My Absolute Favorite Foreign Songs

I almost always write about Japanese songs, but here is a list of my favorite songs from Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Germany, Iceland, and China.

"春夏秋冬" covered by Goose House

"Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu

"Pop Up!" by Goose House

"魔法の料理 〜君から君へ〜" covered by Goose House

"Koisuru Fortune Cookie" covered by Goose House

Get the guitar chords here!

"女の子は泣かない" by Rina Katahira featuring Kei Takebuchi

"NOW ON AIR" covered by Goose House

This song was performed on USTREAM on my sister's (and Manami's) birthday, and was later published on YouTube on my birthday.

"恋はヒラひらり" by Goose House

"今、走れ!" by Goose House

"虹" covered by Goose House

"Sing" (2014) by Goose House

"Sakura" by Ikimonogakari

"Music Hour" by Porno Graffitti & covered by Goose House

"Shanghai Honey" covered by Goose House

"Hana" by ORANGE RANGE & covered by Goose House

"我的天空" from Young Style

"Hanabi" by Ikimonogakari

This might be the song that sent me into full-blown J-pop/rock nerd mode. I even know how to play it on guitar. You can't really find the studio version of this song on YouTube, so I suggest purchasing the album.

"Life" by YUI

"My Pace" by Sunset Swish

"ร่มสีเทา/ฤดูอกหัก/ฤดูที่ฉันเหงา/ฤดูที่แตกต่าง - พาย ชา แอร์ หนวดนำเหนอ" by MusicClay2011

"Guren no Yumiya" by Linked Horizon & covered by Goose House

"Daisy" by Stereo Dive Foundation

"Scramble" by Yui Horie

"This Beautiful and Cruel World" by Hikasa Yoko

"Oto no Naru Hou e" by Goose House

"Hikaru Nara" by Goose House

My favorite part is from 3:27-the end. The bassline is what makes this better than the recorded version.

"Shiawase" by PUFFY

This is my absolute favorite PUFFY song (they are well-known in America for singing the Teen Titans theme and having their own show, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi), and should totally be covered by the girls of Goose House.

"K2G" by PUFFY

I'd add more PUFFY songs, but really you should just buy the entire NICE album, which includes "Teen Titans" as well.

"Lea Halalela" by Lebo M

"9,000 Days" by Overtone

"Um Oh Ah Yeh" by Mamamoo

"Gutes Tun" by Willemijn Verkaik

"Takes One to Know One" by Belinda

"Go Do" by Jonsi

Well, those are my favorite foreign songs. What are yours?

5 MORE Japanese Songs That Should Be Available in the West

This is my third post on this topic. Check out the others here and here.

21. "Dried Up Youthful Fame" by OLDCODEX for Free! Eternal Summer.

I can't begin to describe my love for this song or how great of a job Kyoto Animation has been doing with this anime. So I just won't.

22. "Future Fish" by Style Five for Free! Eternal Summer.

Again, dang, Kyoto. That animation. My favorite parts of the ED (in the second video)? Hmm. 1:44. Why? No explanation required. And the little bit that starts around 1:54. Again, no explanation needed here. And they're all so adorable at 2:44! And then there's Rin's booty dance shortly after. "Never give up!"

23. "Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu for Bleach.

"Every time I see your face, the oceans heave up to my heart, and make me wanna strain at the oars, and soon I can see the shore."

24. "My Pace" by Sunset Swish for Bleach.

This song is just... so chill. Honestly, I don't really know what he's saying, but still. Bad day, good day. This song is appropriate for any day.

25. "Hanabi" by Ikimono Gakari, also featured in Bleach.

Okay, you may be able to tell that this is one of my favorite songs in the world right now. No matter what key or what singer, this song is purely wonderful. I don't why, but it makes me so emotional. Maybe because it's a really pretty song? Almost everyone who sings it nails it (except for that high note at 0:10). This song is on iTunes, but it is a cover ("Asterisk" is also on iTunes through the same people), and doesn't sound nearly as good. But I bought it anyway. The singer on iTunes doesn't breathe well, and so instead of singing like, "Kirameite, yurameite, aoki yume mai hanatsu, hana moe yuku..." it sounds more like: "Kirameite *breath* yurameite *breath* aoki yume *breath* mai hanatsu *breath* hana *breath* moe *breath* yu *breath* ku..." But when you're desperate like I was, you buy it anyway. And then you get annoyed with it later. But can we admire the ED (the second to last video)? The art is so beautiful for Rangiku (seen at 0:11), Yoruichi (0:16), Orihime (0:22), and Ichigo (0:27). "Kono hana moe yuku!"

26. "Body Rock" by Mamoru Miyano

This song may be a little "scandalous", but... I had to. And it doesn't make it any better that Mamoru is Rin's voice actor from Free!.

Well, that is all. For now. I shall return. Soon.