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Ue O Muite Arukō
, alternatively titled "Sukiyaki", is a song by Japanese crooner Kyu Sakamoto, first released in Japan in 1961. The song topped the charts in a number of countries, including the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1963. The song grew to become one of the world's best-selling singles of all time, selling over 13 million copies worldwide. Composition " Ue o Muite Arukō" () was written by lyricist Rokusuke Ei and composer Hachidai Nakamura. The lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears will not fall, with the verses describing his memories and feelings. Ei wrote the lyrics while walking home from participating in the 1960 Anpo protests against the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, expressing his frustration and dejection at the failed efforts to stop the treaty. However, the lyrics were purposefully generic so that they might refer to any lost love. The English-language lyrics of the version recorded by A Taste of Honey are not a tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyu Sakamoto
was a Japanese singer and actor. He was best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Arukō" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. He was also the first Japanese artist to have a number one single on the Australian singles chart. Sakamoto was killed on 12 August 1985 in the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123, along with 519 others on board the flight. Life and career Early years: 1941–1949 Childhood in Kawasaki and Kasama Sakamoto was born on 10 December 1941, in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, to Hiroshi Sakamoto, a cargo tender officer, and his second wife, Iku. He was the youngest of his father's nine children, which is why he was nicknamed , meaning "lil nine". Kyū is also an alternate reading of the ''k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
