This episode took place in 1962 (as both the AA flight went down and Glenn came back from space in March '62).

The song was released in Japan in 1961 but was released in US/UK in 1963.

I'm curious too why the song was chosen as it seems wrong years were matched.

You are correct. The song was released in the USA in 1963 and became a hit, reaching number one in June of that year. Obviously, someone did not do their research very well, since indeed, it's March of 1962 in the series. I remember the song coming on the car radio when I was with my parents (I don't recall where we were going). In my opinion, the series should have just skipped to 1963 for season two, anyway. More occurred that year by far than in 1962. Tonight's MM episode was boring, at least to me.

In addition, Kyo Sakamoto (singer of "Sukiyaki," went down in a plane in 1985. I wonder if this was an offhanded reference (the unrelated flight on MM). Again, someone goofed on the year. It was indeed 1963 when the song was released in the USA and became a number one hit.

Thanks, guys for affirming the "Sukiyaki" thing. MM is usually so meticulous...but if there's one thing that drives me nuts, it's plopping a song in the wrong year because it "fits". (Although I suppose a Japanese restaurant in NY might have been able to play the Japanese recording of "Sukiyaki" in 1962, since the Japanese release was a year earlier.)

They didn't get the year wrong at all.

This season is based in 1962. The song was released, in Japan, in 1961. They are in a Japanese restaurant.

It makes sense that a Japanese restaurant, even in New York (perhaps especially in New York), would be playing current Japanese music. Just because that song hadn't been released in the US doesn't mean it wouldn't be played in certain places...like a Japanese restaurant/bar.

This isn't the first time that MM's background music is "off".

Season 1 ended with Dylan's "DON'T THINK TWICE, IT'S ALL RIGHT", which wasn't released until 1963 and the last episode of season 1 took place in Thanksgiving Eve of 1960.

The restaurant was a Chinese restaurant. The waitress was wearing a chung sam, which is a traditional Chinese dress and something no Japanese woman would have worn/be put into in a Japanese restaurant, in Manhattan.

I don't even know if there were any Japanese restaurants in NYC, in 1962. There might have been, but the first one I ever ate, in NYC, was in 1966 and it didn't look anything like the one in this episode. OTOH, many Chinese restaurants, in NYC, at that time, looked quite a bit like the one in tonight's show. The minute I saw those red leather banquets, I coluld smell the food. hehehehehehe

Sorry Grantruby, but the Japanese restaurant would NOT have had access to this song just because of the fact it WAS a Japanese restaurant. The laws that govern musical releases are quite strict and would have PROHIBITED the playing of this song BEFORE it was officially released in the USA; there would have been no way the restaurant management could have obtained a copy and played it any earlier than its release in 1963. It became a number one hit in June of 1963 here in the USA, and was heard the rest of that summer on the radio, etc. It may have eventually found its way into a Japanese restaurant, but not BEFORE 1963. The writers or whomever, goofed on this one!

Peggysue: In reference to Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, it's Alright," that one can't count because it's use wasn't diegetic, that is, actually being heard by the characters in the scene. It was used as a backing score, and the fact that the song was from a couple years in the future was intentional, to point to where the next season was going -- Dylan was already performing that song live in Greenwich Village by early '62, and the parallels between Draper and Dylan are pretty self-evident.

Let's not forget that the second episode ended with The Cardigans' "The Great Divide" (from 1996, I believe). It's usee didn't raise an eyebrow because, once again, it's not being used in a diegetic manner.

Okay, I'll give you that one; drake.

Drake: Oh please, a "diegetic" manner! Who cares if it was or it wasn't? The music used in the credits was out of place. And it DID raise an eyebrow or two. If they want to keep with the mood of the show (and the era) then they should stick to the correct music of the era. It would have been like having the Rolling Stones blasting out a song during the credits in season one. Not appropriate at all and loses the mood of the era.

I was absolutely crazy for this song when it came out. Just loved it. Glad to finally know who it's by, and hope MM will have it on their Season 2 soundtrack (yep, it's hokey, but would sure love to have it regardless).

Okay, what's with the Japanese restaurant waitress? Wasn't she in last week's show in a different restaurant? And did she repeat the same questions to Don verbatim? Almost felt like he was in a dream sequence or hallucinating.

Well, having run across your uninformed comments across this board, it's not surprising that you feel this way.

Diegetic use of music is important, and there are plenty of folks who care about it (certainly everyone in the film/tv industry who places music in a scene). Matt Weiner learned from one of the best in David Chase on The Sopranos, a show that was exemplary in it's adherence to diegetic use during an episode.

Again, The Cardigans song (from episode 2) worked really well, and nobody seemed to care when it aired that it was from '96, and with good reason.

jamm54............I loved that song, when it was "new" and was really happy to here tonight, after so many years.

That waitress was wearing a chung sam, which is a CHINESE dress and no waitress in a Japanese restaurant would ever have worn one; not ever and especially not in 1962, when I don't think there even were any Japanese restaurants on NYC!

What you're remembering is, that this scene was part of the coming attractions, at the end of MM, a week ago.

Sorry MadisonAvenue, but I'm going to have to go with grantruby on this. Just because an album or single has not yet been officially released in the U.S. is no reason for a record already released in Japan to not be played in NYC in 1962. Someone could have personally brought it back or it could have been imported. I used to buy all kinds of imported vinyl and CDs before the record labels had the law changed in the late 1980s. Occasionally, albums are sent to me by friends living overseas that are not released here, does that mean they don't exist?

It's a perfect song for the moment no matter when it was "officially" released in the US. The English lyrics to the song is all about a heart-wrenching break-up between lovers - something that Don has to do. One of the lines in the song is "you took your love away from me". It sums up the betrayal that Don feels - the anger at his company for making him "end the relationship" with Mohawk. And the Mohawk rep was so hurt! He was professional but still got his point across - we were told we were getting Don Draper. and the "you fooled me" bit was brilliant. I loved that scene.

PeggySue, thanks, I really am losing it if I confuse the previews with an actual episode!

Yeah, if I can't tell the difference between the previews and full length episodes, I really am a goner! Talk about being stupid!

I'm laughing at myself, because I'm pretty pitiful - oops!

The song was perfect for the scene not only for the reasons stated above, but also because its volume temporarily increased while Don made eye contact with the lovely Asian waitress, perhaps underscoring at least a temporary bedazzlement by her. Outstanding use of nuance here. Coincidentally, the singer was Kyu Sakamoto, who tragically died in a plane crash in 1985.

jamm54......no biggie,

It's delightful that you can laugh at yourself; well done.

Thanks, gertiegirl, for the translation! I may, when it was popular, known what the words meant, but had no idea, last night, what the Japanese words meant. Yes, it was very fitting!

Since most ( I can't speak for all of them ) Chinese restaurants, of that era, did NOT have music playing, the use of the song could just have been an "insider" clue and not meant, at all, to be something that the characters were hearing.

I feel a bit smug as I recognize many places that are in the show, actually are in L.A., regardless of the fact its' supposed to be in NY. For example, the restaurant in this last episode indeed is Japanese. I believe it is the famous Yamashiro's over by the Hollywood Bowl. And BTW, a couple of months' ago, Jon & "Joan" were on "Jonesie's Jukebox" a radio station (Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols band is the dj) for 2 solid hours! I think the reason why that dress, thanks for the clarification on it being Chinese, was that it is very sexy. Actually it's been awhile since I've been to Yamashiro, and the hostesses used to wear the traditional robes & headress. The Cheosam is so form-fitting and while this woman was so beautiful, I think it was like all the goods were on the table, & our boy just didn't have it in him to do anything about it. It could be just be me....

I think it was just a soundtrack for the Japanese restaurant, and I don't think they are trying to be that chronologically correct, but did you notice that it was a Chinese girl serving drinks, and for Don to say "not tonight" means he has something heavy on his mind.