More Songs from 1950s Japan (and Japan's 1st Ever Music Video?) - Vol. 2

Yesterday's time trip to 1950's Japan was such a smash hit that, in Japanese tradition, it's time to release a volume two! I am often surprised by how, in Japan, an artist will be popular for just a few years (present stars in this article excluded) and then a greatest hits album will be released! How do they do that? I've seen artists that were popular for just two or three years (I'm reminded of the Barbee Boys of the 1980s) and released 5 albums in that time and, when their popularity sinks, they release a greatest hits album (which is usually a sign in Japan that they are no longer popular and at the end of their career - well, at least on the charts!)

Shizuko Kasagi

Well that's totally different than today's first artist up. Her name is Shizuko Kasagi and she was known as Japan's "Queen of Boogie" music in the 1950s. So popular was she that there is actually a theatrical show named for her and depicts her life! I found this particular video as it is from a movie and it could be japan's very first music "video"? Where was MTV Japan in 1950???!!! This song is called "Kaimono Boogie" which is very prescient for post war Japan as it translates into, "Shopping Boogie." (There's some awesome old radios at about 2:50 into the video!)

There was a girl in the late 1950s and early 60s who used to sing with lots of different artists and she had a string of massive sellers. Her name was Sachiko Tama.

Sachiko Tama and Hiroshi Wada and the Mahina Stars

The jacket above is one song she did with this next group but I'd like to introduce what was their biggest hit. This song was a monster hit in 1961 in Japan. It is still a favorite on TV shows and is covered by many artists even today and still sung in every Karaoke club in Japan nightly. It's Sachiko Tama and Hiroshi Wada with the Mahina Stars and the song is entitled, "Kita Kami Ya Kyoku."

Next, hard to believe... It was just like yesterday that I was born... 1957 (Stop that booing!) This next song is not from then but 1958.

Kazuo Shirane... The left photo from the late 50s with a definite Elvis Presley thing going

It's Kazuo Shirane and "Seishun wa Kumo no Kanata ni" (Youth is Beyond the Clouds)... I think this is a song about how the young people of Japan died in the war... (Lots of Enka songs are about sad things and life's struggles - especially if they are from the era just after World War II).

Finally, Japan was royally messed up after the war, of course, and music was one of the small pleasures in life. One of the best and most favored artists immediately after the war was Akiko Futaba.

Akiko Futaba

This is her smash hit song from 1948 entitled, "Yuume Yo Mou Ichido" (I want to Dream Again).

That's all for now! Have a great day! Hug your wife and kids!

Take a 6 Minute Time Trip to Japan of the 1950s! Three Songs From the Showa Era! 懐かしい曲！

For your listening pleasure, here are some songs from decades ago Japan.


First, two songs from 1955 Japan. Yes, they are Enka. Enka is to Japan what Country & Western music are to the United States. 


When I first came to Japan in the late 1970s, a young Japanese guy told me that, "Enka is the heart and soul of Japan." I thought he was crazy then... But no. He was right. As I get older I can see that Enka is the heart and soul of this country... Rock or pop music will probably never take the place of Enka... The rock and pop musicians are nowhere near as talented or skilled as Enka musicians are... Just like in America, country musicians grow up playing their music with grandpa and dad - so by the time they are 17, they are already awesome musicians. Rock musicians? Not all of them but many start playing when they are 16... Big difference. 


That's, of course, just the opinion of an old guy working in the pop and rock music industry in Japan (who has to listen to crappy pop and rock music all the time with singers who can't carry a tune - especially young Japanese ones!).... But that's off the point...

Chiyoko Shimakura (left) and Tsuzuko Sugawara (right)

The first song today is the debut song of Chiyoko Shimakura from 1955 entitled, "Kono Yo no Hana" (Flowers of this World) and, the second song (starting at 3:19) is Tsuzuko Sugawara and "Tsuki ga Totemo Aoi Kara" (Because the Moon is Very Blue) also from 1955. (I like the old radio used in the video as I used to collect them and do own one of my own that actually works! Photo at bottom!)

The next song is from 1946 and was a huge hit just after the war by Namiki Michiko entitled "Ringo no Uta" (Apple song). At 1:00 into the video is most probably Japan's most famous singer in history, Misora Hibari and "Tokyo Kid" which was a massive hit in 1950. The third song that comes in on the video is Tsuzuko Sugawara and "Tsuki ga Totemo Aoi Kara" for your listening pleasure (again!)

Michiko Namiki was definitely a cutie!

Hibari Misora is arguably Japan's greatest singer - so famous that there's

actually a pachinko machine named after her!

This video features lots of old photos from just after the war.

No, I'm not 85 years old. I'm almost 55. And yes I like this old stuff... It's cool... Oh, and here's a photo of my old Japanese radio:

Isn't she a beauty? Still works great too! Thanks to my friend Akio Tahara for selling it to me for only ¥10,000!!! I shall always cherish it!

Akio Tahara - handsome guy!