Whisky ga Osuki Desho
This song was performed by Ishikawa Sayuri for Suntory Whisky in 1990, and has subsequently been covered by numerous artists for a long-running series of television commercials. She’s famous as an enka singer, but here nails the jazzy torch-song vibe.
The lyrics are in a playfully polite register of Japanese, with respectful patterns like prepending a respectful “o” to the word “suki”, but also casually clipping the endings of words like “deshou” and “shaberimashou”. The repeated use of “desho” also softens direct statements into questions, even though everyone involved knows there’s no question at all. It adds up to just how you would expect a classy Shōwa-era woman to speak to a man she’s fond of in a smoky, upscale bar: simultaneously deferential and supremely confident. Thus I went with “prefer” rather than “like”, in a “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” sort of way.
Clammbon’s bouncy, casual take on the classic song was made to advertise Suntory’s likewise casual canned highball product. And as if their interpretation of the song weren’t whimsical enough, partway through it the recording is interrupted by what seems to be a local public service announcement on the street outside the studio, a common occurrence in some areas of Tokyo. The most Clammbon possible way to respond, of course, is to laugh it off and even incorporate it into the song.
English
You Prefer Whisky, Don’t You
You prefer whisky, don’t you
Let’s chat a little longer
About nothing at all
That’s just right, for now
Our stars played a trick
To bring us together
To do away with lost love
And to open this bottle
You prefer whisky, don’t you
This is just the place, isn’t it
You’ve forgotten, haven’t you
Even being in love
You prefer whisky, don’t you
Let’s chat a little longer
About nothing at all
That’s just right, for now
Japanese
ウイスキーがお好きでしょ
ウイスキーが お好きでしょ
もう少ししゃべりましょ
ありふれた話でしょ
それでいいの 今は
気まぐれな 星占いが
ふたりを めぐり逢わせ
消えた 恋 とじこめた
瓶を あけさせたの
ウイスキーが お好きでしょ
この店が似合うでしょ
あなたは 忘れたでしょ
愛し合った事も
ウイスキーが お好きでしょ
もう少ししゃべりましょ
ありふれた話でしょ
それで いいの 今は