My Showa Kayou 21 It's Okay, As Long As You're Happy
Japanese Title "Iijanaino Shiawasenaraba"
Who is she, I wonder?
Back then and even now,
The answer still eludes me.
Naomi Sagara became a household name with the huge hit "The World for the Two of Us." I wonder if this song is still used at weddings today?
Back in the Showa era, large families were common, and in our family, which was particularly matriarchal, we would sing together cheerfully while cleaning up after dinner. To avoid forgetting the lyrics, I wrote down the opening lines of this song and stuck them on the wall.
In the first verse: "Love," "Flower," "Romance," "Dream,"
Followed by "with you."
In the second verse: "Sky," "Road," "Sea," "Hill."
In the third: "Why," "When," "Where," "Now."
These two-syllable words are repeated with a simple melody: Mi-Do, Re-Fa, Mi-Do, Re-Fa. The first and second verses match Japanese intonation perfectly, making them a joy to sing.
The third verse, well, it adds some variation, so I guess it's fine. Once you start singing, it doesn’t really bother you. Lyricist Michio Yamagami has a gift for making ordinary words stand out in memorable ways.
Sung by the boyish and androgynous Naomi Sagara, with her husky voice, the song became a million-seller hit. She was completely removed from the world of cosmetic surgeries or flashy makeup.
Personally, I never particularly liked this overly cheerful song, but the harmony in the chorus made it perfect for our kitchen sing-alongs.
However, her next song took me by surprise. It was completely different—a song about a cheating woman. How could she, after building such a bright, clean image?
Naomi Sagara sang "It’s Okay, As Long As You're Happy" with her deep voice, in that same casual, nonchalant manner. And that’s exactly what made me focus on the lyrics even more.
This song has three characters:
"You," "Her," and "Me." The problem lies with "Her."
When the song was a hit, I interpreted it as a woman having an affair with both a younger and an older lover. But recently, I came across comments on YouTube, one of which claimed, "I just realized she’s talking about abandoning her own child."
Wait, what? Is that really the case? I asked my husband.
"If someone ran away leaving their own child behind, they’d be considered the lowest of the low back then," he said.
Sagara herself was caught in a scandal involving a romantic relationship with a talent named Cathy. Both of them suffered damage from the affair. Nowadays, they might be celebrated for it. The late celebrity reporter Katsuhiko Nashimoto broke the story, and he had even confronted the powerful Johnny's talent agency.
On the other hand, Sagara claimed the rumors were retaliation for her breaking away from her agency.
She never married, and now lives happily in Nasu, surrounded by 150 dogs and cats.
Well, as the song says, "It’s okay, as long as now is good, right? Lol."
I cannot read or write in English.
This text has been translated by ChatGPT.
I haven't edited it, so there may be some strange parts.
【Reference Video】
【Japanese Version of the Article】