Interesting Japanese songs recommended for men in their 60s

The Drunkard Has ReturnedThe Folk Crusaders

The Drunkard Has Returned 2017 REMASTER

After dying in a drunk-driving accident and going to heaven, the protagonist is sent back to Earth following a fantastical exchange with God.

Marked by shrill voices and lively Kansai-dialect banter, this song uses black humor to satirize social issues.

Released in December 1967, it captured the hearts of young people and became a million seller.

Its popularity even led to a film adaptation, making it a work that symbolized a time of societal change.

To this day, it retains an undimmed charm as a song that brings smiles when everyone sings it together at lively banquets and parties.

Examinee BluesTomoya Takaishi

Examinee Blues (Single Version)

A masterful folk song that portrays the agony and inner conflict of exam-takers with humor and irony.

Goro Nakagawa, then a third-year high school student, wrote the lyrics during a remedial class, and Tomoya Takaishi completed the piece by setting them to a lively, country-style melody.

Vividly depicting a day in the life of a student preparing for entrance exams, the song sharply expresses the emptiness of a life consumed by studying.

Released in February 1968, it became a hit with total sales of 900,000 copies.

It still resonates today and is often sung at parties and gatherings with friends.

It can be considered a valuable work that allows people across generations to look back on the exam wars that symbolized Japan’s rapid economic growth era in the Showa period.

Marilyn Monroe No ReturnAkiyuki Nosaka

Marilyn Monroe No Return

With a voice tinged with heartbreak and resignation that evokes the end of the world, this classic has been deeply etched into many listeners’ hearts.

Its weighty, socially reflective poetry blends beautifully with a chanson-like, elegant melody line, crafting a singular soundscape.

Interweaving Buddhist imagery and the changing seasons, Nosaka Akiyuki’s vocal performance is breathtaking as it quietly speaks of life’s impermanence and the cycle of rebirth.

Released by Nippon Columbia in 1971 and included on the album “Nosaka Uta Taizen I: Singing Sakurai Jun,” the song was also featured in the 1973 film “Contemporary Gangsters: The Three Blood-Cherry Brothers.” It’s a recommended piece for those seeking to touch a deeper truth of life, or to quietly reflect on their hearts on a still night.

Ah, I’m so fed up.Shinji Maki

“Ah, I’m Fed Up” by Shinji Maki, 1964

Makishinji’s unique style—delivering a memorable chorus phrase alongside lively ukulele playing—cheerfully sings about the social satire and everyday contradictions of the time.

Set to the melody of the Hawaiian classic “Tahu-a-Faai,” this single portrays relatable scenes everyone experiences, such as outings with a sweetheart, family leisure, and hierarchies among relatives.

Released by Nippon Columbia in December 1964, it’s a heartwarming song that shines in settings where everyone can laugh together, like banquets and dinner gatherings.

Run, Kotaro!Salty Sugar

Run, Kotaro!

A masterpiece packed with humor and satire, modeled after a live horse race broadcast.

Released in July 1970, Salty Sugar’s work began as a joke about a chronically late band member and blossomed into superb popular entertainment.

The production weaves in race-style narration, horse names that parody popular buzzwords of the time, and even an impersonation of Governor Minobe, resulting in uproarious comedy.

It was adapted into a Toho-distributed film in February 1971, starring Shunji Fujimura.

The song sold around one million copies and won the New Artist Award at the 12th Japan Record Awards.

It’s a perfect pick to liven up parties and drinking gatherings with friends.

Japanese rice is the best in the world.Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai

Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai “Japanese Rice Is the Best in the World”

This much-talked-about release powerfully sings, over a heavy rock sound, of fervent love and pride for Japan’s staple food: white rice.

Listing indispensable dishes from gyūdon and katsudon to sashimi set meals and yakiniku set meals, it deftly shows how rice plays a starring role in a wide variety of situations.

The track fully showcases Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai’s signature, everyday-life-themed loud rock.

Released as a single in May 2015, it was also included on the mini-album “Mada Mada Shinmai,” released in November of the same year.

The song has earned high social recognition as well, including the band’s appointment by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as “FAN-bassador Rock.” It’s a must-listen not only for fans of donburi and set meals, but for anyone who takes pride in Japan’s food culture.

Guaranteed to get the crowd going at parties and karaoke.

National Sake-Drinking Festival Song of Japanbarracuda

Barracuda: 1979: Nationwide Sake Drinking Ondo (Japan)

A heartwarming comic song that celebrates the joy of drinking, themed around annual events and regional specialties.

Originally released independently by Baracuda in December 1979, the track gained popularity on cable radio and was officially reissued by Toshiba EMI, reaching No.

11 on the Oricon chart and selling around 700,000 copies.

With a warm musical style that incorporates regional dialects, it is a classic deeply etched in the hearts of the Japanese people.

In 2021, an arranged version with a “hot pot” theme was featured in a Mizkan commercial, winning the hearts of a new generation.

It’s a song that brings smiles to everyone—perfect for livening up banquets and parties, or sharing joyful moments with close friends.