#rokusuke ei

[anamon-book]

奇人変人御老人　永六輔 理論社 ブックデザイン＝山下勇三

[voluptuarian]

Weekly World Music: “Ue o Muite Arukou” - Kyu Sakamoto

Released in Japan in 1961 and internationally in 1963, today’s song began  Japanese singer and actor Kyu Sakamoto’s long solo career in Japan, as well as making him the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

 According to Wikipedia, “the lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears will not fall. The verses of the song describe his memories and feelings. [Lyricist] Rokusuke Ei wrote this song while coming back from a protest against the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan and feeling dejected about the failure of the protest movement, but the lyrics were rendered purposefully generic so that they might refer to any lost love.”

The song was re-titled “Sukiyaki” for release in English-speaking countries, despite having no relevance to the song “because it was short, catchy, recognizably Japanese, and more familiar to English speakers. A Newsweek Magazine columnist noted that the re-titling was like issuing ‘Moon River’ in Japan under the title ‘Beef Stew’.”

English and Japanese lyrics included in the video. 

[anamon-book]

懐かしい恋人たち－映画とのめぐり逢い 永六輔 大和書房 装幀・イラスト＝吉村祥

[anamon-book]

旅行鞄はひとつ　永六輔 日本交通公社 装幀＝山口はるみ

[ghibli-collector]

Prominent Japanese lyricist Rokusuke Ei has died at the age of 83. The composer of Chinese descent was best known for his work on the 1963 worldwide smash hit Sukiyaki, which protested against continued US military presence. The song was released in 1961 and topped the US Billboard charts, selling more than 13m copies worldwide and more recently served as one of the main themes in Studio Ghibli's 2011 film From Up On Poppy Hill set in 1960's Japan. Relatives said Mr Ei suffered from Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer and died peacefully at home.

[vispoetica-blog]