entertainment

Japanese singer Hideki Saijo dies at 63

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I was a little kid in the 80s when he was most popular. But even in the early 80s, when I was 4 or 5, I remember that we little kids would all break out dancing when YMCA played on a TV show. We had no idea what YMCA meant.

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Fond memories of early years in Japan.

63 is far too young.

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back in 77 or so I used to run into him after hours at Roppongi Jojoen Korean yakiniku restaurant where many entertainers hung out until dawn. He was always friendly and immensely famous. I think he was zainichi born in Japan Korean.

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The world has lost a very talented musical star. He always performed 100 % and with a passionate heart. I was thrilled to be able to see Hidekiさん perform in Osaka and Kobe several times in recent years. May Hidekiさん forever rest in pain free peace. Thanks for all the wonderful musical memories.

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gokai_wo_manekuMay 17  08:02 pm JST . . . I remember that we little kids would all break out dancing when YMCA played on a TV show. We had no idea what YMCA meant.

Young Men's Christian Association. Otherwise, I assume you mean that most Japanese had no idea what the song was really about.

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 Otherwise, I assume you mean that most Japanese had no idea what the song was really about.

Strange assumption. Like gokai, I sang songs at a young age without thinking of the meaning of the words.

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He could hold a key, but his version of YMCA was horrible if you translated it. It had no meaning.

Loved his hair though.

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albaleoToday  04:26 am JST Strange assumption. Like gokai, I sang songs at a young age without thinking of the meaning of the words.

So, in other words, you still don't know what the song was about?

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'YMCA' is used as a chant at football, soccer, hockey events in the USA and elsewhere. Didn't know it made such an impression in Japan, tho. RIP Hideki.

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Young Men's Christian Association. Otherwise, I assume you mean that most Japanese had no idea what the song was really about.

The song YMCA is about a couple of very different themes. Most Americans who were young at the time had no idea what it was referencing either.

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Young Men's Christian Association. Otherwise, I assume you mean that most Japanese had no idea what the song was really about.

The song YMCA is about a couple of very different themes. Most Americans who were young at the time had no idea what it was referencing either.

The actual YMCA organization didn't like a group of gay men singing that song but the song's lyrics have NOTHING to do with homosexual people, not at all. The US Navy debated about using the Village People's ' 'In the Navy' as a recruiting them but then again, the Village People being 6 gay men and the fact that gays weren't accepted into the service until around 2011 (?) led to the Navy not using that song as well. It was there loss, and YMCA not using that song didn't really make them look good either.

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