Kyu Sakamoto
12 August 1985 (aged 43)
Kyū-chan
- Singer
- actor
Hanako
Maiko
- Vocals
1958–1985
- Toshiba-EMI
- Capitol (US and Canada)
坂本 九
さかもと きゅう
Sakamoto Kyū
Sakamoto Kyū
He was best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Arukō" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. He was also the first Japanese artist to have a number one single on the Australian singles chart.[1]
Sakamoto died on 12 August 1985 in the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123, along with 519 others on board the flight, making him a casualty of the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history.
Legacy[edit]
His most popular song, "Ue o Muite Arukō" ("I look up when I walk") was the only Japanese song to reach number one on the Billboard pop charts in the United States (until YOASOBI’s 2023 release of “Idol”), a position it maintained for three weeks in 1963. It was also the first-ever Japanese language song to enter the Australian charts, where it reached #2. In addition, it made the UK charts, though it only climbed to number 6 with no further chart entries.
"Ue o Muite Arukō" has been covered multiple times over the years, beginning with the instrumental by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. "Ue o Muite Arukō" was also covered as an instrumental, by English pianist Johnny Pearson, during 1982. Well-known English-language cover versions include a 1981 cover by A Taste of Honey and a 1995 cover by 4 P.M., both of which made the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1989, Selena's self-titled album contained a Spanish translation of the Taste of Honey cover which was released as a single in 1990. The English lyrics have also appeared in whole or in part in songs by performers including Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh (1985's "La Di Da Di"),[10] Salt-N-Pepa (1985's "The Show Stopper"), Snoop Dogg (1993's "Lodi Dodi", a "La Di Da Di" cover), Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (1995's Bless Da 40 Oz.), Raphael Saadiq (1995's "Ask of You", another to make the Hot 100), Mary J. Blige (1997's "Everything") and Will Smith (1999's "So Fresh", featuring Slick Rick).
An American version by Jewel Akens with different English lyrics was written for it. Titled "My First Lonely Night (Sukiyaki)" in 1966, the song reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On 16 March 1999, Japan Post issued a stamp commemorating Sakamoto and "Ue o Muite Arukō".[11] The stamp is listed in the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue as Japan number 2666 with a face value of 50 yen.
On 15 October 2020, Google celebrated his song "Ue o Muite Aruko" and Sakamoto with a Google Doodle.[12]