50 years of "Sukiyaki"

[Samurai_Jerk]

kyuSakamoto.jpg

Bittersweet At No. 1: How A Japanese Song Topped The Charts In 1963

Fifty years ago today, the No. 1 song in America was an import from Japan: a song about young love called "Sukiyaki," sung by Kyu Sakomoto.

Ian Condry, who teaches Japanese culture at MIT, says "Sukiyaki" transcended language because it hit an emotional nerve. The song spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in June 1963 and was already a huge hit in Japan before its American debut. But what most listeners in the U.S. probably didn't realize was how it symbolized Japan's return to the world stage.

[Coligny]

Fifty years ago today, the No. 1 song in America was an import from Japan: a song about young love called "Sukiyaki," sung by Kyu Sakomoto.

Ian Condry, who teaches Japanese culture at MIT, says "Sukiyaki" transcended language because it hit an emotional nerve. The song spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in June 1963 and was already a huge hit in Japan before its American debut. But what most listeners in the U.S. probably didn't realize was how it symbolized Japan's return to the world stage.

Irrelevant cultural glitches in billboard charts...

Symbol of japan whatever ?

I thought MIT had standards for people working for them in teaching position...

toyota sales in front of GM is a symbol of japan (sumthing sumthing) Camrys don't sell on their good look. And for more than 3 weeks unfortunately.
American kids buying records... Not so much...

Wonder what this guy would say aboot amuro slaughterfest with TLC... Or what his british culture buddy would say aboot Lady Gaga... Those guys make phrenologist look like real scientists...

[JAVGOD]

he is talking about 1963. I remember by 1965 I was puking in to plastic bowls from Japan. It was the first wave of cheap crap from emerging economies I can think of after ww2.

[Coligny]

he is talking about 1963. I remember by 1965 I was puking in to plastic bowls from Japan. It was the first wave of cheap crap from emerging economies I can think of after ww2.

You puking into japanese made bowls is easily umpteen braziliun time more relevant toward japanese economic revival than Joe Tanaka and his guitar... With these guys approach maybe we should consider Psy Gangnam style as... "Whatever sumthing sumthing feel good bullshit so they don't feel like wasting their life teaching useless crap"

Seriously, selecting a 3 weeks top of the chart position as being a symbol for a totally different and unrelated economic turnover is borderline on academic fraud.

If they wanted a real cultural symbol, what about the early production of GI joe toys that were delocalized in japan thanks to the cheap manual workers.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

If they wanted a real cultural symbol, what about the early production of GI joe toys that were delocalized in japan thanks to the cheap manual workers.

Actually, Japan's economic "miracle" arose through restarting its war production machine and turning it into a mass military producer (despite a Constitution in which it renounces the ability to wage war). Pretty much everything else stems from that...

[Coligny]

Same goes for Germany... If you have the know how to make cars with guns on them, when come peace time you can make cars without guns on them... (when you finished rebuilding them factories).
Notice the other similarities: They also build their own boats, their own lineups of MBT (Leopard and Type 90, with now the new "aww shit nothing good can come out of this" Type-10) But didn't really design their own plane until a bit later (if you consider Eurofighter and Mitsu F2 as being at least partially designed)

(Now seriously, If someone knows what those > marks on MBT's means... I'm a taker...)

[Samurai_Jerk]

Seriously, selecting a 3 weeks top of the chart position as being a symbol for a totally different and unrelated economic turnover is borderline on academic fraud.

I think the guy is just spewing a bunch of pseudo intellectual academic horseshit too. However, your misrepresenting what he said. He said it was a symbol to the Japanese which it may very well have been. Remember the song was already a hit in Japan and think about how excited they still get when anything or anyone Japanese is a hit overseas no matter how minor or short lived.

[Coligny]

Seriously, selecting a 3 weeks top of the chart position as being a symbol for a totally different and unrelated economic turnover is borderline on academic fraud.

I think the guy is just spewing a bunch of pseudo intellectual academic horseshit too. However, your misrepresenting what he said. He said it was a symbol to the Japanese which it may very well have been. Remember the song was already a hit in Japan and think about how excited they still get when anything or anyone Japanese is a hit overseas no matter how minor or short lived.

I didn't read the full article and therefore based my though on this quoted line

But what most listeners in the U.S. probably didn't realize was how it symbolized Japan's return to the world stage.

Which I didn't understood as being seen as symbol just for the japanese. In which case, it would be more inline with the usual warm and fuzzy cool aid the Japanese love so much, rather than a cringe worthy academic fraud. And after all, if a top chart classement from a siruppy singer can make them feel good and have them make cars and VCR instead of blowing shit up in the south pacific, give the guy a medal...
Which is a bit funny, because the Japanese love for Mireille Matthieu, Alain Delon and Nana Mouskouri is an endless source of shame and embarassement...

AND DON'T BRING Plastic Bertrand again...

We also had the Rita Mitsuko

Negresses Vertes (green niggers)

and les garcons boucher (butcher boys)

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

This remains the biggest-selling Australian single of all time. It will probably remain that way....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaddap_You_Face

Give me Sukiyaki to raise national pride any day....

[Coligny]

d00d, cry me a river:

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

d00d, cry me a river:

I don't particularly like her music, but the woman is a legend. I admire the fuck out of her (and she even lets Frenchies fuck her!)

[J.A.F.O]

I lost a bet about this song being japanese originally... When something's jap they don't freaking forget it. Kinda like if something makes it big in america like Ichiro HOLY FUCK! its part of the national psyche.

Kinda reminds me of the whistling in this "retro" tune though

remix is better though

[Mod edit - fixed your YouTube links. You only need the ID number to embed the vid - not the whole link. ]

[J.A.F.O]

Um yea... youtube links... cut n paste I guess