[Men in Their 50s, Gather Up!] Classic Karaoke Crowd-Pleasers & Easy-to-Sing Hits

SPARKTHE YELLOW MONKEY

THE YELLOW MONKEY – SPARK

A rock number by THE YELLOW MONKEY that sings of passionate love.

It paints a worldview where you close your eyes and share a space for just the two of you in the night, infusing sensual expressions with a pure heart that longs for eternal love.

The energetic guitar riffs and rhythm section are striking, and Kazuya Yoshii’s distinctive vocals ring out over the dynamic sound.

Released in July 1996, the song drew attention as the theme for the Fuji TV drama “Handsome Man.” It’s also included on the album SICKS and reached No.

3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Perfect for karaoke with friends, it’s a track brimming with a charm that lets everyone open their hearts and sing along.

Words of FarewellKaientai

Rather than explaining that it was Kaientai’s 16th single released in November 1979, it’s quicker to say it was the theme song for the first season of the smash-hit drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B” (3-nen B-gumi Kinpachi-sensei) [laughs].

As of 2020, I think most people in their 50s probably sang this song at their elementary or junior high school graduation.

Of course, many people watched the drama as well.

It’s a song that holds personal “memories” for each listener, so try singing it with that sense of nostalgia.

The melody is very straightforward and easy to sing, too.

If I were to give one tip, I’d say you’ll probably get a better reception if you avoid imitating Tetsuya Takeda’s singing style too closely.

Do whatever the hell you want.Kenji Sawada

Kenji Sawada – Do As You Please (1977 TMF)

This was Kenji Sawada’s (Julie’s) 19th single overall, released in May 1977.

By now—as of 2023, when I’m writing this—it’s an undisputed masterpiece of Showa-era pop for anyone in their 50s! The moment in the chorus where Sawada throws off his hat was unforgettable.

I still vividly remember putting on makeup to look just like Julie and singing this song at my elementary school party.

It’s a very singable, upbeat number, so by all means try copying the choreography and have fun singing along.

Radio MagicEARTHSHAKER

Radio Magic – EARTHSHAKER

This is the second single by the Japanese HM/HR band EARTHSHAKER, released in September 1984.

I picked this song with a bit of my personal taste mixed in (lol).

But I bet there are quite a few people in their 50s who liked so-called “Japa-metal,” which had a bit of a boom in the ’80s.

The vocalist singing this, Marcy, has a very wide vocal range and strong singing ability, but since metal songs often have very simple melodies, many of them are surprisingly easy to sing.

This one is especially poppy and falls into the very singable category.

I’m sure some men in their 50s covered this song in bands back in their youth, so why not revisit those days and give it a try?

Young BloodsMotoharu Sano

[1985 Edition] Youngbloods Motoharu Sano / [2024 Edition] New version now available (see description)

When it comes to musicians particularly admired by men in their 50s, wouldn’t Motoharu Sano be at the top of the list? Many men in their 50s were surely moved in their youth by Sano’s unwavering musical style.

Among his songs, the one I especially recommend is Young Bloods.

While it incorporates elements of rock, it also features aspects of Black music, such as funk and soul.

Because it’s somewhat groovy, it does require a good sense of rhythm, but the vocal line has few long sustained notes and is arranged so that a slightly rough delivery still works, making it a relatively easy song to sing.

Wine Red HeartSafe zone

Wine Red No Kokoro

It was the fourth single by Anzenchitai, released in November 1983.

This is also one of the classic Showa-era songs that will go down in history.

Although they debuted in 1982, they hadn’t had a hit single yet, and this track was created through vocalist Koji Tamaki’s hard work to produce a hit.

As a result, it’s very friendly and easy to remember, with a melody that anyone can sing along to at karaoke and the like.

Have fun singing it by imitating Tamaki’s very distinctive vocal style! Just be careful not to strain your throat too much on the high notes in the chorus.

If only I had held you tighterWANDS

If only I had held you tighter

This was WANDS’s third single overall, released in July 1992.

It was used as the theme song for a Mitsui Life Insurance commercial featuring Atsuko Asano.

A massive hit that became WANDS’s first million-seller (1.663 million copies sold), many of you have likely heard it before.

In the 1990s, when this song was released, singability at karaoke was a key factor for a song to become a hit.

True to that trend, this track is crafted to be very easy to sing—especially the chorus melody—and highly memorable.

I confidently recommend it for men in their 40s who don’t usually sing much.

Enjoy singing it with power throughout!