[Karaoke] A roundup of easy-to-sing Misora Hibari songs

Festival Mambo

Festival Mambo

Even in the Reiwa era, you hear this song’s lively rhythm and melody more often when festival season comes around.

Released as a single in 1952, “Omatsuri Mambo” is, as the title suggests, an uptempo masterpiece that uses the then-popular mambo rhythm, packed with the bustle and joy of festivals.

It’s also striking how the mood shifts dramatically in the latter half, slowing down to portray the loneliness after the festivities.

The superb song structure and Hibari’s vocal prowess and expressiveness still make you marvel today.

It’s a song that requires considerable technique to sing well, but if you belt out the first half in time with the rhythm, it’s sure to get the crowd going at karaoke.

For the latter sections, switch your mindset and sing it with plenty of mood.

Subaru

Subaru — The Pleiades

Hibari Misora is renowned not only for her own songs but also for her superb covers of other artists’ works.

“Subaru” is the famous hit released by Shinji Tanimura in 1980—so well-known among Japanese people that it seems to be heard from somewhere every year as the New Year approaches—and it’s popular not just in Japan but across many Asian countries as well.

Hibari covered this classic on her 1984 album “Suisen no Uta: Misora Hibari Sings Pops,” and her remarkable vocal ability truly brings out the song’s brilliance.

The overall range sits on the lower side, which is reassuring for those who struggle with higher notes; however, the long sustained notes in the chorus, with relatively few syllables in the lyrics, leave little room to hide, so caution is needed.

Steady your breathing and try to sing as expansively as possible!

soft; gentle; pliant

soft; gentle; pliant

This is “Yawara,” a song that won the 7th Japan Record Award in 1965.

Among Hibari Misora’s many masterpieces, it ranks just behind “Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni” in sales, and it continues to be loved as one of her signature songs.

Released in November 1964 and reissued several times as a CD single since the 1990s, its enduring popularity is clear.

It was used as the theme song for a TV drama series starting with “Yawara,” and, as the title suggests, the song centers on judo.

It is unequivocally enka, so a vocal style with strong kobushi (ornamental pitch bends) is absolutely essential.

Although the tempo is relaxed, the song’s wide range and somewhat dramatic rises and falls in pitch may make it feel difficult at first.

That said, the overall range is not excessively high, and once you get used to enka’s distinctive melodies and word choices, it’s surprisingly singable!

Life’s journey

Life’s journey

Although it’s a B-side track, there are plenty of cases where a song becomes one of an artist’s signature numbers because the artist loves it, performs it often at concerts and on TV, and it ends up widely recognized.

Hibari Misora is quite representative of that pattern, and “Jinsei Ichiro” is a prime example.

Originally released in 1970 as the B-side to the single “Hana to Honoo,” it has since become a beloved classic among fans, often performed at key moments in Misora’s career.

The original version features a relaxed tempo with a big band arrangement that highlights Misora’s soaring vocals, but if you watch later concert performances, you’ll find it rearranged at a faster tempo—and those are wonderful as well.

The enka-style melody is simple and easy to remember, and the lyrics are written in straightforward Japanese, so it should be relatively easy to sing.

Even if you can’t do the kobushi-style vibrato, try focusing on clear diction and sing it with plenty of feeling.

I've fallen for you.

I've fallen for you.

One of the signature songs from the later period of Hibari Misora’s career is the 1980 single “Omae ni Horetá” (“I Fell for You”).

It doesn’t require a particularly wide vocal range or extreme pitch shifts, and both the lyrics and melody are easy to remember, so it seems like a song that’s relatively easy to sing.

In fact, it was reportedly created with the concept that even karaoke beginners could sing it.

If you’ve wanted to try a Hibari song but thought it might be too difficult, this is exactly the one I’d like you to take on.

Don’t be shy—throw yourself into the performance with plenty of flair and sing in your own world.

It feels great!

Backstreet Tavern

Backstreet Tavern

Released as a single in 1982, “Uramachi Sakaba” is a song provided by Tetsuya Ryu, whose self-written and composed hit “Okuhida Bojo” was a massive success.

It’s a very simple kayōkyoku with an easy-to-remember melody and lyrics, and since the pitch is relatively low, it might be approachable for male singers.

However, many kayōkyoku with an enka flavor feature large pitch swings, and this song is no exception.

Pay attention to the contrast between the low notes in the A-melody and the high notes in the chorus; if you sing it with plenty of mood, you can perfectly bring out its world and atmosphere!

Harbor Town No. 13

Harbor Town No. 13

Set in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture—Misora Hibari’s hometown—and neighboring Kawasaki, “Minato-machi Jūsan-banchi” is a song Hibari herself loved, known as a ‘madrosu kayō’ (sailor-themed popular song).

There’s a scene in the 2013 morning drama Amachan where a character sings it, so many younger people have likely heard it as well.

The melody has wide interval jumps and a generally high range, so it may be challenging for lower voices.

However, its simple structure makes it easy to learn, and if you get used to the height or lower the key to suit your range, you should be able to sing it well at karaoke.