Ue o Muite Aruko (Sukiyaki)
This is biggest of Sakamoto Kyu. The song is popularly known as Sukiyaki in English speaking countries. I like melodic beauty of music. Credit for the song’s popularity also due to music by Hachidai Nakamura and lyrics by Ryousuke Ei. It is said that the song was written when his heart was broken with actress Meiko Nakamura.
The song was released in Japan in 1961. A penpal friend of US based DJ send record of “Ue o Muite Aruko”. Later in 1963 it topped US billboard charts for 3 weeks. It also reached no. 2 popular song in UK. Louis Benjamin the head of UK’s Pye records heard it and bought it over. He decided to include it in his Jazz group led by Kenny Ball. He needed a song title that easily pronounceable and associated with Japan. He knew only two Japanese word Sayonara (Good bye) and Sukiyaki (Japanese food). The group was sitting in a Chinese restaurant and deciding song title and they decided on Sukiyaki.
Sakamoto Kyu was born on 10th Novmber 1941 in Kawasaki city, Kanagawa prefecture. He made his show business debute in 1960. Affectionately he was nicknamed Q-chan for his sincerity and charming smile. Sadly and prematurely, got killed in plane crash bound from Haneda to Osaka on 12th August 1985. His other popular songs ‘Ashita ga Arusa’, ‘Shiawase Nara Te o Tatako’, ‘Migaete Goran Sora no Hoshi O’. Sakamoto Kyu Memorial Hall
The reason why like this song is due to its resemblance to style of songs in Marathi. This nice and simple song reminds me of song type “Bhava Geet” (Emotional song).
Cheers,
Dinesh
I was senior of university in 1963.I heared this song from American Forces Korean Network radio at first.The radio program was "top tune show"_ranking 1-10 of billboard chart.this song became my favorite,but i could'nt hear it for about 40years.