Hymns to Life in the Showa Era Written in Words: Tetsuro Hoshino and the World of His Songs (Late 1960s)

Hymns to Life in the Showa Era Written in Words: Tetsuro Hoshino and the World of His Songs (Late 1960s)

By the late 1960s, Tetsuro Hoshino (1925-2010) had already established himself as one of the leading lyricists in the Japanese songwriting world, and by 1969 he had written nearly 3,000 songs, of which 1,000 had already been recorded. His lyrics are filled with the sorrows of the common people. His lyrics reflect the joys and sorrows of the common people, the subtleties of life, the anguish of the working man, and the warmth of the home, resonating with the sentiments of the Japanese people of the time.

At this time, Japan was in the midst of its rapid economic growth. Perhaps the air of the 1950s and 1960s, when the country was recovering from the postwar devastation and pursuing economic prosperity, demanded the message that "life is about moving forward. One of Hoshino's best-known works, "March of 365 Steps" (1968), was a perfect symbol of this. Sung by Kiyoko Suizenji, the song brought energy and positivity to all of Japan with its encouraging words, "Happiness doesn't come walking, so you have to walk. The song, sung to a marching rhythm, has been used frequently at athletic meets and on TV programs, and it has transcended the ages and continues to be loved to this day.

Namida Fun (1961) was Hoshino's first big hit with Saburo Kitajima, which helped him become well known as an enka lyricist. The song, which depicts the sorrow of parting by comparing a ship leaving a harbor to tears, beautifully captured the historical background of people moving from the countryside to the city. Hoshino's lyrics have the power to capture the borderline between a man leaving for the city to make a living and a woman sending him off.

The song "Shunju for Married Couples" (1967), sung by Hideo Murata, extols the virtues of the Japanese view of the family and the image of married couples. As symbolized by the lyrics, "I will follow you to wherever you go," the song quietly expresses the wife's contribution to the family and the bond between husband and wife as they share their hardships. In keeping with the idealistic "full-time housewife" model of the time, these songs were deeply accepted by many middle-aged and older people.

In addition, "Brothers' Brotherhood" (1965) was linked to Toei's "ninkyo" (chivalry) film boom, and its depiction of the world of giri (duty) and jinrikyo (humanity) won the hearts of fans. The song, sung by Saburo Kitajima, was the very embodiment of the Showa era men's ideal of "a way of life that makes sense," and was both poignant and moving for the generation that had passed through the postwar turmoil. Hoshino's lyrics are sometimes dramatic, creating dense scenes as if one were watching a movie.

Otoko no Blues" (1966), with Koji Tsuruta's low, somber voice, is a masterpiece that sings of the melancholy and loneliness of the Japanese man. At a time when such elements as unexpressed sadness and feelings that can be conveyed without words were deeply shared as virtues among the Japanese people, this song was particularly poignant. Hoshino's lyrics have the depth of Showa-era literature and have come to be regarded as "singing literature.

In this way, Tetsuro Hoshino's lyrical activities were not limited to the production of hit songs, but encapsulated in his music the life, feelings, and values of the Japanese people. 1969 was a year in which student movements and anti-establishment movements were spreading, while people were trying to fulfill their own roles at home and in society. In such a situation, Hoshino's music was a part of the student movement. Hoshino's music was not flashy, but it presented a certain "attitude toward life," and it remained in the hearts of many people.

Hoshino's lyrics are not merely entertaining music, but deeply illuminating the human figure living between society and the individual, and they continue to be sympathetic to many people throughout the ages. Looking back on his works, we can only recall the life patterns of those who lived in the Showa era.