"Gomen-nasai" is a 1951 song with music by Raymond Hattori, a Japanese conductor and musical director for Nippon Columbia, and lyrics by Benedict Mayers a Roosevelt University professor serving in the U.S. Army.[1][2][3][4]
- ^ Billboard - 14 Feb 1953 - Page 43 "Ditty was penned by Raymond Hattori, musical director for Nippon Columbia, and Benedict Meyers [sic], then an Army sergeant, and now a professor at Roosevelt College in Chicago. The disk was brought to the U. S. about two weeks ago by a record-happy sailor and received a strong reaction when played by deejay Ralph Storey on his KNX, Hollywood, deejay show. Paul Weston, of Columbia Records, sent an acetate of the disk to the main offices here, and the diskery arranged with ...
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Musical Leader - Volumes 84-85 - Page 16 1952 "Roosevelt College Professor Writes Japanese Song Hit When Benedict Mayers [correct], professor of political science at Roosevelt College, was serving as a sergeant in the occupation army in Japan, he wrote a poem called "Gomen Nasai" which means "Excuse Me." Raymond Hattori, a Japanese conductor, set the lyrics to music and immediately the song became a "hit." The Walt Disney " Music Co. won the American publishing rights. Record sales are running at about 4000 per month and ...
- ^ Newsweek Volume 41 - Page 55
1953 "Columbia Records discovered that the platter had been cut by its affiliate in Japan. Last week it was rushing copies to the American market. "Gomen-Nasai" has English lyrics by Benedict Mayers [correct], now teaching at Roosevelt College in Chicago. When he wrote them he was an Army sergeant in Tokyo. His song concerns an errant lover with "a butterfly heart." The music, American ballad-type with a few pseudo-Oriental touches to the arrangement, was written by Raymond Hattori, ...
- ^ Billboard - 7 Mar 1953 - Page 22 Vol. 65, No. 10
Memphis 2, Tenn. lite The Billboard classified «- ur RESULTS 1 FACULTY MAN IS LYRIC WRITER CHICAGO, Feb. 28. — The president of Roosevelt College here is boiling like a tea kettle. Edward J. Sparling, the prexy, complains, "What do I want with a song writer on my staff?" His assistant, Benedict Meyers [sic], wrote the lyrics to "Gomen Nasai," the Japanese ditty waxed by half a dozen record companies. Meyers has signed an American Society Composers, Authors and Publishers'