My Showa Kayou 2　　"SUKIYAKI" 1961

Japanese Title　"Ue o Muite Arukou"
It's okay to walk while looking up.
The roads in the Showa era were straight.

My husband recently eradicated Showa era music from his life. It's because he despises the lyricist Rokusuke Ei. He also hates the baby boomer generation who, in his words, spit upwards.

Well, I love the songs by professional lyricists and composers of the Showa era, and that's a different matter. My memories can't be erased. Hmph.

Why did the unprecedented hit song 'Ue o Muite Arukou' become number one on the American charts? I wonder if it was because the 47-step scale sounded Christmassy, or maybe because Kyu-chan's voice and singing style seemed jazzy.

I like Kyu-chan's energetic singing in songs like 'Jenka,' 'Clap Your Hands If You're Happy,' and 'Ashita ga Arusa,' but I also loved the way he started singing late in an enka-like style, giving him the appearance of a troubled young man.

Moreover, his pronunciation of 'Ue o Muite Arukou' sounded like mysterious words that weren't Japanese.

Above all, the part where the 'ha' in the second 'shiawase wa' drops half a tone. It seems that Hachidai Nakamura, who heard Kyu-chan's mistake, liked it and left it as it was.

I practiced whistling because of this song. Every night, I would practice under my blanket until I could whistle. At that time, it was considered improper for girls to whistle, so I practiced in secret. Even at 67 years old, I have never whistled in public. Though I can do it quite well.

Well, I once met and talked with Kyu-chan. It was on the air at NHK FM Yokohama Station.

I had applied for the Young Music Festival hosted by NHK, passed the local competition, and appeared on the main broadcast on General TV. It was probably a program where they invited and interviewed the participants.

At that time, I had become a middle school music teacher, so I had no dreams of debuting as a singer. I talked about it like a hobby, like old memories.

But Kyu-chan was perfect. He didn’t make an amateur like me feel nervous, and you could sense his manners and sincerity in the conversation. I was impressed. From that moment, I became a fan of Kyu-chan.

As expected from a man who appeared on a popular American show at the age of 21.

Not long after that, the plane Kyu-chan was on crashed. It was a shock.

I continued to teach seriously at a public junior high school. Of course, I taught music. Junior high schools have choir competitions as part of their events. Usually, the songs are standard. However, that year, I wanted my class to sing a new song.

In the grade I transferred to, I felt like an outsider. Naturally, the students were attached to the teachers who had been with them since their first year. Those who ended up in my class in their third year felt like they had drawn the 'losing ticket.' It was tough. But it was my job.

For this class, I arranged 'Sukiyaki,' sung by a vocal group of four, into a three-part mixed choir piece. The result was...

As time passes, everything becomes a good memory.

After repeated transfers, reaching retirement age, and rehiring, I am now working part-time at that same school. I am teaching the children of the students from those days.

The first-year textbook includes 'Ue o Muite Arukou.'

I cannot read or write in English.
This text has been translated by ChatGPT.
I haven't edited it, so there may be some strange parts.

【Japanese Version of the Article】