Music

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Let’s sing Japanese songs in English –May. 2020
上を向いて歩こう(Uewo Muite Arukou)(SUKIYAKI)

上を向いて歩こう(Uewo Muite Arukou)
(SUKIYAKI)

Music by Nakamura Hachidai
Lyrics by Ei Rokusuke

English version:

“I’ll Keep My Head Up”
(Written by Hidekazu Morishima)

Way back in 1960’s, this song from Japan hit the No.1 position in U.S. Billboard chart under the song name “Sukiyaki”. Just at this time now, nearly 60 years later, it seems to be getting a renewed popularity all over.

Hot from oven, I have given English lyrics to it, and tried to sing from home – yes, staying home and singing from home, playing my keyboard.

In the original Japanese singing, a lot of “slurs” are used effectively, and I tried also to use the slurs here and there in my version to keep that kind of atmosphere in my “atmospheric translation”.

Having lived in New York area for 6 years back in 1990’s, I imaged NYC as the stage for the song (as you may have well guessed).

By the way, I fumbled a bit at the top of a humming (distracted by playing keyboard), but that’s pardoned, is it?

Enjoy your own singing!

(Photos contributed by my son, Toru Morishima, who lived in NYC)




上を向いて歩こう(I’ll Keep My Head Up High)

  • 永 六輔 作詞
  • 中村八大 作曲
  • 坂本 九 歌唱
  • English lyrics by Hidekazu Morishima

上を向いて歩こう 涙がこぼれないように
I’ll keep my head up high, comin’ out from my apartment,
So the tears may not spill on to the pavement.

思い出す春の日 一人ぼっちの夜
That spring day, still on my mind,
And all alone I walk and cry!

上を向いて歩こう にじんだ星を数えて
I’ll keep my head up high, lookin’ up at the dry sky,
Countin’ all the stars, blurrin’ in my eyes.

思い出す夏の日  一人ぼっちの夜
That summer day, still on my mind,
And all alone I walk and cry!

幸せは雲の上に  幸せは空の上に
There must be a love ‘yond the floating clouds,
There must be a luck in the sky – call out loud!

上を向いて歩こう 涙がこぼれないように
I’ll keep my head up high, listenin’ to someone whistle,
So the tears may not spill down like wet drizzles.

泣きながら歩く 一人ぼっちの夜
Tryin’ hold the tears, tryin’ reach the stars,
All alone I walk very far.

(口笛又はルルル...)
(Lu Lu Lu…. )

思い出す秋の日 一人ぼっちの夜
That autumn day, still on my mind,
All alone I walk in the night!

悲しみは星の陰に 悲しみは月の影に
Stars up there will drive away sorrow,
Moon up there will give a hope tomorrow!

上を向いて歩こう 涙がこぼれないように
I’ll keep my head up high, walkin’ barefoot in the park,
So the tears may not spill under the twinklin’ stars.

泣きながら歩く 一人ぼっちの夜 
Tryin’ hold the tears, tryin’ sing to Moon,
And all alone I walk, missing you.

一人ぼっちの夜
And all alone I walk, missing you…
Lu Lu Lu…

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