[Harmony Songs for Duets] Songs that feel great to harmonize

Prayer of LightKobukuro

Kobukuro / Prayers That Light

It’s Kobukuro’s 32nd single, released in October 2020.

It was also chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “DIVER: Special Infiltration Unit.” It’s a very dramatic rock ballad.

Adding color to that dramatic feel are the duo’s excellent vocals and choral work.

The harmony pattern is very simple—an upper harmony over the main melody in the chorus—but that simplicity works extremely effectively to enhance the song’s drama.

As a chorus arrangement, the harmonies aren’t particularly difficult, so I encourage all of you reading this to give it a try.

For the high part, be careful not to let your voice flip.

River of Ten Thousand MilesCHAGE and ASKA

Chage & Aska — The River of Ten Thousand Miles

This was CHAGE and ASKA’s third single, released on September 25, 1980.

It was their first single to break into the Top 10 and went on to sell over 500,000 copies—a big hit.

Many of you are probably familiar with how active they were in the industry afterward! The song features a memorable melody with a touch of Oriental flavor, and together with its lyrics it evokes the image of a great river flowing across a vast landscape.

Both members of the duo are highly skilled vocalists, so in that sense it might be challenging to pull off in karaoke.

However, when it comes to harmonizing—the theme of this article—the arrangement is originally set up for two-part chorus, so it isn’t overly complex.

It should be relatively easy to pick out the chorus parts from the recording, so please give it a try.

Just be careful to match your timing perfectly when you sing.

First KO winRingo Sheena and Nocchi

Ringo Sheena and Nocchi – First KO Victory

The song “Hatsu KO Kachi” is a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Nocchi from Perfume.

While Nocchi’s vocals in Perfume are typically centered around techno, this work—thanks in part to the collaboration with Ringo Sheena—carries a somewhat Showa-era kayōkyoku and jazz-like atmosphere.

It’s also a piece that’s very easy to harmonize with.

Not only are the harmonies straightforward, but the vocal lines themselves lean toward Showa kayōkyoku, so the melody is kept simple throughout.

With many sustained phrases, it’s a track that makes it easy to enjoy the pleasant feeling of singing in harmony.

Lonely ChaplinMasayuki Suzuki & Kiyomi Suzuki

Lonely Chaplin - Seimi Suzuki & Masayuki Suzuki

The second single by Kiyomi Suzuki with Rats & Star, released on July 1, 1987.

For anyone above a certain age, this is surely a go-to song for male–female duets at karaoke.

In the original, the vocal style has a bit of a soulful, “black music” flavor, which might make some people think, “That sounds hard!” But if you listen closely, the melody itself is crafted in the tradition of Showa-era kayōkyoku, so it’s by no means difficult.

With male and female voices and clearly defined parts, it’s easy to follow—so give it a try.

The key to making it sound cool is whether you can lock into the 16-beat groove.

Day Life (feat. iri)TAIKING

TAIKING「Day Life (feat. iri)」Music Video

iri is a female singer-songwriter leading the contemporary R&B scene.

“Day Life (feat.

iri)” is a track by iri and TAIKING, the guitarist for Suchmos.

While rooted in R&B, it leans more toward neo-soul, featuring an acoustic sound that prioritizes groove throughout.

The vocal lines are straightforward, and the harmony parts are clearly delineated, making it a very singable duet.

Embracing sleepless nightsZARD

ZARD - Embracing Sleepless Nights

ZARD’s fourth single overall, released in August 1992.

This is another big hit from the Heisei era, isn’t it? As for the theme of this piece—“harmonies”—the song doesn’t feature particularly prominent choral arrangements, but from the pre-chorus into the chorus there’s a very effective use of backing vocals, and I think the presence or absence of these makes a completely different impression of the song.

In terms of arrangement, it’s a song that adds an upper harmony to the lead vocal—what you might call an ‘above-harmony’—but even if you sing it in unison with the lead, it still feels like you can capture the original song’s vibe quite well.

The continuation of this EarthKobukuro

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Official Theme Song — Kobukuro “The Rest of This Earth” MUSIC VIDEO

This is Kobukuro’s 9th digital-only single, released in July 2022.

Incidentally, as a CD single it is their 34th, released in October of the same year.

It was reportedly created as the official theme song for the Osaka-Kansai Expo to be held in 2025.

While Kobukuro are well known for their harmony work, this song features a vocal arrangement designed to stand on its own with a large-group unison performance.

So by all means, enjoy singing it together with all your friends on the spot.

In sections like the A-melody where harmonies appear, the parts are written to harmonize a third above the main melody—give that a try as well.