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Episode details

Radio 4,3 mins

Why was the bittersweet Japanese song Sukiyaki so popular?

Radio 4 in Four

Available for over a year

Originally released in Japan with the title 'Ue o Muite Arukou' ('I Look Up As I Walk'), the song was retitled 'Sukiyaki' (the name for a type of beef stew) for international release. It went to No 1 in the USA, Canada and Australia and placed in the top 10 of the UK singles chart. With melancholy lyrics set to a bright and unforgettable melody, it has since been covered hundreds of times in countless languages. First broadcast on Soul Music, 12 April 2016.

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