Uplifting songs recommended for people in their 60s: classic and popular Japanese hits

Scat at DawnYuki Saori

Saori Yuki - Dawn Scat

This is a single released by Saori Yuki in March 1969.

As the title suggests, the first verse is entirely scat with no lyrics.

However, the second verse has normal lyrics.

The lyricist is Michio Yamagami, who won the Lyricist Award at the Japan Record Awards.

Burn, you fine womantsuisuto

Burn, you fine woman

For men in their 60s, rock bands were likely an important part of the pages of their youth.

Among them, many probably felt their hearts race at the full-on masculinity of The TWIST’s sound.

That’s why I recommend “Moero Iiyo-na” (“Burn, Lovely Woman”).

Sera Masanori is known for his striking shouts, but he keeps them moderate on this track.

The range spans mid1 C# to hi A, which is on the slightly wider side for a male song, but not unmanageable—adjust the key and you should be able to sing it without trouble.

It’s a surefire crowd-pleaser, so consider adding it to your repertoire.

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Dream GuideYamaguchi Momoe

Momoe Yamaguchi - Dream Guide

Momoe Yamaguchi, the legendary idol who left behind many timeless hits.

If you’re in your 60s, regardless of gender, you’ve probably heard her voice.

Among her songs, one I especially recommend for being both exciting and easy to sing is Yumesaki Annainin (Dream Guide).

It’s a bright, quintessentially Showa-era tune, yet the vocal line is very simple, with no phrases that require complex pitch movements.

If you want to liven things up with a song brimming with classic Showa charm, definitely add this one to your repertoire.

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The Maiden with Flaxen HairVillage Singers

The flaxen-haired maiden Village Singers

It’s a single released by the Village Singers in February 1968, which peaked at No.

7 on the Oricon chart.

It was also used as the theme song for the youth information program “Young 720.” Hitomi Shimatani’s cover version is well known as well.

ULTRA SEVENji ekōzu

ULTRASEVEN (Toshiba Records Ver.)

Ultra Seven is one of the most popular entries in the Ultra Series, and it began airing in 1967.

The Echoes’ song “ULTRA SEVEN” is an insert track that was used in scenes such as when the Ultra Guard mobilizes.

Ruby RingTerao Akira

Ruby No Yubiwa

Akira Terao has been hugely successful not only as an actor but also as a singer.

While he isn’t necessarily known for exceptional vocal power, his smooth vocals born from his low voice are highly appealing and have produced several hit songs.

Among them, the particularly popular piece is Ruby no Yubiwa (Ruby Ring).

Although the song features a very low range down to low G, its highest note is only B3, so most people should be able to sing it.

The melody contains many repetitions and the vocal line doesn’t demand much volume, so as long as you keep your pitch accurate, you can aim for a high score.

However, your score will drop if you miss notes during the key change in the latter half, so if you’re not confident in your pitch, be sure to practice repeatedly.

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Small snackPurple Shadows

Small Snack: Purple Shadows

This single by The Purple Shadows, released in March 1968, reached a peak position of No.

2 on the Oricon weekly chart.

A film of the same name was also made that year.

It was later covered by Haruomi Chikada & Haruophone.