A Must-See for City Pop Fans: Yamashita Tatsuro’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
Tatsuro Yamashita is an artist who has continued to produce many classic songs over the years.
He rarely makes public media appearances, but he’s a widely known, renowned artist who’s also active in providing songs to others.
This time, we’ve picked out some of Yamashita’s songs that are particularly easy to sing.
Perhaps surprisingly, he’s an artist with strong roots in Black music such as soul and R&B, so the overall difficulty tends to be on the higher side.
However, we’ve also included explanations of vocal techniques, so be sure to check them out.
A Must-See for City Pop Fans: Easy-to-Sing Tatsuro Yamashita Songs (1–10)
Goodbye, Summer DaysTatsuro Yamashita
Sayonara Natsu no Hi, the 21st single in total, was featured in a corporate image commercial for Dai-ichi Life.
It was the lead single from the 10th album Artisan, and is also known as the first single on which Tatsuro Yamashita performed all the instruments by himself.
With its relaxed tempo and minimal melodic movement, it should be easy to sing even for those who aren’t confident in their singing.
While the key is high, the vocal range required isn’t wide, making it a heartfelt number that’s relatively easy to tackle at karaoke.
LOVELAND,ISLANDTatsuro Yamashita
Included on the sixth studio album FOR YOU, the track LOVELAND, ISLAND was released as a single two decades later after being chosen as the theme song for the 2002 TV drama Long Love Letter: The Drifting Classroom.
Originally created as a commercial jingle for Suntory Beer Jun-Nama, its light and liberating ensemble evokes vivid summer scenes.
While the overall vocal range isn’t wide, the melody is intricate—featuring sudden falsetto passages—so take care when singing.
With its refreshing vibe, it’s an upbeat tune guaranteed to energize any karaoke session.
LOVE’S ON FIRETatsuro Yamashita
The song “LOVE’S ON FIRE,” chosen as the theme for the TV drama The Outsider (Metropolitan Police Department), is included on their 14th album SOFTLY, the first release in 11 years.
Its ensemble, featuring an ear-catching synth sound, leaves a strong impression.
The melody spans a wide range with dramatic pitch changes, so it’s not easy, but its distinctive and memorable quality makes it great for karaoke.
Overall, it’s a light, upbeat pop tune sung with restraint, making pitch control easier.
The PeopleTatsuro Yamashita
Included on his ninth studio album “Boku no Naka no Shōnen,” the song “Sōbō” was later selected as the theme for the PlayStation 4 game Yakuza 6: The Song of Life.
Opening with a soulful vocal laid over a weighty piano sound, it stirs the heart with a powerful message.
While the vocal range isn’t wide, the dynamics give the melody expressive nuance, so keep that in mind when singing it at karaoke.
It’s an emotional number that will make everyone want to join in the beautiful choral parts for a rousing sing-along.
Dance, fish.Tatsuro Yamashita
“Odoroyo, Fish,” the 16th single overall, was selected as the theme song for ANA’s Okinawa campaign.
In 2014, it was also used in a Subaru Impreza Sport commercial, making it a track loved across generations.
The contrast between its transparent ensemble and open, liberating lyrics heightens the sense of anticipation for the hot summer season.
Since the song starts in a high register, be careful: if you can’t hit the notes accurately, it can throw off your pacing.
There are also many wide interval jumps, so if the original key doesn’t suit your voice, adjust the key on the karaoke machine before you take it on.
Sync Of SummerTatsuro Yamashita
The 53rd single, “Sync Of Summer,” was written specifically as the CM song for Kirin’s “Gogo no Kocha” (Afternoon Tea).
Its summer-evoking lyrics and ensemble feel refreshing while also stirring a touch of sentimentality.
The finely rising and falling melody can make it easy to slip off pitch, but since the vocal range is narrow and the key isn’t that high, it should be relatively easy to sing at karaoke.
However, without dynamics the song can feel flat, so if you want to stay close to the original, be mindful of expressive contrasts when you sing.
SPARKLETatsuro Yamashita
The song “SPARKLE,” included as the opening number on the sixth album FOR YOU.
Its ensemble, featuring crisp, rhythmic guitar cutting, creates a tight sound while maintaining a sense of airiness.
The overall key is high, but the range isn’t wide, so in karaoke it’s easy to sing if you adjust the key to suit your voice.
Since the melody itself is simple, if you’re confident with high notes, why not try tackling it in the original key?