Karaoke songs that are easy to sing even for tone-deaf beginners, recommended for women in their 60s

wicked womanMiyuki Nakajima

wicked woman

Released in October 1981, this is Miyuki Nakajima’s 11th single.

It became her biggest hit of the 1980s, selling over 800,000 copies in total.

Although Nakajima is generally associated with darker-toned songs, this one is built on a gentle melody in a major key.

The melody has relatively little rise and fall, so most people should be able to hum along lightly without much difficulty.

Some listeners may find the breath points (where to take a breath) a bit tricky, especially in the latter half of the chorus, but for this song you don’t need to follow the original breathing exactly—as long as you make sure the phrasing doesn’t sound unnatural.

In later hits, Nakajima often sings with a very distinctive, idiosyncratic style, but in this song her delivery is still fairly straightforward, making it easy to learn and sing.

Melody of the Sea BreezeMizue Takada

Mizue Takada 'Melody of the Sea Breeze / Music Box Dancer'

This song is a Japanese-lyric version by Hitomi Saito of Canadian pianist Frank Mills’s original piano piece “Music Box Dancer.” The version by Mizue Takada introduced here was released in August 1979.

Since the original was composed as an easy-listening piano piece, both the melodic development and rhythm are very clear, easy to remember, and quite memorable—most people could probably remember it after just a few listens.

It’s a very gentle melody that’s approachable even for those who aren’t confident singers, so try singing it in a comfortable, relaxed mood.

Even if you don’t memorize the lyrics, I think the rhythm and tempo make it easy enough to follow just by looking at the on-screen lyrics!

A Good Day to Set Out on a JourneyMomoe Yamaguchi

Momoe Yamaguchi “A Good Day for a Journey” with lyrics

This was Momoe Yamaguchi’s 24th single, released in November 1978.

The lyrics and music were by Shinji Tanimura of the then hugely popular band Alice, and the song was also performed at Alice’s concerts.

It was used as a Japan National Railways campaign song and sold over one million copies in total.

Many people have probably sung it at graduation ceremonies or choir competitions.

Since Momoe Yamaguchi’s voice sits in a lower key, the song doesn’t require very high notes, and its melody—reminiscent of folk songs and Showa-era pop—is very easy to remember, making it approachable even for those who aren’t confident singers.

A good tip is to pour emotion into the opening line of the chorus and build it up—that’s the key to making it sound great!

Rainy MidosujiOuyang Feifei

Rainy Midosuji (Ouyang Feifei)

This was Ouyang Fei Fei’s debut single, released in September 1971.

And believe it or not, it’s said to be a cover of a song The Ventures released in Japan in May 1971! In Japan, Ouyang Fei Fei’s sung version is surely the more famous one, right? Since the singer herself has excellent vocal ability, people who aren’t confident in singing might feel a bit hesitant to choose this song.

However, the brisk melody tinged with melancholy is easy for anyone to get into, and there aren’t any particularly high notes that would be a hurdle, so feel free to give it a try.

If you’re from the Kansai region, it might be nice to sing while picturing Midosuji shrouded in rain.

Door of LifeNEW!Mariya Takeuchi

Mariya Takeuchi – The Doors of Life (Official Music Video)

A song by Mariya Takeuchi released in 2007.

In the context of her overall career, it’s a mid-period work, so it might not be from the generation of women in their 50s, but it is extremely popular among fans.

Its appeal lies in lyrics whose depth becomes clearer with age, paired with a warm melody crafted to match.

The vocal range is slightly wide at mid1E to hiC#, but the pitch movement is gentle, making it a relatively easy song to sing overall.

There’s an English lyric section in the middle, so if you’re unsure about pronunciation, make sure to drill the linking beforehand.

A deserted seaToi et Moi

A deserted sea

“Dare mo Inai Umi” (“Empty Sea”) is a song written in 1967 for singer Jerry Ito’s “Song of the Week” segment on NET’s Kijima Norio Morning Show, and released in 1970.

Since this article is about recommended songs for women, I’ll introduce the later cover version by Toi et Moi.

That said, the song was composed as a male–female duet, so it could be fun to sing it with a close friend or your husband.

If the harmony part is too difficult, just sing it in unison (lol).

Cotton HandkerchiefHiromi Ohta

Cotton Handkerchief (with lyrics) - Song by Hiromi Ohta

This was Hiromi Ohta’s fourth single, released in December 1975.

It became her biggest hit, selling over 800,000 copies, but it seems it couldn’t reach a million because it was overshadowed by the then-smash hit “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun.” Although Hiromi Ohta was treated like an idol at the time, listening now, it’s striking how solid her vocal technique actually is.

It might be a bit difficult for those who aren’t confident singers to deliver this song at this quality, but the composition itself isn’t particularly difficult, so I encourage even less confident singers to add it to their repertoire.

The key is to sing in a way that doesn’t disrupt the song’s overall light, upbeat rhythm!