TikTok has a way of turning obscure songs into sudden hits. In December, users of the platform resurrected Miki Matsubara's 1979 debut, "Mayonaka no Door: Stay With Me."
The song itself, which made Matsubara a star in Japan, unfolds at an understated pace loaded with disco elements before exploding in a heartfelt chorus with the plea, "Stay with meeeee!" It's catchy, joyous and the perfect soundtrack to TikTok videos in which creators bond with their Japanese moms.
“I made the TikTok when my mom was doing stuff around the house,” a user who asks to be referred to as Ronnie C. says over email. Her clip has attracted more than 1.5 million likes at the time of writing. "I started playing the song and recording before I came in her room so I could get her reaction."