A) A
Japanese stew-like dish with highly variable
ingredients, including
beef,
onions,
leeks,
bok choi, etc. Pronounced "s'kee-ya-kee."
B) A
Japanese song (in Japanese, no less) that made it onto the
pop charts in the USA. In fact, on 15 June
1963, it hit
#1 (over "
It's My Party"). It was recorded by
Kyu Sakamoto. The title was picked because it sounded good. The real name of the song (hm, I feel a
Carrollian moment coming on) is "Ue o Muite Aruko" (I Look Up When I Walk). It does have a beautiful
melody.
By request, I have written up the
lyrics.
Sukiyaki lyrics, in Japanese and two English versions.
In Japanese:
ue o muite arukou
namida ga kobore naiyouni
omoidasu harunohi
hitoribotchi no yoru
ue o muite arukou
nijinda hosi o kazoete
omoidasu natsunohi
hitoribotchi no yoru
shiawase wa kumo no ueni
shiawase wa sora no ueni
ue o muite arukou
namida ga kobore naiyouni
nakinagara aruku
hitoribotchi no yoru
omoidasu akinohi
hitoribotchi no yoru
kanashimi wa hosino kageni
kanashimi wa tsukino kageni
ue o muite arukou
namida ga kobore naiyouni
nakinagara aruku
hitoribotchi no yoru
In English--semi-literal translation:
I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Remembering those happy spring days
But tonight I'm all alone
I look up when I walk, counting the stars with tearful eyes
Remembering those happy summer days
But tonight I'm all alone
Happiness lies beyond the clouds
Happiness lies above the sky
I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Though my heart is filled with sorrow
For tonight I'm all alone
Remembering those happy autumn days
But tonight I'm all alone
Sadness hides in the shadow of the stars
Sadness lurks in the shadow of the moon
I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall
Though my heart is filled with sorrow
For tonight I'm all alone
In English--recorded version by
A Taste of Honey (
1980s) and
4PM (
1990s):
It’s all because of you
I’m feelin’ sad and blue
You went away now my life is just a rainy day
And I love you so, how much you’d never know
You've gone away and left me lonely
Untouchable memories seem to keep haunting me
Now love so true that once turned my gray skies blue
But you disappeared
Now my eyes are filled with tears
And I’m wishing you were here with me
Ahh--Sought with love all my thoughts of you
Now that you’re gone I just don't know what to do
If only you were here
You wash away my tears
The sun will shine once again, you’ll be mine oh mine
but in reality, you and I will never be
'Cause you took your love away from me
Oh girl, I don't know what I did to make you leave
But I know that since you’d been gone
there's such an emptiness inside of me
I wish you'd come back to me
Ahh, babe, you took your love away from me