Japan
Foreign Songs
Reviews

Spitz are a Japanese rock band that struggled in the shadows for many years until finally hitting it big. Now they’re an institution and a household name, which most Japanese people know about, even those who are not interested in music. Although the band got together in the late 80s, they did not become popular until the mid-90s, when they went from being a modest and unambitious rock band to being chart toppers. “Cherry” is one of their most famous tracks and a popular karaoke choice. It can also be heard in Muzak form in many Tokyo convenience stores. It’s a song many high schoolers choose to sing on their graduation day, and its yearning and searching vibe make it a fine soundtrack for any major change in one’s life. Its romanticism would not seem out of place during the closing credits of a Dawson’s Creek episode.

"Although the band got together in the late 80s, they did not become popular until the mid-90s, when they went from being a modest and unambitious rock band to being chart toppers."

The chorus contains a brilliant anthem, as the singer croons, “Aishteru no hibiki dakede” (The sound of ‘I love you’ isn’t just a sound). “Aishteru” is the dictionary translation of the English word “love,” but Japanese people don’t use this term very often during conversations, as it is seen as excessive and overwrought. This is a linguistic example of Japanese conservatism and understatement. Sometimes, the Japanese use the phrase “Dai suki,” which means “I like you a lot.” But this expression has a childish connotation and is not used much by adults or in serious romantic situations. Usually, the weaker expression, “suki” or “like,” is employed instead. In English, just saying “I like you” might seem unromantic. Yet, context plays a large role in Japanese. “I like,” in a sentence such as “I like pizza,” carries a different weight than when it is said by couples. Some chalk this up to Japanese shyness in communicating feelings, while others believe that if you truly love someone it should be felt rather than spoken.

Even if you don’t understand all of the lyrics, the track has plenty to like, with a jangly guitar line driving it forward and a bouncy, upbeat melodic verse, just as enjoyable as the famous chorus. (Incidentally, the Japanese use the term 'sabi' when referring to the chorus of a song). During the final third of the track, there’s a breakdown in the rhythm and a yearning falsetto voice, eventually returning to the song’s timeless musical hook, which will be sung in karaoke booths all over Tokyo for years to come.