Hit and popular songs by Kenji Sawada
Let me introduce the songs of Kenji Sawada, a male singer who represents the Showa era.
Even if you didn’t listen to them in real time, you’ve probably heard several of his songs at least once, such as “Katte ni Shiyagare” and “TOKIO.”
Kenji Sawada began his career in the 1960s, during the heyday of Group Sounds, debuting as the lead vocalist of The Tigers, a central band in the Group Sounds scene.
His nickname is “Julie,” which is said to come from the fact that he was a fan of the actress Julie Andrews.
Now, please enjoy these masterpieces that dominated the Showa-era pop scene.
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Kenji Sawada's Famous and Popular Songs (31–40)
From Yamato with lovesawada kenji
The 24th single.
It was produced as the ending theme for the animated feature film Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love, released in August 1978, and a slightly different arrangement was used in the movie itself.
The lyrics never include words like “space battleship” or “Yamato,” making it a purely romantic ballad.
Oh! Galsawada kenji
This was their 27th single, and it effectively put a period on the long-running collaboration between Aki and Ohno.
In performances, he wore a costume modeled after a cruise ship captain—the setting of the song’s lyrics—and sang while holding a lit cigarette.
According to Sawada himself, it’s “the song I dislike the most,” likely because its style was far removed from the dandyism he had been pursuing up to that point.
Love is a nuisance.sawada kenji
Julie’s ninth single, released in 1974.
It reached No.
4 on the Oricon chart.
A tight, thrilling rock number built around a simple band sound and piano.
With its straightforward melody, it lets you fully savor Julie’s coolness.
Do not stop; do not look back.sawada kenji
Released in 1976, this was the single that followed “Tokino Sugiyuku Mama ni.” Like his biggest hit “Tokino Sugiyuku Mama ni,” it was created by the golden duo of lyricist Yū Aku and composer Katsuo Ōno.
However, it peaked at only No.
8 on the Oricon charts and became a hidden gem overshadowed by that masterpiece.
A heart full of sorrowsawada kenji
This is Julie’s seventh single, released in 1973.
It was recorded in London.
Starting with an intro that could be mistaken for enka, it’s a rock ballad.
Julie delivers the triplet-based melody sweetly and with plenty of emotion.
Kenji Sawada’s famous and popular songs (41–50)
Goodbye with a winksawada kenji
The 16th single.
With lyrics provided by Yumi Arai, who was approaching the peak of her career as an artist, it turned into a light, upbeat pop number with rhythms and choral work reminiscent of “Rouge no Dengon.” Incidentally, it was Katsumi Kahashi, a former ally of Sawada’s, who gave Yumi Arai the opportunity to debut as a composer when she was 17.
LOVE I want to hold you tightsawada kenji
As her 25th single, it won the Best Vocal Performance at the 20th Japan Record Awards and the Broadcast Music Award at the 9th Japan Kayō Awards.
Since the previous single was essentially a tie-in song used as a film insert, this was effectively the follow-up to “Darling.” Unusually long for the time at over five minutes, it featured vivid scene-setting, reinforced by staging in which she wore a black coat and had blood-stained bandages on her hand.
At the 29th Kōhaku Uta Gassen, she closed the show, overturning the convention that the finale is reserved for a grand master of enka.