Kazuyoshi Saito’s masterpieces and popular songs

swallowtail (butterfly)Saitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito – Swallowtail [Music Video Short ver.]

Was it somewhere out on the street that you saw a 21-year-old woman singing and playing guitar? The 21-year-old her is singing today, the 22-year-old her, the 26-year-old her, and the 32-year-old her are all still singing today.

It sounds like an anthem that affirms and cheers on a singer-songwriter who keeps singing to such a “her,” saying “I Like You”—meaning, “I don’t dislike you.” Perhaps the swallowtail butterfly is a symbol of a being that can take flight into the sky.

rainbowSaitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito – Rainbow [Music Video Short ver.]

A rare four-on-the-floor dance number for Kazuyoshi Saito.

The raw tones of the electric guitar and bass oddly catch your ear, creating a sound that makes you want to ask, “How did you record this?” The deliberately lo-fi aesthetic gives it a monochrome feel, while the layered vocals and guitars build toward the latter half, evoking an image of heading toward a ‘rainbow.’

I won’t let myself cry.Saitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito – “I Won’t Cry” Music Video

Singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito, who has released numerous masterpieces that almost everyone has heard at least once—such as “Aruite Kaerou” and “Utautai no Ballad”—included the track “Naitetamarka” on his 22nd album, PINEAPPLE.

Its dreamy music video, filmed at the National Museum of Nature and Science, also became a hot topic.

The contrast between the rich ensemble of piano and strings and its upbeat melody gently envelops you during moments when you want to relax alone.

It’s a song with depth that’s also easy to sing calmly at karaoke, making it highly recommended.

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I want to be kinder.Saitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito – I Want to Be Kind [Live at Nippon Budokan 2012.2.11]

They have always had many hit songs, but since releasing “Yasashiku Naritai,” which was also used as a TV drama theme song in recent years, their momentum has been unstoppable.

Their husky, wistful singing voice is captivating, and they play a variety of instruments including piano and drums, with considerable skill on the guitar as well.

moonlightSaitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito “Tsukikage (Moon Shadow)” / soko piano solo with harmonica

Kazuyoshi Saito has many songs themed around the moon.

In “Kanojo,” he speaks to the moon, and in “Gekkou,” he even chooses it for the title.

What does “the moon’s shadow” refer to? I feel it might be projecting onto the shadowed part of the moon that sense of something that truly exists yet sometimes can be seen and sometimes can’t, something that looks different every day while the moon itself doesn’t actually change.

Mayonnaise in the mailboxSaitō Kazuyoshi

Mayonnaise on the Post (ROCK’N ROLL Recording Session 2023)

The tune is pure, down-and-dirty blues, but the lyrics are so psychedelic that it doesn’t go down easy.

It depicts things like harassment through silent phone calls, and it’s said to be based on a true story—apparently someone actually poured mayonnaise into their mailbox.

Where shall we go?Saitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito — Where Shall We Go

A philosophical song that seems to say it all in the very first line: “We think about where we’re headed tomorrow.” Then, in the second line, “More than that, let’s enjoy tonight more than anyone,” it immediately spoils that mood—in a way that feels very much like Secchan, I suppose (lol).

And even after enjoying tonight more than anyone, we still end up thinking about where we’re headed tomorrow—and we end up forgetting it, too.