if you want to understand the japanese version better,
please hover over/click on the words in the Romaji section to see the english meaning of each word!
translated by native Japanese speaker
Haru Nozawa
Utada Hikaru Science Fiction Album Vinyl, Disc 1, Side A then Side B
"Lemon" serves as the theme song of the Japanese TV series "Unnatural". Kenshi Yonezu told Oricon News in March 2018, "My previous commissions have been for anime and movies, things I have some familiarity with myself, but I've never watched many dramas. That's why it's a little embarrassing and strange-feeling to hear my singing during a TV drama. [...] It gets played during great scenes, so I feel the love from the drama's staff. I'm happy to know about and be part of such a beautiful production."
"Sukiyaki" is a term with absolutely no relevance to the song's lyrics, as sukiyaki is a Japanese beef dish. It was used in the song name only because it was short, catchy, and recognizably Japanese.
The original title "上を向いて歩こう" means "I Look Up When I Walk". The lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears will not fall.
This is the only Japanese song to hit #1 in the United States. Moreover, it is one of the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 13 million copies worldwide.