Hideki Saijo

Hideki Saijō (西城 秀樹, Saijō Hideki, originally Tatsuo Kimoto (木本 龍雄, Kimoto Tatsuo); April 13, 1955 – May 16, 2018) was a Japanese singer and television celebrity most famous for singing the Japanese version of the Village People's hit song "Y.M.C.A.",^[1] called "Young Man". In the 1970s, he was called "New Big Three" (新御三家, shin gosanke) with Goro Noguchi and Hiromi Go. Although the original version was camp, Saijō's version was intended to seriously inspire "young men".

Career

Saijō's career spans over three decades. He gained popularity again in the 1990s in the cartoon Chibi Maruko-chan and by releasing a cover version of the Enrique Iglesias song "Bailamos". He also sang the theme song and became the character (specially created for the Japanese version — Lucky Mucho) in The Emperor's New Groove and also performed "Turn a Turn", the first opening theme song for ∀ Gundam.

In the late 1990s, he also appeared on an episode of the original Japanese cooking show Iron Chef as a guest judge, for the Rice Battle, involving Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto and Chinese chef Masayoshi Kimura.

In 2003, around the time that his 85th single was to be released, he suffered a mild stroke while performing overseas in Korea. After rehabilitation, in 2006, he released his 86th single, "Meguriai". Lyrics were set to André Gagnon's "Comme au Premier Jour".

In 2009, he released a downloadable single, "Vegetable Wonderful" which is tied to the NHK program, Time for Vegetables.

Personal life and death

He married for the first time in 2001. With his wife Miki Makihara, he has one daughter and two sons. His sister was the wife of Masaru Takumi,^[2][3] a powerful Japanese organized crime figure assassinated in 1997.

In June 2003, while promoting his single in South Korea, Saijo suffered a stroke which resulted in his speech being partially impaired. After several years of rehabilitation, Saijo was on his way toward full recovery until his tumor relapsed in 2011, resulting in his right side being paralyzed. In spite of his failing health, Saijo courageously continued to perform to please his fans^[4].

Saijo died from acute heart failure in Yokohama hospital on May 16, 2018^[5].

Discography

• Koisurukisetsu (1972)
• "Koi no Yaukosku" (1972)
• Chance wa ichido (1972)
• Seishun ni Kakeyou" (1972)
• Jonetsunoarashi (1973)
• Chigireta ai (1973)
• Ai no jujika (1973)
• Bara no kusari (1974)
• Hageshii koi (1974)
• Kizudarake no Lola (1974)
• Kono ai tokimeki (1975)
• Koi no boso (1975)
• Shiroi kyokai (1975)
• Kimiyo dakarete atsukunare (1976)
• Jaguar (1976)
• Wakaki shishitachi (1976)
• Last scene (1976)
• Boomerang street (1977)
• Botanwo hazuse (1977)
• Boots wo nuide choshokuwo (1978)
• Anatato ainotameni (1978)
• Honoo (1978)
• Blue sky blue (1978)
• Young man (1979)
• Hop step jump (1979)
• Yuki ga areba (1979)
• Ainosono (1980)
• Oretachi no jidai (1980)
• Nemurenuyoru (1980)
• Santa maria no inori (1980)
• Little girl (1981)
• Sentimental girl (1981)
• "Sexy Rock'n Roller" (1981)
• Gypsy (1981)
• Minami jujisei (1982)
• Seishoujo (1982)
• Gyarando (1983)
• Night game (1983)
• Do you know (1984)
• Dakishimete jiruba (1984)
• Ichimankonen no ai (1985)
• Udenonakae (1985)
• Tsuioku no hitomi (1986)
• Rain of dream (1986)
• Yakusoku no tabi (1986)
• New York girl (1987)
• Blue sky (1988)
• Hashire Shojikimono (1991)
• Sayyea Jan-go (1994)
• Tasgareyo sobani ite (1995)
• Moment (1997)
• 2R Kara Hajimeyou (1998)
• Saigono ai (1999)
• Turn A Turn (opening theme for ∀ Gundam Episodes 2~28) (1999)
• Bailamos ~ Tonight We Dance (1999)
• Love Torture (2000)
• Tokino kizahashi (2000)
• Jasmine (2001)
• Everybody Dance (2002)
• Sodai Gomi Jyane (2003)
• Meguriai (2006)
• "Vegetable Wonderful" (2009)
• "Shinkiro" (2015)

References

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Hideko Saijo at Oricon (in Japanese)