Showa-era masterpieces roundup: A must-listen collection of nostalgic oldies and hit songs

Love me to the bone.Jō Takuya

Love Me To The Bone — Takuya Shiro

This song, his breakthrough work after changing his name from Masao Kikuchi to Takuya Jō, made a huge impact with the striking expression “Ai shite hone made” (Love Me to the Bone) and became a massive hit, selling 1.4 million copies.

The lyricist and his uncle, Yasunori Kawauchi, once again played a key role here.

Let there be good weather tomorrow.Nakajima Miyuki

Let there be good weather tomorrow.

This is a song by Miyuki Nakajima that gently stands by those who find themselves slipping into pessimistic thinking.

Released in March 1981 as her 10th single, it was cut from the acclaimed album “Rin’getsu” (Full Moon).

While the lyrics say she likes the rain, they also wish for clear skies tomorrow; in them, you can see a brave figure who, even while carrying anxiety, doesn’t want to let go of a modest hope.

It’s a track full of quiet charm that, on a downcast day, doesn’t try to cheer you up by force but instead warms your heart softly.

clownNakajima Miyuki

clown

This is a masterpiece by Miyuki Nakajima, whose melancholy waltz melody seeps deep into the heart.

Released in September 1979 as part of the single “Revival,” the song portrays a protagonist bound by unforgettable memories of love, trying to dull the pain with alcohol.

The way they hide their true sorrow and carry themselves with composure makes them seem like a lonely clown.

The piece is also known as a song provided to actor Jinhachi Nezu and has been covered by artists such as Naoko Ken.

It’s a track that quietly stays by the side of a solitary heart on nights when one cannot take a step forward from memories of the past.

TemptationNakajima Miyuki

Temptation

This work portrays a precarious, tumultuous love that feels as if reason’s brakes are about to fail.

It’s Miyuki Nakajima’s 12th single, released in April 1982, and it reached No.

2 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The song powerfully conveys, over a tense melody, the clash between a swelling, forbidden longing and the desperate effort of reason to keep it in check.

It was first included on the acclaimed album “Miyuki Nakajima THE BEST.” When you’re tormented by a forbidden love and overwhelmed by helpless feelings, listening to it seems to gently stay by your side in that pain.

Twilight feels lonely.N.S.P

N.S.P "Yūgure-doki wa Sabishisō" ("Dusk Feels Lonely")

Released in 1974 (Showa 49).

The three-member group hails from Iwate Prefecture and formed a band during their high school years.

They were regarded as representatives of lyrical folk and enjoyed enduring popularity.

This song was inspired by a river in Iwate, the members’ home prefecture, and it conveys a pleasant sense of wholesome, rustic simplicity and innocence in the best sense.

The Drunkard Has ReturnedThe Folk Crusaders

The Drunkard Has Returned

This somewhat bizarre song is the debut single by The Folk Crusaders from 1967.

With its sped-up, peculiar vocals and unusual lyrics, it’s a track you won’t forget once you hear it.

However, there are parodies (homages) to foreign artists throughout, so it can’t be simply categorized as an odd folk song.

It was rainy again in Nagasaki today.Uchiyamada Hiroshi to Cool Five

Nagasaki Was Rainy Again Today (High Quality) — Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five

Showa-era songs often included many local-themed tunes, and this one drew attention because its title was unusual.

While many songs of the time were mellow mood numbers sung tenderly, Kiyoshi Maekawa’s powerful vocals were also a factor in its success.

Although Maekawa is often seen as the quiet type, he also ventured into comedy sketches with Kinichi Hagimoto, and this different side of him became popular.