101 # 1 Song of the Day, June 15, 2012

It was the first American chart topper to be sung in a foreign language. But the title was so unpronounceable that a new one was made up that had nothing to do with the song itself.

The original title roughly translates to “I Look Up When I Walk” but since the language was not one that western audiences could handle very well, the record company simply took the one word from that language that would be instantly recognizable. As Newsweek Magazine pointed out, it was like releasing “Moon River” in Japan and calling it “Beef Stew.” Regardless, it arrived at number one in America on June 15, 1963 for Kyu Sakamoto – “Sukiyaki”