[Kanjani8][Lyrics] Oh!ENKA
It's songs like these that really make me want to pat K8's lyricist on the back because he sure did make good use of my East Asian Studies background ROFL. So yeah, this song includes a lot of Japanese idioms (which I found more or less the equivalents to in English, please give me digital cookies for that) and Buddhist keywords so prepare for a LOT of footnotes. I don't think this has been translated before but if it has then read the footnotes anyway because they add a lot more color to the song. I'm rewarding myself right now with a hot steaming bowl of Unaju for all the pondering I did over english idiomatic equivalents so enjoy!
I would upload the song but I think everyone pretty much has it anyway so instead I'm upping the recent K8 appearance on Music Fighter where they did a medley with a few FTO songs including this one.
Also I have no interesting picture to go with it so instead look at this nice fanart I found randomly on google.
Download
桜援歌(Oh!ENKA)[KJ1 mix]
なんでやろな・・・・・・桜を見てると、めっちゃ切なくなる。
nande yarona......sakura wo miteru to, meccha setsunaku naru.
おとん、おかん・・・・・・オレもいつかは、
oton, okan........ore mo itsuka wa,
しっかり花咲かしたる!見といてや！
shikkari hana sakashitaru! mitoite ya!
故郷離れて 幾年過ぎて
furusato hanarete ikutose sugite
故郷恋しや 夢に咲く
furusato koishi ya yumi ni saku
皆さん一緒に夢咲かせましょ 皆さん一緒に花咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni yume sakasemasho mina san isshoni hana sakasemasho
チョイトお花見気分で イナセに決めたところで
choito hanami kibun de inase ni kimeta tokoro de
世の中は チャッカリシッカリ 花より団子
yo no naka wa chakkari shikkari hana yori dango
チョイト移り気な恋は 春爛漫の花には
choito utsurigi na koi wa haru ranman no hana ni wa
どんな娘もウットリシットリ あばたもえくぼ
donna ko mo uttori shittori abata mo ekubo
ア〜義理と人情に ほだされて泣かされても
aa giri to ninjou ni hodasarete nakasaretemo
愛を一途に ただ信じる花であれ
ai wo ichizu ni tada shinjiru hana de are
桜咲いて春が来ました
sakura saite haru ga kimashita
喜び咲かせます
yorokobi sakasemasu
いつか風に散ってゆきます
itsuka kaze ni chitteyukimasu
だから生きるのです
dakara ikiru no desu
皆さん一緒に夢咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni yume sakasemasho
皆さん一緒に花咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni hana sakasemasho
チョイト花見の宴の 場所取りは任せときな
choito hanami no utage no basho tori wa makasetoki na
何事も キッチリバッチリ お茶の子さいさい
nanigoto mo kicchiri bacchiri ocha no ko saisai
チョイトほろ酔い気分で あの娘に近付いたけど
choito horoyoi kibun de ano ko ni chikazuita kedo
現実は アッサリバッサリ 月とすっぽん
genjitsu wa assari bassari tsuki to suppon
ア〜 浮世のさだめと 吹く風にこの身任せ
aa ukiyo no sadame to fuku kaze ni kono mi makase
いのち一途に ただ咲かせる花であれ
inochi ichizu ni tada sakaseru hana de are
桜咲いて春が来ました いのちが目覚めます
sakura saite haru ga kimashita inochi ga mezamemasu
どんな冬も春になります 桜が歌います
donna fuyu mo haru ni narumasu sakura ga utaimasu
花吹雪キラキラ 儚くてキラキラ
hanafubuki kira kira hakanakute kira kira
人の世もキラキラ せつなくてキラキラ
hito no yo mo kira kira setsunakute kira kira
故郷離れて 幾年過ぎて
furusato hanarete ikutose sugite
故郷恋しや 夢に咲く
furusato koishi ya yume ni saku
桜咲いて春が来ました
sakura saite haru ga kimashita
喜び咲かせます
yorokobi sakasemasu
いつか風に散ってゆきます
itsuka kaze ni chitteyukimasu
だから生きるのです
dakara ikiru no desu
花吹雪キラキラ 儚くてキラキラ
hanafubuki kira kira hakanakute kira kira
人の世もキラキラ せつなくてキラキラ
hito no yo mo kira kira setsunakute kira kira
Cheery Blossom Song(0) (Oh! Enka)
I wonder why...whenever I see cherry blossoms, I become so sad.
Dad, Mom....I, too, will someday
Properly bloom for you! You'll see!
After leaving my hometown(1), a number of years has passed
My beloved hometown, it blooms in my dreams
Let's all let our dreams bloom together
Let's all bloom together
A little in the mood for flower viewing(2) shortly after I had smartly decided(2.5)
Society is calculating and tough; (valuing) "Pudding before praise"(3)
A slightly frivolous love is to a spring flower in full bloom
Any girl (is fine) dreamily, gently, "Love is blind"(4)
Ah~ Even if I'm moved to tears by love and honor(5)
Nevertheless, I am a flower that wholeheartedly believes in love(6)
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Causing happiness to bloom
Someday they will be scattered by the wind
Because of this, they live (more fully)(7)
Let's all let our dreams bloom together
Let's all bloom together
Leave choosing the place for the cherry blossom viewing party to me
Everything will be precisely, perfectly "a piece of cake"(8)
Just slightly drunk, I approach her
But in reality, easily, drastically (we're) "as different as day and night"(9)
Ah~ In accordance with this floating world(10) I entrust this body to the blowing winds
Nevertheless, I am a flower that lets my mortal life bloom
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Life is awakening
No matter what kind of winter it was, spring will come
The cherry blossoms are singing
Falling cherry blossoms glisten
Ephemerality glistens
The world of man(11) glistens
Suffering glistens
After leaving my hometown(1), a number of years has passed
My beloved hometown, it blooms in my dreams
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Causing happiness to bloom
Someday they will be scattered by the wind
Because of this, they live (more fully)(7)
Falling cherry blossoms glisten
Ephemerality glistens
The world of man(11) glistens
Suffering glistens
(0) Believe it or not I'm proud of this corny translation of it. The characters read like "ouenka" which means a rooters/cheering song but the "ou" here is not the "ou" for cheering but the "ou" of sakura which can also be read as "ou." Hence the pun, get it? A note here: enka is a "traditional" (it's sold as traditional but it is in fact a really modern construct) form of Japanese popular music that I would say is equivalent to American country music. Subaru's singing style is very enka-esque and this was I believe the highest grossing enka song ever?
(1) Pronounced as "furusato" but the kanji written is "kokyou" which has the same meaning except furusato has more cultural connotations with the entire furusato movement in the 60's and 70's in Japan. For more info just comment because I've already written a lot =P
(2) Hanami is something many Japanese do when the sakura bloom. It's a demi-holiday where people get together with friends and family and have a picnic under the trees.
(2.5) A hard phrase to translate. Any corrections?
(3) Original phrase: Hana yori dango; "dumplings before flowers" which is an idiom meaning that one should value neccesary items (like food) over frivolous things. I chose the closest english idiom equivalent for this one, it was hard!
(4) Original phrase: Abata mo ekubo; 'pockmarks look like dimples" which means you will find no faults with someone when you love them, hence, "love is blind."
(5) "giri to ninjou" is a Japanese cultural phrase that has a lot of deeper connotation that are hard to fully express. I'll just add that the common subject of Kabuki plays for example are a character torn between love (ninjou or human feelings) and duty (giri) towards his master/parents etc.
(6) The line here uses a form of old Japanese, hence I tried to reflect it in the translation.
(7) This was a difficult line to translate. First I would like to point out that unlike the rest of the song this is in polite form which is rarely utillized in songs. Second, the last line literally translates to "therefore, (they/it) lives." which is really ambiguous but I translated it as above because the 'no' after 'ikiru' implies that they're giving a reason for the sakura's life and I decided to view it as it lives more fully because of the entire aestheticism and pathos of a short but brilliant life because sakura are symbols of ephemerality and beauty simultaneously.
(8) Original phrase: "Ocha no ko sai sai" which means a job that can be done easily even after a light meal.
(9) Original phrase: "Tsuki to suppon" which literally means "the moon and a soft shelled turtle" which means as different as day and night but a soft shelled turtle also has the connotation of a persistent man and the moon has connotations with beauty.
(10) A Buddhist term that you may recognize from "Ukiyo-e". It literally means "the Floating World" which refers again to the transience of the modern world that is supposed to be wracked with sorrow and decadence.
(11) Another Buddhist term "hito no yo" which refers to the corrupt age. In Buddhism it is believed that the world goes through stages, when it is newly created the world is chaste and clean and as it goes on it becomes corrupt. "Hito no yo" is I believe the last stage before the world is destroyed and reborn anew. Ephemerality and suffering are also Buddhist keywords. Y'all should look up Buddhism.
I would upload the song but I think everyone pretty much has it anyway so instead I'm upping the recent K8 appearance on Music Fighter where they did a medley with a few FTO songs including this one.
Also I have no interesting picture to go with it so instead look at this nice fanart I found randomly on google.
Download
桜援歌(Oh!ENKA)[KJ1 mix]
なんでやろな・・・・・・桜を見てると、めっちゃ切なくなる。
nande yarona......sakura wo miteru to, meccha setsunaku naru.
おとん、おかん・・・・・・オレもいつかは、
oton, okan........ore mo itsuka wa,
しっかり花咲かしたる!見といてや！
shikkari hana sakashitaru! mitoite ya!
故郷離れて 幾年過ぎて
furusato hanarete ikutose sugite
故郷恋しや 夢に咲く
furusato koishi ya yumi ni saku
皆さん一緒に夢咲かせましょ 皆さん一緒に花咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni yume sakasemasho mina san isshoni hana sakasemasho
チョイトお花見気分で イナセに決めたところで
choito hanami kibun de inase ni kimeta tokoro de
世の中は チャッカリシッカリ 花より団子
yo no naka wa chakkari shikkari hana yori dango
チョイト移り気な恋は 春爛漫の花には
choito utsurigi na koi wa haru ranman no hana ni wa
どんな娘もウットリシットリ あばたもえくぼ
donna ko mo uttori shittori abata mo ekubo
ア〜義理と人情に ほだされて泣かされても
aa giri to ninjou ni hodasarete nakasaretemo
愛を一途に ただ信じる花であれ
ai wo ichizu ni tada shinjiru hana de are
桜咲いて春が来ました
sakura saite haru ga kimashita
喜び咲かせます
yorokobi sakasemasu
いつか風に散ってゆきます
itsuka kaze ni chitteyukimasu
だから生きるのです
dakara ikiru no desu
皆さん一緒に夢咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni yume sakasemasho
皆さん一緒に花咲かせましょ
mina san isshoni hana sakasemasho
チョイト花見の宴の 場所取りは任せときな
choito hanami no utage no basho tori wa makasetoki na
何事も キッチリバッチリ お茶の子さいさい
nanigoto mo kicchiri bacchiri ocha no ko saisai
チョイトほろ酔い気分で あの娘に近付いたけど
choito horoyoi kibun de ano ko ni chikazuita kedo
現実は アッサリバッサリ 月とすっぽん
genjitsu wa assari bassari tsuki to suppon
ア〜 浮世のさだめと 吹く風にこの身任せ
aa ukiyo no sadame to fuku kaze ni kono mi makase
いのち一途に ただ咲かせる花であれ
inochi ichizu ni tada sakaseru hana de are
桜咲いて春が来ました いのちが目覚めます
sakura saite haru ga kimashita inochi ga mezamemasu
どんな冬も春になります 桜が歌います
donna fuyu mo haru ni narumasu sakura ga utaimasu
花吹雪キラキラ 儚くてキラキラ
hanafubuki kira kira hakanakute kira kira
人の世もキラキラ せつなくてキラキラ
hito no yo mo kira kira setsunakute kira kira
故郷離れて 幾年過ぎて
furusato hanarete ikutose sugite
故郷恋しや 夢に咲く
furusato koishi ya yume ni saku
桜咲いて春が来ました
sakura saite haru ga kimashita
喜び咲かせます
yorokobi sakasemasu
いつか風に散ってゆきます
itsuka kaze ni chitteyukimasu
だから生きるのです
dakara ikiru no desu
花吹雪キラキラ 儚くてキラキラ
hanafubuki kira kira hakanakute kira kira
人の世もキラキラ せつなくてキラキラ
hito no yo mo kira kira setsunakute kira kira
Cheery Blossom Song(0) (Oh! Enka)
I wonder why...whenever I see cherry blossoms, I become so sad.
Dad, Mom....I, too, will someday
Properly bloom for you! You'll see!
After leaving my hometown(1), a number of years has passed
My beloved hometown, it blooms in my dreams
Let's all let our dreams bloom together
Let's all bloom together
A little in the mood for flower viewing(2) shortly after I had smartly decided(2.5)
Society is calculating and tough; (valuing) "Pudding before praise"(3)
A slightly frivolous love is to a spring flower in full bloom
Any girl (is fine) dreamily, gently, "Love is blind"(4)
Ah~ Even if I'm moved to tears by love and honor(5)
Nevertheless, I am a flower that wholeheartedly believes in love(6)
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Causing happiness to bloom
Someday they will be scattered by the wind
Because of this, they live (more fully)(7)
Let's all let our dreams bloom together
Let's all bloom together
Leave choosing the place for the cherry blossom viewing party to me
Everything will be precisely, perfectly "a piece of cake"(8)
Just slightly drunk, I approach her
But in reality, easily, drastically (we're) "as different as day and night"(9)
Ah~ In accordance with this floating world(10) I entrust this body to the blowing winds
Nevertheless, I am a flower that lets my mortal life bloom
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Life is awakening
No matter what kind of winter it was, spring will come
The cherry blossoms are singing
Falling cherry blossoms glisten
Ephemerality glistens
The world of man(11) glistens
Suffering glistens
After leaving my hometown(1), a number of years has passed
My beloved hometown, it blooms in my dreams
The cherry blossoms have bloomed and spring has come
Causing happiness to bloom
Someday they will be scattered by the wind
Because of this, they live (more fully)(7)
Falling cherry blossoms glisten
Ephemerality glistens
The world of man(11) glistens
Suffering glistens
(0) Believe it or not I'm proud of this corny translation of it. The characters read like "ouenka" which means a rooters/cheering song but the "ou" here is not the "ou" for cheering but the "ou" of sakura which can also be read as "ou." Hence the pun, get it? A note here: enka is a "traditional" (it's sold as traditional but it is in fact a really modern construct) form of Japanese popular music that I would say is equivalent to American country music. Subaru's singing style is very enka-esque and this was I believe the highest grossing enka song ever?
(1) Pronounced as "furusato" but the kanji written is "kokyou" which has the same meaning except furusato has more cultural connotations with the entire furusato movement in the 60's and 70's in Japan. For more info just comment because I've already written a lot =P
(2) Hanami is something many Japanese do when the sakura bloom. It's a demi-holiday where people get together with friends and family and have a picnic under the trees.
(2.5) A hard phrase to translate. Any corrections?
(3) Original phrase: Hana yori dango; "dumplings before flowers" which is an idiom meaning that one should value neccesary items (like food) over frivolous things. I chose the closest english idiom equivalent for this one, it was hard!
(4) Original phrase: Abata mo ekubo; 'pockmarks look like dimples" which means you will find no faults with someone when you love them, hence, "love is blind."
(5) "giri to ninjou" is a Japanese cultural phrase that has a lot of deeper connotation that are hard to fully express. I'll just add that the common subject of Kabuki plays for example are a character torn between love (ninjou or human feelings) and duty (giri) towards his master/parents etc.
(6) The line here uses a form of old Japanese, hence I tried to reflect it in the translation.
(7) This was a difficult line to translate. First I would like to point out that unlike the rest of the song this is in polite form which is rarely utillized in songs. Second, the last line literally translates to "therefore, (they/it) lives." which is really ambiguous but I translated it as above because the 'no' after 'ikiru' implies that they're giving a reason for the sakura's life and I decided to view it as it lives more fully because of the entire aestheticism and pathos of a short but brilliant life because sakura are symbols of ephemerality and beauty simultaneously.
(8) Original phrase: "Ocha no ko sai sai" which means a job that can be done easily even after a light meal.
(9) Original phrase: "Tsuki to suppon" which literally means "the moon and a soft shelled turtle" which means as different as day and night but a soft shelled turtle also has the connotation of a persistent man and the moon has connotations with beauty.
(10) A Buddhist term that you may recognize from "Ukiyo-e". It literally means "the Floating World" which refers again to the transience of the modern world that is supposed to be wracked with sorrow and decadence.
(11) Another Buddhist term "hito no yo" which refers to the corrupt age. In Buddhism it is believed that the world goes through stages, when it is newly created the world is chaste and clean and as it goes on it becomes corrupt. "Hito no yo" is I believe the last stage before the world is destroyed and reborn anew. Ephemerality and suffering are also Buddhist keywords. Y'all should look up Buddhism.