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| Look, Bin-san, it's Uehara Bin 2- err- I mean, Ko-san |
Looking at the two fellows above, one who didn't make it past 1945 and one who hasn't hit 40 yet, I wonder if I think the former is cute because I think the latter is so, or if I find the latter appealing because I find the former was too. Either way, I ended up having the need to get a bromide of Bin Uehara (上原敏) shortly after I came to adore Kotaro Takashima (高島孝太郎) of Tokyo Tashishu Kayo Gakudan (東京大衆歌謡楽団).
I mean, I'd seen some shots of Bin-san and he did look rather sweet by my standards, albeit of the geeky, accountant-looking sort (well, I mean, I do see Ko-san the same way too), so the bromide is a nice addition to my collection. But, interestingly enough, some of my favourite ryukoka actually do come from him. This is not self-justification of getting a bromide of a singer who far pre-dates Hachi or Haru-san, I promise. Besides, I got some Batayan and Okappal stuff too.
Beginning with "Uramachi Jinsei" (裏町人生), I slowly grew to enjoy Uehara's minyo-hinted ryukoka singing style. Then came "Hatoba Katagi" (波止場気質), and eventually the ronin-based songs he was easily most known for, "Ruten" (流転) and "Tsuma-koi Dochu". I'll be featuring "Tsuma-koi Dochu" here.
I think of the sub-categories of enka/ryukoka that exist, the ronin/wanderer and husband-wife relations themes are definitely my favourites. A number of tunes feature an amalgamation of both, one of them being "Tsuma-koi Dochu". In this 1937 instalment of misery, we join who I think is a samurai who had to leave his beloved wife behind to become a ronin - perhaps he couldn't find employment under any master and had to resort to this dishonourable path cursed with solitude. In Masato Fujita's (藤田まさと) words, he begets his wife to not hold it against him and tries to put on a strong front, but he himself is aching badly on the inside.
Bin-san's gentle vocals shine as he takes each vowel for a rollercoaster ride with Takeo Abe's (阿部武雄) shamisen-filled composition. Overall, it sounds on the moderately upbeat side, which, I guess can be seen as the fellow's strong front. But Uehara's forlorn delivery does seem to convey his lamentations over his fate. Y'know, considering the time the song had been released, I wonder if this could be used in the context of a soldier having to be shipped off to war, being separated from his wife at the orders of the nation.
As with the past songs I had recently written about, it was through Tokyo Taishu Kayo Gakudan that I actually got a full listen of this wandering yakuza tune. Because Bin-san's matatabi enka tend to be of a slower tempo that showcases much of his kobushi skills, it did take me a bit longer to really get into it. It simply took hours upon hours of Ko-san & Brothers, being tickled by "Aho" (I'm monke brain, alright?), and realising how perfect it is to sing it on long cycles through the countryside and across cities. But, I have to say that hearing how each singer handles the words has to be my next greatest enjoyment of "Tsuma-koi Dochu".
As I mentioned, "Tsuma-koi Dochu" is one of Bin-san's many musical legacies, so much so that even enka greats like Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) and Haruo Minami (三波春夫) have done their own renditions. Hachi's version retains the original flavour save for his more kayokyoku-esque vocals, not unlike the Gakudan's take. Hachi's cover makes its first appearance in his ronin-themed enka cover album "Kasuga Hachiro Ninkyo wo Utau" (春日八郎仁侠を歌う) from 1970.
Haru-san's one in the video here, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. Haru-san is no stranger to such tunes and his chirpy vocals are a joy to hear, fluttering over the words. Together with the faster pace and modern arrangements with an electric guitar instead of shamisen, this does give "Tsuma-koi Dochu" a peppy, cheery slant. I believe Minami's version first appeared in 1974 in "Minami Haruo 'Hana no Matatabi Nikki'" (三波春夫“ 花の股旅日記").
Personally, I lean towards Bin-san's original and the Gakudan's modern-yet-old-sounding take.
P.S. Usually, around this time, I would've decided on a song for the year. Oddly enough, this is it. Really came out of the left field. I was expecting a Hachi or Haru-san (original) song or something. Well, welcome to the club Bin-san! (?)
Hello, Noelle. Thank you very much for your article on "Tsuma-koi Dochu". Indeed, there is that very Japanese tradition of a cheerful melody overlaying some melancholy lyrics in all of the versions. I guess it's very much a case of honour over love. As for Uehara and Takashima, they do have that adorable geekiness in their appearances...rather Harold Lloyd, in fact.
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