[Okaasan to Issho] What are Kentaro Hayami and Ayumi Shigemori’s popular songs?

Dango Three BrothersHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi1rank/position

Dango Three Brothers ◆ Live-Action Dance & Animation / With Mother (Okaasan to Issho) NHK E-TV Cover

A nostalgic song for moms’ and dads’ generation, Dango San Kyodai.

It’s a very unique tune about three close-knit brothers, sung to a tango rhythm.

It was the January 1999 song, performed at the time by big brother Kentaro Hayami and big sister Ayumi Shigemori.

There are many popular songs from Okaasan to Issho, but this one was such a huge hit that it briefly became a social phenomenon.

The lyrics, which sing about the three brothers’ personalities, daily lives, and feelings, are easy to remember, and I think kids today can enjoy singing it, too.

The next time you have skewered dango, why not give it a sing?

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sasashina

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Do-Re-Mi-Fa TrainHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi2rank/position

Doremi-Fa Train, with Mother

The ending theme of the puppet show “Doremifa Donuts!,” set on Donuts Island near Niko-Niko Island—the setting of the previous work “Niko Niko, Pun”—is “Doremifa Ressha.” The main vocals were performed by Kentarō Hayami, the 8th “Uta no Onii-san,” and Ayumi Shigemori, the 17th “Uta no Onee-san.” It’s a groovy, funky number featuring slap bass and cutting guitar.

As the title suggests, it uses many sound effects that evoke trains, such as locomotive whistles and chuffing steam sounds.

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Hamada Takuya

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Dango Three BrothersHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi3rank/position

With Mother / Dango Three Brothers

This song is a tango-style children’s tune released in 1999 as an original piece for NHK Educational TV’s “Okaasan to Issho.” A song about a trio of skewered dumpling siblings, it became a big hit along with its adorable characters.

The Sato–Uchino duo who created this song have also written and composed many songs for “PythagoraSwitch.”

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Beyond the rainbowHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi4rank/position

Beyond the Rainbow — Together with Mother, April 1996 Song

A rainbow arches across the sky after the rain.

“I wonder what lies beyond it?”—that’s exactly the kind of question every child can’t help but ask, isn’t it? Listening to this song, which sings of the sun after the rain and the warmth of a friend’s hand in yours, somehow makes your spirits feel brighter too.

Gather! SmilesHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi5rank/position

Gather Together! Smiles (With Mother) — Sung by NEUTRINO (with lyrics)

Atsumare! Egao (Gather, Smiles!) was released as the song for February 1999.

The lyrics and music were written by Kentaro Hayami, who was serving as the “Uta no Onii-san” at the time.

It’s such an uplifting tune that makes you want to grab a friend’s hand and start running! Children have all kinds of personalities—some can play with friends right away, while others have a hard time joining in or speaking up.

At times like that, how about singing this song together? It might be a chance to start caring more about other friends.

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sasashina

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Flamenco of the WindHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi6rank/position

Flamenco of the Wind

Set to an authentic flamenco melody, this song describes how it feels to be wobbly and weak from a cold.

It portrays a child’s feelings as they suffer through the hardships of a cold—sneezing, running a fever, feeling awful—yet still hating the idea of getting a shot.

Here and thereHayami Kentarō, Shigemori Ayumi7rank/position

Here and there

Holding hands is fun, and when our shoulders touch, it makes me happy.

If we fight, it makes me very sad, but when our eyes meet, we make up.

Listening to it as an adult, it starts to feel like it might actually be a song about first love—a gentle, tender-sounding piece.