sukiyaki

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It's so pretty!

Can anybody think of anything else this simple and sweet and much covered?

― Jacob (Jacob), Sunday, 18 April 2004 08:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

I love it too, but has it been covered that much?

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 18 April 2004 09:25 (9 years ago) Permalink

it's been a while since i've heard it, but i recall strongly disliking Seam's cover of it

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 18 April 2004 09:33 (9 years ago) Permalink

A friend of ours was a close friend of Sakamoto Kyu who died in a plane crash. I love these old Japanese songs, I especially like how they break stretch the words to fit the rhythm. I still don't know why they call it Sukiyaki here because it's a sad love song.

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Sunday, 18 April 2004 09:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well, typical American ethnocentrism, really:

Why the title Sukiyaki? The explanation is simple: intercultural ignorance. Western DJs needed a song title that was at once easily pronounceable and associated with Japan. So, "Sukiyaki" was it, even though the word is not mentioned in the song

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 April 2004 12:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

Heh, although double-checking in my Billboard Book of One Hit Wonders, the blame more accurately should fall on the English:

Sakamoto's top 40 moment was largely due to Louis Benjamin, then the head of England's Pye Records. While visiting Japan on business, Benjamin heard Kyu's ode and brought it home for his new artist, jazzman Kenny Ball, to record. The lyrics were dumped. Figuring no one in the world would touch a tune with a title like "Ue O Muite Aruko," Benjamin decided to name the record after one of his favorite culinary delights.

The rerecording got some airplay, but some DJs in Seattle started playing the original in response and it went over better, but the retitling stuck...and there you go.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 April 2004 12:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

Oh, and double checking the link I made above, there's a translation of the lyrics there too.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 April 2004 13:03 (9 years ago) Permalink

Hmmm....I have this 45 kicking about somewhere. We used to love listening to it as kids.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Sunday, 18 April 2004 22:57 (9 years ago) Permalink

Wonderful orchestration.

When the song aired originally, I had no clue as to it's meaning, but I was able to comprehend the sadness of it all.

Then it got bumped from #1 by Easier Said Than Done. That's new thread material.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well as far as I know it's been covered by:

4pm - harmonised soul
Cover Girls - rnb
Slick Rick sings it on "La di da di"
It definitely gets done acappella by a few rnb acts, but can't think of specific examples right now
Loads of easy listening, "music for lovers" covers
A number of jazz covers
The ventures covered it
There's a 30 second squeezebox version of it on a Styx live album

Cover Girls version up on my blog

― Jacob (Jacob), Monday, 19 April 2004 01:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

Amazing. Thanks. Forgot about Slick Rick.

Also, A Taste of Honey had a big hit with it in the early '80s.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 19 April 2004 05:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

At the Sapporo Snow Festival this past February, I saw two Elvis impersonators -- one Caucasian, one Japanese -- performing a duet of "Sukiyaki" in front of a giant snow rendition of Japanese-baseball-hero-turned-NY-Yankee Hideki Matsui, sitting cross-legged before a giant snow rendition of the New York City skyline. It was just as bizarre as it sounds.

― John Fredland (jfredland), Monday, 19 April 2004 10:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

I recall long ago, probably post-Slick Rick, some rough-voiced MC breaking into it dance-hall stylee. Any guesses?

― briania, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

I love this song!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:33 (7 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

I love this song!

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 27 May 2008 06:53 (4 years ago) Permalink

Proto-Jpop!

― roxymuzak, Tuesday, 27 May 2008 07:19 (4 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

I love this song!

― musically, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 01:17 (6 months ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

This song used to be on this cute little music box my parents had when I was a child. I had no idea it was a big song until they played it on NPR this morning!

― Poliopolice, Saturday, 23 March 2013 03:47 (1 month ago) Permalink

The greatest!

― Late night with Amazing Bo (MaresNest), Saturday, 23 March 2013 12:32 (1 month ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

― ḉrut (crüt), Wednesday, 8 May 2013 17:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink

I love this song!

― ḉrut (crüt), Wednesday, 8 May 2013 17:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink

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