The original Japanese title was considered too difficult for American audiences to remember and pronounce, therefore a word that people could associate with Japan (and was simple) was used - Sukiyaki, even though the word does not actually appear in the song.
In 1989 late slain singer Selena recorded Sukiyaki in her EMI album called Selena.
In the UK, it was the first ever Japanese language song to enter the charts, under the American assumed title "Sukiyaki". However it only went to number 6 with no further chart entries.
The actual word "Sukiyaki" refers to a popular Japanese dish usually containing beef and vegetables simmered in a pot containing water and sauce; despite this, it was still successful with non-Japanese speaking audiences.
The song was performed in English by the female RnB duo A Taste of Honey in 1981; the English version, which also told the story of a love gone wrong, was almost as big a hit as the original, reaching #3 on the Hot 100 and remaining on the Hot 100 chart for 24 weeks. Sukiyaki was brought back into the U.S. Top 10 once more by the R&B vocal group 4 P.M. (4 Positive Music) in 1994.
In 2000, solo violinist Diana Yukawa recorded Sukiyaki song on her bestselling debut album (known as Elegy in the UK and La Campanella in Japan). Diana also performed Sukiyaki various times on the mountainside where her father, Akihisa Yukawa, died in the Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash together with Sakamoto.
The English lyrics of the version recorded by A Taste of Honey are not a translation of the original Japanese lyrics but a completely different set of lyrics set to the same basic melody.
Sakamoto had only one other song reach the U.S. charts, China Nights (Shina no Yoru) (Capitol 5016), which peaked at #58 in 1963. His only American album, Sukiyaki and Other Japanese Hits (Capitol 10349), peaked at #14 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart (now known as the Billboard 200) in 1963 and remained on the Pop Albums chart for 17 weeks.
In the summer of 1963 Kyu went out on a world tour that lasted to the beginning of 1964. A few of the countries that he visited included the United States (including Hawaii), Germany, and Sweden. When Sakamoto visited the United States he was a guest on The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, he was supposed to be on The Ed Sullivan Show but it was cancelled due to the recording of his upcoming movie "Kyu chan no katana wo uite".
上を向いて歩こう
坂本九 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
涙がこぼれないように
思い出す 春の日
一人ぽっちの夜
上を向いて歩こう
にじんだ星をかぞえて
思い出す 夏の日
幸せは 雲の上に
幸せは 空の上に
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
泣きながら 歩く
一人ぽっちの夜
思い出す 秋の日
一人ぽっちの夜
悲しみは星のかげに
悲しみは月のかげに
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
泣きながら 歩く
一人ぽっちの夜
一人ぽっちの夜
坂本九's song "上を向いて歩こう" is a famous Japanese song that has gained popularity worldwide. The song is emotive and deeply moving, and the lyrics are a reflection of the human experience. The first verse begins with the singer stating that he walks with his face up to keep the tears from falling. He then remembers the spring days and the lonely nights he spent thinking about his life.
The second verse continues with the same theme, with the singer counting the tears he had shed while thinking about his summer days. He then sings about how happiness is found above, in the clouds and the sky. The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "上を向いて歩こう," which means "let's walk with our heads held high," and is a reminder to stay positive and hopeful.
The third verse focuses on the singer's memories of autumn and the sadness he experienced during his lonely nights. He then sings about how sadness is found under the stars and the moon. The final chorus is repeated twice and ends the song on a melancholic note, with the singer still walking alone at night.
Line by Line Meaning
上を向いて歩こう
Let's walk with our head held up high
涙がこぼれないように
So that tears won't fall from our eyes
思い出す 春の日
Remembering the days of spring
一人ぽっちの夜
On a lonely night
にじんだ星をかぞえて
Counting the stars that glitter
思い出す 夏の日
Remembering the days of summer
幸せは 雲の上に
Happiness is up in the clouds
幸せは 空の上に
Happiness is high up in the sky
泣きながら 歩く
Walking while crying
思い出す 秋の日
Remembering the days of autumn
悲しみは星のかげに
Sadness is in the shadows of the stars
悲しみは月のかげに
Sadness is in the shadows of the moon
Writer(s): 中村 八大, 永 六輔, 中村 八大, 永 六輔
Contributed by Jasmine I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-cq4lh2tq3e
歌詞
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
思い出す 春の日
一人ぽっちの夜
上を向いて歩こう
にじんだ星をかぞえて
思い出す 夏の日
一人ぽっちの夜
幸せは 雲の上に
幸せは 空の上に
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
泣きながら 歩く
一人ぽっちの夜
(口笛…)
思い出す 秋の日
一人ぽっちの夜
悲しみは星のかげに
悲しみは月のかげに
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
泣きながら 歩く
一人ぽっちの夜
一人ぽっちの夜
@user-te5jv7md5r
2024年の今も心にしみて泣いてしまっています
@user-oq8ou3qr3p
認知症で寝たきりの90歳の祖母がいました。
目も開けないし反応も全くないここ数年だったけど、入居する施設で祖母と私でイヤホン片方ずつつけ一緒に聴きました。
祖母の世代の歌謡曲メドレーを流していたのですが、この曲が流れると祖母が呼吸を荒くし突然泣き出しました。
その２日後、亡くなりました.....
今も泣き出したあの光景が忘れられません。
@user-uy8ii4uy5m
❤❤❤ 2024年、上を向いて歩きましょうよ ‼️ 🎉🎉🎉
@Hazure_metal
新年早々地震やら事故やらで散々だったけど、頑張りましょう！いいことあるといいですね
@user-od2mt6ff9g
１日１日大切に生きたいです❤
@user-ht2my6gi8m
はい！！
@user-nu3wn6os9i
それな。
@user-lo3cv9vw6k
頑張ろうな！
@FryFoo
私はイタリア人です。この歌が大好きです！
@user-vy4xj6ye7k
「心の瞳」（こころのひとみ）という歌もいいですよ。