[Feeling Despair] Classic Showa-era Songs with Dark Lyrics
There are many so-called classic songs from the Showa era, and these days you often hear them making a comeback on social media.
Among those Showa classics, I’ve gathered ones with especially dark lyrics and somber melodies.
They range from songs about heartbreak to lyrics steeped in despair about life, and even those that lament one’s upbringing—the shades of darkness vary widely.
Some are even a little frightening, perfect for those who want a bit of a chill.
When you feel despair and hit rock bottom, the only way left is up.
Sometimes it’s important to let yourself sink deeply into those feelings and fully immerse yourself.
- Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs.
- Heart-touching, tear-jerking masterpieces from the Showa era
- [Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces that depict various kinds of gloom.
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- A spine-chilling, terrifying song. Japanese music that evokes madness and horror.
- Cool songs from the Showa era. Masterpieces from Showa that shine with sensuality, passion, and rugged charm.
- A masterpiece that sings of loneliness. Recommended popular songs.
- Hidden gems of yami songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Just listening makes my chest tighten... Breakup songs recommended for the Yutori generation
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- A spine-chilling scary song: masterful tracks that evoke fear and eerie recommended songs
- When you can’t decide what to sing at karaoke: Easy-to-sing classic hits from the Showa era
[Feeling Despair] Classic Showa-Era Songs with Dark Lyrics (1–10)
night after nightKurahashi Yoeko
Yoeko Kurahashi is known for a style that blends jazz with Japanese popular ballads.
Her song Yonayona Yona portrays her tossing and turning at night, lost in troubling thoughts.
The psychological state is depicted quite realistically, so anyone who’s had similar experiences will likely feel it’s speaking directly to them.
Her uniquely distinctive vocal delivery is also a highlight.
It’s unlike any other singing style, so please give it a listen yourself.
Although the song expresses despair and may initially feel unsettling, it gradually becomes addictive.
curseYamazaki Hako
Since ancient times, people in Japan have feared “curses.” Some might even find the word itself unsettling.
A work themed around such curses is, fittingly, titled “Noroi” (“Curse”).
It’s a song released by Hako Yamasaki in 1976.
In the lyrics, a woman is depicted driving nails into a straw doll.
Pretty terrifying, right? But there’s also a theory that the person she’s trying to curse is actually herself.
Give it a careful listen and see what you think.
Orie’s SongYamazaki Hako
Another song I recommend for savoring a profound drama is Orie no Uta.
It’s a piece Hiroyuki Itsuki wrote specifically, inspired by the film The Gate of Youth.
It’s sung by Hako Yamazaki.
The story is set in 1970s Fukuoka, and the lyrics are written in the local dialect.
Another notable feature is the frequent appearance of personal and place names.
Simply knowing the place names will surely deepen your understanding of the lyrics.
And if you’re interested, check out the original film—the characters with the same names as in the song appear in it.
Spirit Boat (Shoro Nagashi)sadamasashi
Masashi Sada is one of Japan’s most iconic singers.
Based on the tumultuous first half of his life, he wrote “Shoro Nagashi” (Spirit Boat).
The title refers to a traditional Nagasaki ceremony for mourning the dead, and the lyrics express the sadness and emptiness Sada felt when he took part in it.
However, the song ends with words that look just a little toward the future.
By the way, the piece was created by Grape, the folk duo he was a member of.
Masami Yoshida’s vocals heighten the sense of wistfulness.
Showa BluesZa Burūberu Shingāzu
Have you ever found yourself dissatisfied with the circumstances you were born into? That state of mind is captured in “Showa Blues.” This song, performed by the Blue Bell Singers, was created as the theme for the film “Youth on the March — Sequel to The Young.” With a hard-edged blues feel, the lyrics unfold from the perspective of a man who curses the lot he was born to, yet struggles desperately against it.
Though the song carries a sense of despair, it also exudes a certain dandyism.
Give it a listen with an ear for its figurative expressions.