[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)
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.
See ya.Naoko Ken
One kind of despair many people experience is heartbreak.
The deeper your love for the other person, the greater the shock, right? That’s why I want you to listen to “Abayo.” It’s a song performed by Naoko Ken, written for her by Miyuki Nakajima.
It portrays a woman who, though heartbroken after being dumped by the love of her life, puts on a brave face.
The expressive power that delicately conveys this woman’s complex feelings is breathtaking.
The story grows sadder as it progresses toward the end, so please listen closely.
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.
[Feeling Despair] Classic Showa-Era Songs with Dark Lyrics (11–20)
Our FailureMorita Doji
Among songs that evoke a sense of despair, there are also some that carry a certain warmth.
With that in mind, I’d like to introduce “Bokutachi no Shippai” (“Our Failure”).
This song was released by Doji Morita in 1976.
It sings of the sadness and regret of a couple who had been living together but ended up breaking up.
However, because it also conveys a deep love, it may feel warm at the same time.
Incidentally, the lyrics include many phrases that can serve as gateways to learning about 1970s culture.
If you come across anything unfamiliar, try researching it.
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.
If I Had Two LivesInoue Yosui
Have you ever felt like you wanted to start your life over? If so, there’s a song I’d love you to hear: “If I Could Live Twice.” It’s a track from Yosui Inoue’s first album.
Sung from a young man’s perspective, it wonders what meaning his aging father’s and mother’s lives have had, and whether they harbor regrets.
The raw guitar sound seems to reflect the turmoil in the young man’s heart.
Also, pay attention to a certain audio moment near the end—it’s enough to bring a lump to your throat.
The Woman of MetamorphosisTogawa Jun
This song wishes to become as lowly as an insect for the sake of a loved one.
From its devoted expressions of love, the lyrics reveal an extreme that might send chills down anyone’s spine.
The performer is Jun Togawa, who blazed through the music scene of the 1980s.
The track appears on the classic album “Tamahime-sama,” released in January 1984, and later served as an insert song in the film Helter Skelter.
The way single-minded love turns into madness may feel less like affection and more like a curse.
Listen to it on Halloween night, and you may find yourself drawn into its uniquely chilling world.