Credits

I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Kazuya Kosaka -- Seishun Cycling (青春サイクリング)


Cycling, cycling! Yahoo! Yahoo!

That was the line from the classic kayo "Seishun Cycling" that kept going around in my head as I cycled down East Coast Park Wednesday afternoon to let off some steam - I was on study break before my exams next week. It was a clear day with strong winds blowing pushing me forward (and going against me in the return trip) and there were few people around as expected which made it peaceful and had me less on edge. However, rather than going, "Yahoo! Yahoo!" as actor-singer, Kazuya Kosaka (小坂一也), had so happily sang, it was more of "Uh-oh... Uh-oh..." for yours truly as the sun was burning hot in the early afternoon; my arms and knees were becoming more red the further I went. Thankfully I did not have to suffer from sunburns, but I did return home pink and eventually a shade darker.


Moving on, "Seishun Cycling" (released in 1958) is one of those popular old tunes I hear often on the music shows, more often than not being sung by all guests and sometimes by just one. I actually find it amusing that such a simple song about cycling can still be heard decades later. Contrary to what I had thought, the aged audience really love this song. Probably it makes them feel young again. Or perhaps it allows them to reminisce the times back in the day when they used to cycle about everywhere - cycling was one of the popular and primary modes of transport just like trains in that era, I learnt.

Writing the lyrics to "Seishun Cycling" was Kikuko Tanaka (田中喜久子). I can relate to the second stanza about riding down a path by the sea and taking in the salty breeze. As for its jaunty melody that makes you imagine coasting down a slope at high speed with the your hair billowing in the wind, Masao Koga (古賀政男) was responsible for it. Though I'm still having some trouble figuring out how to distinguish Koga's fast-paced works, I'm beginning to pick out 1 or 2 tropes, like hearing the clashing of cymbals.


During a break at a pavilion on my return trip, I was joined by this Common/Indian myna bird. With some thought I decided to name it Larry (by pure coincidence... One of the blog's contributors is also named Larry). He was first digging around in the sand for food, then came by and stood at the edge of the pavilion looking at me expectantly, no doubt hoping for a handout. Unfortunately for Larry the myna, I had nothing to offer but he just stood there fluffing his feathers. I enjoyed the company.

5 comments:

  1. Hello, Noelle.

    No doubt the folks over here were more than happy to head out cycling this past weekend with the temperatures at a balmy 12 degrees.

    I guess another pattern I found with the titling of Japanese kayo is that there were a lot of songs with the word "seishun", which plays well with that love of nostalgia that the Japanese have.

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    Replies
    1. 12 degrees? Balmy?! Haha, well, I suppose in Toronto it can be considered warm, but if you were to say that in Singapore they'd look at you funny, J-Canuck! 12 degrees is (from what I gathered) pretty much freezing to most here. I think it'd be great though if it could go down to that temperature... Or maybe just about 24 would be good to be honest. Cycling would become a bigger joy and maybe then would I not feel like I'm being fried by the sun.

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  2. Good afternoon. How nice to stumble upon your blog. I am a singer musician and I'm actually traveling to Japan in August-September. I wa ssearching some nice traditional Japanese music since I don't like very much most of the new "J-pop". I foud "Seishun Cycling" in spotify and I think is AMAZING. I'm loving this song. I'm recording songs like "kawa no nagare no youni" style, and i love folk music too. I would really appreciate if you have any sugestions for other nice songs. Also, I am looking for "seishun cycling"'s lyrics but it was impossible. Do you know where can I find them?

    Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Hello, Danny. Good to meet you and thank you very much for your comments. I saw your Google page and took a look at your videos. If I'm not mistaken, is that you doing "Lady is a Tramp"? I'm a jazz fan as well so it's nice to hear the old standards.

      Judging from your speech contest video, I take it that you have some good ability with Japanese so I'm hoping that you can read the original lyrics for "Seishun Cycling". However, if you need the romaji, let me know.

      By the way, if you are looking for something else that is jaunty from the old days, you can try "Tokyo Rhapsody" (http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.ca/2013/11/ichiro-fujiyama-tokyo-rhapsody.html)

      みどりの風もさわやかに
      にぎるハンドル心も軽く
      サイクリングサイクリング
      ヤッホーヤッホー
      青い峠も花咲く丘も
      ちょいとペダルで一越えすれば
      旅のつばめも
      ついてくるついてくる
      ヤッホー
      ヤッホーヤッホーヤッホー

      行こうよ君と
      はずむ銀輪リズムに乗って
      サイクリングサイクリング
      ヤッホーヤッホー
      波もささやく浜辺の道を
      若い歌声合わせて走りゃ
      潮のかおりが
      夢を呼ぶ夢を呼ぶ
      ヤッホー
      ヤッホーヤッホーヤッホー

      夕焼け空のあかね雲
      風にマフラーをなびかせながら
      サイクリングサイクリング
      ヤッホーヤッホー
      走り疲れて野ばらの花を
      摘んで見返りゃ地平の果てに
      あすも日和の
      虹が立つ虹が立つ
      ヤッホー
      ヤッホーヤッホーヤッホー

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    2. Hi there, Danny.

      Whoa, you're a singer-musician; that's cool.

      Anyways, I see that you're looking for some traditional Japanese music, and J-Canuck gave a good suggestion: Tokyo Rhapsody. Old but jaunty like "Seishun Cycling". I'd also recommend Hachiro Kasuga's "Otomi-san".
      http://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.sg/2014/11/hachiro-kasugasayuri-ishikawa-otomi-san.html

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