Lively songs recommended for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic enka and kayōkyoku
Some of you may have opportunities to enjoy music with people in their 80s among your family or acquaintances but feel at a loss because you don’t know which songs are popular.
In this article, we’ll focus on songs that are especially exciting among those familiar to people in their 80s.
We’ve selected mainly Showa-era kayōkyoku and enka, with an emphasis on up-tempo and cheerful tunes.
Please use this article as a reference and enjoy music together with people in their 80s to create a wonderful time.
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- Easy-to-sing songs recommended for men in their 80s: Showa-era classics to perform at karaoke
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- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that get everyone excited. Songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke.
- An encouraging song we want people in their 80s to hear. A cheer song from the Showa era.
- Easy-to-sing songs recommended for women in their 80s: a reference for choosing karaoke tracks!
- Recommended love songs for people in their 80s: A collection of classic love songs that colored the Showa era
Upbeat songs recommended for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic enka and kayōkyoku (31–40)
Hawaiian Airlines flightKiyoshi Uzumi
The songs of Kiyoshi Utzumi, which captivated many fans in the late 1940s through the 1950s, are gem-like works that express nostalgia for and longing toward a beautiful southern paradise.
Their gentle melodies and wistful vocals vividly depict the scenery and atmosphere of Hawaii.
Released in 1950, this piece became a beloved classic that tenderly embraced the dreams and hopes of the Japanese people at the time.
Included on the album “Japanese Popular Song Stars (19): Kiyoshi Utzumi,” it continues to be cherished across generations.
Brimming with warm nostalgia, this song is perfect for music activities that foster enjoyable interaction with seniors, creating shared moments of calm and comfort.
Sinbad on the ShorePink Lady
It’s a classic summer hit by Pink Lady that you can enjoy while picturing the blue sea and the shining sun.
Released in June 1977, this track blends disco-style rhythmic sounds with powerful vocals to brilliant effect, reaching No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart right after its release and ultimately topping the year-end chart as well.
With total sales of 1.
45 million copies, it has been loved across generations, being featured as the theme song for the TV program “Otona no Natsuyasumi” and used in commercials for Fuji Photo Film.
It’s a refreshing song that invites you to hum along with family and friends, accompanied by fond memories.
Kiyoshi's Soran BushiKiyoshi Hikawa
A masterpiece that resounds with a superb arrangement of a traditional Hokkaido folk song.
Set to the powerful rhythms once passed down by fishermen, it weaves in the joys and hopes of life.
Kiyoshi Hikawa’s robust vocals blend perfectly with the modern arrangement.
Released as a single in May 2007, it reached No.
3 on the Oricon charts and won the Gold Award at the 49th Japan Record Awards.
It was performed as the “YOSAKOI Soran Kouhaku Special” at the 58th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, captivating audiences with a dazzling stage.
Ideal for group singing, this song is highly recommended for recreation at day-service centers.
With lively call-and-response, everyone can enjoy a fun time together.
Northern SpringMasao Sen
Masao Sen’s signature song “Kitaguni no Haru” (Spring in the North Country) delicately portrays the feelings of a protagonist who longs for their hometown, family, and a former lover while living in the big city.
Through evocative depictions of local springtime scenery, it strikingly conveys the delicate emotions that sway at the turn of the seasons.
Since its 1977 release, the song has been a long-lasting hit, covered in Chinese and Thai among other languages, and cherished around the world.
As early spring stirs up nostalgic memories, why not listen to it while picturing the landscapes of your hometown?
The two are young.Dick Mine
The famous call-and-response of “You.” “What is it?” from the song Futari wa Wakai was released in 1935 as the theme song for the film The Peeked-at Bride and became a major hit as a duet by Dick Mine, a former jazz singer, and Reiko Hoshi, a former Takarazuka Revue dancer.
Beyond being a vocalist, Dick Mine was known as a multitalented figure—guitarist, actor, lyric adapter, and arranger—who also looked after his juniors, including Frank Nagai and James Miki, and is said to have nurtured talents who later became prominent actors, such as Hitoshi Ueki and Makoto Fujita.
As a pioneer of contemporary Japanese entertainment, he can be said to have had a profound influence on later generations.
Lively songs recommended for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic enka and kayōkyoku (41–50)
Aoba Castle Love SongMuneyuki Sato
A lyric song that poetically celebrates the beautiful scenery of Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture.
Known as the City of Trees, Sendai’s natural beauty and tender feelings of love are artfully interwoven into the lyrics, and Muneyuki Sato’s clear, transparent voice resonates deeply.
Released as his debut in May 1978, the song reached No.
3 on the Oricon charts and ranked 31st on the year-end chart, making it a popular hit.
It has become a representative song of Sendai, even being used as the departure melody at JR Senseki Line’s Sendai Station.
With its gentle melody and evocative lyrics, this piece is perfect for leisurely enjoyment while reminiscing.
It’s a wonderful song that can evoke fond memories and invite older listeners to hum along.
Flamenco of the StarsTeruhiko Saigō
This song, set to a passionate flamenco rhythm, expresses the tender feelings of young love.
Released in 1966, it gained wide support alongside Teruhiko Saigō’s powerful vocals.
It attracted attention as an innovative attempt to incorporate flamenco elements into Japanese kayōkyoku.
As one of his signature songs, it has been included in numerous music albums.
In recent years, it has also become familiar as an insert song on the variety show “Can I Charge My Battery? Tetsurō Degawa’s Journey.” Well known among seniors, this piece is one that can be enjoyed with a sense of nostalgia.
With its warm vocals and captivating melody, it will keep you smiling even on hot summer days.