"Kayo Kyoku Plus" co-administrator and contributor Noelle Tham opened up the Shinichi Sasaki（佐々木新一）file back in 2015 with a couple of songs by this Aomori-born crooner of enka. Since then, the file hasn't seen any further movement which is fine. Unfortunately, the following year Sasaki was diagnosed with gastric cancer which eventually took his life in 2022 at the age of 75.
As such, I would like to keep the Sasaki file going with a third contribution via his October 1966 single, "Kimi ga Suki da yo" (I Love You) which was written by Hiroshi Yokoi（横井弘）and composed by Seiichi Sakurada（桜田誠一）. It's a plucky and intrepid enka tune with that typically wistful women's background chorus behind Sasaki as he has a different take on the usual lyrical theme of the genre. There is a big sign in Yokoi's lyrics that a couple is soon to be separated for a short while at least due to perhaps the demands of work. However, instead of the "parting is sweet sorrow" theme, the man brushes off any sadness and tears from the love of his life and lets her know how much he loves her and that no amount of time and distance will change that. Now, that's the spirit!
My condolences to Sasaki's family, friends and fans.
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