“Sad lyrics set to happy music are my favorite kind of salty-sugary treat. The original version of this song, “Ue o Muite Arukō” (sung by Kyu Sakamoto in 1963), was the first Japanese pop song I was introduced to many years ago, and it has been in my mind swimming around almost daily ever since. Though the lyrics I’m singing are different (these English lyrics are courtesy of A Taste of Honey circa 1980), I still feel that sense of bittersweet contrast of bouncy rhythm and lyrical heartbreak that I found so captivating about the original.” (Halie Loren)

released March 15, 2024