-style melodies, the vocals throughout are arranged into a catchy, upbeat pop-like line.
In particular, the kobushi—often considered a challenging aspect of enka—appears infrequently here, and most instances are simple, involving a two-note pitch change, so you’ll hardly feel the typical difficulty associated with enka.
Be sure to add it to your repertoire.
Romance at the Ends of the EarthŌe Yutaka
Oe Hiroshi’s masterpiece “Saihate Roman,” noted for its grand melody, features a very relaxed tempo.
As a result, each note is relatively long, yet there are well-placed rests throughout.
While there are moments with the delicate vocal lines characteristic of enka, the extremely slow tempo makes the singing feel closer to 1970s pop.
To handle the abundance of long tones, it’s recommended to add dynamic nuance and avoid starting with a loud volume right away.
The Hometown of MandarinsŌe Yutaka
A piece notable for its powerful kobushi ornamentation, “Mikan no Furusato.” Many people feel uneasy with this kind of forceful kobushi, but it’s essentially just adding a shout; the kobushi itself stays within a one- to two-semitone change, so the difficulty here isn’t very high.
The tempo is very relaxed, and there aren’t that many long sustained notes, so even if a powerful singing style isn’t your strong suit, you can still sing it without trouble.
Definitely consider adding it to your repertoire.
Sunset BossŌe Yutaka
Speaking of Hiroshi Oe, his songs are striking for their sense of melancholy and charm.
Among those works, the one I especially recommend is Sunset Boss.
Throughout the piece, the vocal range is kept narrow, and there are a fair number of rests.
In addition, the kobushi (ornamental vocal turns) are very easy, with no passages requiring complex pitch movements.
If you have a certain level of enka singing skill, you should be able to handle it without any trouble.
Definitely consider adding it to your repertoire.
Carnival of the SunŌe Yutaka
Among Hiroshi Oe’s songs, “Taiyo no Carnival” (“Carnival of the Sun”) is one of the easiest to sing.
This piece is crafted as pop rather than enka, so you won’t find the advanced enka technique of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation).
Compared with enka it’s much easier to sing, but, true to pop style, it features many sustained high notes and a somewhat wide vocal range, so keep that in mind while singing.
If you usually sing enka, simply following the pitch accurately should be enough to aim for a high score with this song.