Job Discussion Forums

[tanuki]

Heya!

I've been doing a search on the board for music related stuff but haven't quite found what I'm looking for.


(I did find a cracker of a thread about cool Japanese songs for karaoke:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=53257&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=pop+songs&start=0

if you're interested!)


But my question is about songs that are/were big hits in Japan. Doesn't matter how old or recent, really. Obviously anything at all by The Beatles or The Carpenters is a winner.

I've also discovered things like "Stand By Me" is a big, big fave here. And things I wouldn't have expected as much like "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Creedence, and "Honesty" by Billy Joel.

Reason I ask is that I bought me a nice old second-hand geeetar a couple of months ago and I've been trying to learn a playlist for performing in cafes and bars, or even just busking.

I've asked friends, but they've mostly offered big hits in England or Australia, NZ or the US and while these are likely to have been hits here too (dunno, maybe not), I'm particularly interested to hear from folks who KNOW that "song xyz" is a big hit here and that people always sing it at enkais or you've heard (Japanese) buskers do it, or heard bands do it live, and so on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tanuki

P.S. I'm a guy with a vocal range and tone something in the park of Eddie Vedder, Rob Thomas, dude from Del Amitri whose name I don't know and am too lazy to Google, likewise dude from Live, etc. That is, the mostly commercial-FM-friendly rock/pop dudes... they sit easily in my range. Also belt out some Gunners occasionally

But even as a list not just for me to sing, but for folks to make song-lessons around, would be cool!

[JimDunlop2]

ANYTHING by the Carpenters.... No. Seriously. And Elvis.

[YouHadMeAtASL]

Do they have Led Zeppelin songs at the karaoke bars?

[markle]

[mfaulkner]

[tanuki]

Heya folks

Thanks for the responses.

Markle and JimDunlop are right about the Carpenters, of course. But I had no intention of singing their songs. The Carpenters and and The Beatles were just the first two bands that sprang to mind as being/having been really popular here.

mfaulkner suggests Queen. Yeah, I think so. Certainly "I was born to love you" but ain't no way I can sing that sucker! Chotto takai, ne!

Same for Led Zeppelin, mostly. Love 'em, but Plant sings/wails a little high for me.

YouHadMeAtASL's idea of checking the Japanese section of karaoke books for the English language songs listed there is a good idea and I'll be sure to do that the next time I'm at the local izakaya. I'll also ask the Masta and the Mama-san what they reckon, now that you've given me that idea. Thank you. I'll also check out that "Kiss Me" song. Don't know it by title, myself.

Markle makes an excellent point about where I'm likely to pick up gigs and the likely crowd... and thus the playlist. Hmmm... very good point. Thanks.

Any big recent(-ish) sing-a-long hits that you can think of? One of the folks I worked with suggested "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter, for example.

(I'm in the inaka so I have to say I'm totally not "with it" in regard to what's popular--unless you'd like an enka review! And the only song that kids seem to like where I am is "sora fune" by Tokio.)

Anyway, any more thoughts/ideas for bands--or even individual songs--that you think might go over well because they're well known in Japan?

Cheers,
Tanuki

[gaijinalways]

[Shimmeringstar]

I teach at a college and my students are crazy about ANYTHING by Avril Lavigne or the Backstreet Boys. They also like Mariah Carey, and some of them are starting to talk about Justin Timberlake (but he's pretty new to them). Of course, they also know some of the "classics" already mentioned in this thread.

[tanuki]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone!

To Shimmering Star: Backstreet Boys is a good suggestion. I might try "I want it that way", which I have to confess to liking

As for Justin Timberlake (or JT as I like to call him when we're, like, hangin' in the crib with our peeps), I know he's a big star and all, but I don't really know his music. Any of it suited to just me and a guitar?

To GaijinAlways: Billy Joel's "Honesty" was also a good suggestion. Likewise, I've added "Under the Bridge" to the playlist. Thank you.

I saw someone at work with the Mrs Robinson CD yesterday and that gave me the idea to do that track too.

Oh, and to mfaulkner: Someone lent me a CD the other day with that Sixpence None the Richer track on it. Weird coincidence. I do know it. And I like it a lot. So I got the tabs for that one. Thanks. GREAT suggestion. Will learn the J-version too!

I appreciate all your responses, folks. Thank you.

[Khyron]

Nobody's mentioned Chicago yet.

I knew one Japanese guy who had a thing for Earth, Wind & Fire. Especially the song "Fantasy." I used to sing it a few times a week, so that he could impress a girl he liked with it. I wonder if he ever got the chance.

[gaijinalways]

Yeah, I forgot the Backstreet boys and Avril Lavigne. For fun, check out youtube or Weird Al's site for 'I bought it on Ebay' sang to the 'I want it my way' theme, but much more entertaining !

[J.]

but my suggestion is to mix Japanese and English together in the songs you sing. Actually it doesn't matter if the English means anything, it's really just for decoration. After listening to a lot of J-pop, I can't really figure out peoples' tastes here. They seem to go for the smarmiest, most watered-down version of everything. And here's one useful suggestion -- Learn some SMAP songs; if you can sing at all you'll sound like a Superstar in comparison. For good measure you could hire a couple of cool guys to hang around with you flipping their hair and changing outfits a lot so you look more kakkoi.

Oh yeah, be as cute and fashionable as possible and get a fussified hairstyle. In Japan those seem to be tickets to the top.

And stick in the word "heartful" a lot.