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Ue wo muite arukō (Japanese writing:上を向いて歩こう"I look up when I walk") is a Japanese song written by Rokusuke Ei and Hachidai Nakamura, the song was sung by Kyu Sakamoto with which he scored an international hit in 1963. The song, although cheerful sounding, has in fact a less cheerful message. In the song the singer sings that he looks up to heaven, pretending that he is the star counts, so as to prevent his tears to fall, while he muses on the past. The song is known in the West under the alternative title Sukiyaki.

[1]October 10, 1964, Kyu Sakamoto is interviewed on Swedish television

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[hide]*1 Culinary Association

Culinary Association[Edit][]

The song is called Sukiyaki unofficially because the original Japanese title it deemed too complex for the American public. Therefore became a well-known Word chosen that people would associate with Japan; even though the word Sukiyaki as such total not related to the story that is told in the song. Fred Bronson, a columnist for Newsweekmagazine, noted that the hertiteling would be similar with the release of the song Moon River in Japan under the title: Beef Stew (beef stew). In all likelihood, this association with food made because Sukiyaki is a popular Japanese stew. Despite this fact the song was still successful in the foreign public.

Charts[Edit][]

Ue o muite arukō is the second last song released by a Japanese artist that came on the u.s. charts. Shina no Yoru (Chinese nights), also a song of Sakamoto, finished at number 58 in 1963 and was the last Japanese song on the charts appeared in the 20th century.

Stamp[Edit][]

On 16 March 1999, the Japanese posterij Japan Post issued a stamp in which a man with his head raised runs under a starry sky. The stamp refers to the story that is told in the song of Sakamoto.

Singer[Edit][]

Kyu Sakamoto was one of the 520 people who perished in the plane crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123,, at Gunma on August 12, 1985. He is 43 years old.

Radio 2 Top 2000[Edit][]

Number with listing (s)

in the Radio 2 Top 2000

' 99 ' 00 ' 01 ' 02 ' 03 ' 04 ' 05 ' 06 ' 07 ' 08 ' 09 ' 10 ' 11 ' 12 ' 13
Sukiyaki - - - - - - - 1870 - - 1662 1533 1609 1679 1680
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