[Recommended for people in their 70s] Classic nostalgic hits: A collection of youth songs
If you’re in your 70s, there’s a good chance you have a deep attachment to songs from the 1960s and 70s.
The music you listened to in your youth stays in your heart, and once you hear it, you can’t help but hum along.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of youth songs we’d love people in their 70s to hear.
We’ve chosen a variety of tracks, mainly from the 60s and 70s, so take your time listening as you look back on memories from those days.
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Recommended for those in their 70s: Classic nostalgic hits. A collection of youth songs (81–90)
Ringo OiwakeMisora Hibari
This masterpiece gracefully portrays a farewell scene alongside the landscapes of Tsugaru.
With white clouds floating over Mount Iwaki, peaches and cherry blossoms, and early-blooming flowers as the backdrop, a fragile, aching sentiment—like petals dancing in the moonlight—touches the heart.
Hibari Misora beautifully conveys a lyrical world through her distinctive melodic phrasing infused with elements of folk songs and enka, and her deeply expressive singing.
Released in May 1952, the piece was produced as an insert song for the radio drama “Ringoen no Shōjo” (The Apple Orchard Girl) the same year, and was later chosen as the theme song when it was adapted into a film.
It achieved an astonishing 700,000 sales and is known as one of Hibari Misora’s signature songs.
Highly recommended for those who cherish deep memories in their hearts or wish to experience the charm of traditional Japanese popular music.
12th graderFunaki Kazuo
This is a masterpiece whose nostalgic, march-like melody and warm vocals—enveloping the bittersweet farewell of youth—resonate deeply.
It begins with the scene of the setting sun reflected on the school building, moves through images of boys and girls dancing a folk dance, and gently depicts the end of high school life with memories shared among friends before parting.
Released in June 1963 as Kazuo Funaki’s debut single, it became a massive hit, selling over one million copies within a year.
In November of the same year, a film of the same title was produced, with Funaki himself in the starring role.
It’s a song I’d recommend to those who cherish memories of their youth or feel nostalgic for their school days.
Why not give it a listen in the springtime, when you want to spend your days with a calm and peaceful heart?
Because the moon is so very blueSugawara Totoko
Totoko Sugawara, known for her distinctive, wistful vibrato, was called the Queen of Elegy and is also famous as the very first singer to perform on NHK’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen, which everyone knows.
She moved to Tokyo at the age of nine for an audition, where her talent blossomed, and together with her father, the composer Akira Mutsu, she released numerous masterpieces.
Her signature song, “Tsuki ga Tottemo Aoi Kara” (Because the Moon Is So Very Blue), became a million-selling hit in an era when the music market was much smaller than it is today, making her a household name across Japan.
For many seniors, it’s a song right at the heart of their youthful days, so it could be a great choice for recreational activities or background music in senior care facilities.
Please give me wingsakai tori
A moving classic that sings of young people’s pure desire for freedom and the wish to live true to oneself.
The beautiful harmonies by Akai Tori are striking, and the blend of lyrics by Mito Yamagami and melody by Kunihiko Murai is superb.
Released in February 1971 as the B-side to “Takeda no Komoriuta,” it was also included on the album Takeda no Komoriuta released in July of the same year.
Since 1997, it has been used as a cheer song for Japan’s national soccer team and was also chosen as the theme song for the film Whisper of the Heart.
This song teaches the importance of holding onto dreams and hopes from childhood while continuing to move toward them.
It’s a recommended track for when you want to release pent-up feelings or take a new step forward.
Smiling Backkyandīzu
This is a song with a nostalgic, dramatic atmosphere that warmly wraps around your heart.
Released in February 1978, the final single by Candies sparked a huge response, reaching No.
1 on the Oricon chart.
With its bright, upbeat melody and lyrics that resonate deeply, the song is perfect for humming along to and for sharing fond memories.
We hope it helps everyone spend a delightful time together, accompanied by feelings of nostalgia.
Tokyo CachitoFuranku Nagai
It’s a classic of mood kayō that has continued to be loved as a Showa-era masterpiece.
Set against the backdrop of nights in Akasaka, the song portrays the bittersweetness of adult love with an urban sensibility.
Frank Nagai’s alluring low voice richly conveys the feelings of a man troubled by love.
Released in October 1960, the single featured “Arcade Blues” on the B-side.
As a leading presence in the mood kayō boom of the time, it was cherished by many.
It’s a song I’d recommend as a fun karaoke pick to sing with friends, along with fond memories.
[Recommended for those in their 70s] Nostalgic classics: A collection of youth songs (91–100)
Memories of the Little FingerItō Yukari
Known as one of Yukari Ito’s signature songs, this piece beautifully captures the tender stirrings of youthful love through its delicate vocals and poignant lyrics.
Released in February 1967, it became a major hit, surpassing one million copies sold by the end of the year.
It earned the Vocal Performance Award at the Japan Record Awards that same year and was also performed on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Its lyrics, which delicately depict both the ache and warmth of love through memories engraved on a little finger, resonate deeply.
When you feel like looking back on precious memories with someone special, give it a listen—it will surely fill you with a gentle nostalgia and warm your heart.