Noelle's 2021 in Song

With 2021 coming to a close, I think it'd be a good time for me to add my own yearly round-up. I had been thinking about some theme I wanted to go with, and rather than a singer specific list, I thought I'd go with a list that narrates significant going-ons I had throughout this bumpy year - when is it ever not, though?  Without further ado, let's begin.

Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) -- Ruten no Yoru (流転の夜)

I'd spent the majority of 2020 back in Singapore due to the pandemic, so coming back to Japan exactly a year later in March 2021 needed some readjustments. There was definitely some loneliness (though a lot less than my first year), having to deal with noisy neighbours, and I'd saddled myself with a particularly arduous class that new semester (a few of you might know what I mean...). Basically, it was draining. 

Sometimes, particularly at night, be it from out of the window of that old apartment or on strolls through deserted streets in the middle of the night, I would just look up at the night sky. Being in a faraway land and roaming around trying to do my thing, Hachi's "Ruten no Yoru" of an exhausted wandering soul felt oddly fitting and would put me in a reflective mood. The slightly lonesome-sounding flute, delicate strings and Hachi's delicate vocals were the perfect medicine for my frazzled nerves.

Perhaps it's because I'm in a better head-space now and because I'd been hooked by other songs since then, so "Ruten no Yoru" doesn't resonate as strongly as it did half a year ago. Those memories of watching the stars and the feelings I held at the time had become imprinted on this song, though, and it does come back whenever I listen to it now.

Kiyoshi Hikawa (氷川きよし) -- Ninjou Toridejuku (人情取手宿)

I'd mentioned a number of times that sumo is one of the new hobbies I'd acquired. Spectating it, of course. Rallying behind Tochinoshin who I'd seen on NHK news long before understanding the sport; learning archaic sumo terms and practices; watching Terunofuji destroy the competition and become yokozuna on his return from injury - it was all new, weird, and yet oh, so fun! So, it was cathartic when I was able to watch the tournaments live at the Ryogoku Kokugikan when I was back in Japan. The raw power of seeing these giants tackle each other was amazing, and new yokozuna's Teru-chan's dohyo-iri in September was awesome. Plus, I even got a photo with the now-retired Ikioi, a pretty strong fighter with the voice of an enka singer!

Representing this experience is Kiyoshi Hikawa's "Ninjou Toridejuku". Sure, the wrestler presented in this popular tale used in this song is a hapless fool, but the melody that's grand and filled with vigour just fits the sport so well.

Tadaharu Nakano (中野忠晴)/Tokyo Taishu Kayo Gakudan (東京大衆歌謡楽団) -- China Tango

So, I have this jolly professor whose focus is on China studies and I'd taken a number of his classes this year. From my understanding of international politics in recent years from his classes, it's been nothing but a China Tango... ROLL CREDITS.

My introduction to my new muse (muses?), the ode to early Showa music Tokyo Taishu Kayo Gakudan, was facilitated by Tadaharu Nakano's "China Tango". I'm glad to have come across these Kotaro Takashima and his brothers because not only do they provide fantastic and authentic-sounding covers of ryukoka but through them, my interest in this part of enka/kayokyoku had been revived. In fact, the next few entries had also been introduced by them. They also have the honour of being the first artists below the age of 40 I have really gotten into... if that can be considered an honour at all... 

As for "China Tango" itself, for some reason, the premises of the song, its fun tango rhythm and Ko-san's hearty vocals are just so alluring. At the moment, it's probably my favourite cover tune by the quartet. And, as I had mentioned, I was in the midst of that class international politics class while I was getting into the song. Couldn't have asked for better timing.

Bin Uehara (上原敏) -- Tsuma-koi Dochu (妻恋道中)

Cycling is one of my favourite things to do when I'm in Japan. Perhaps it's because I stay out of Tokyo and away from the mad traffic. Plus, living in the suburbs do provide incredibly scenic routes along rivers, through rice fields, and, when weather permits, Mt. Fuji can be seen looming in the distance. In the new area I'm living in, I get longer stretches of uninterrupted routes like these. I do like to sing to myself while doing so, and what better type of song to sing along to on such cycles than some dochu-mono? Somehow, Bin-san's stuff feels the most appropriate. Maybe's it's the minyo element in it? Either way, even though I'm on a modern albeit run-of-the-mill utility bicycle and not trudging around with straw sandals, I can't help but feel like one of those early Edo era travellers humming away to keep oneself entertained on a long journey. Plus, autumn foliage just made everything look 10 times as picturesque.

Bin-san has lots of matatabi enka under his belt, but, as implied in an earlier article, I have a soft spot for "Tsuma-koi Dochu". Have to thank the Takashima brothers for this too, though.

Haruo Oka (岡晴夫) -- Shiawase Wa Ano Sora Kara (幸福はあの空から)

As somewhat of a perfectionist who stresses wanting to live up to expectations, a particularly difficult lesson I had to learn this year was that it is okay to be wrong and not get things right all the time. Of course, I'm still learning how to do so and to apply it to not just school but social interactions as well. But, at the end of the day, things somehow worked themselves out and, to balance out the bad moments of the year, great moments were around the corner... You could even say, the happiness came from the sky. ROLL CREDITS. AGAIN.

Okkapal's "Shiawase Wa Ano Sora Kara" is probably not one of his notable works but with a title like that and the words of hope and endurance embedded in the lyrics, it is quite a pick-me-upper. It's almost as if he's encouraging you to hang on. I reckon everyone needs something like this in this current situation too. Hopefully, things will get better in the coming year.

And with that, we've come to the end of the article. Thanks for making it to the end. I'm not sure if I'll be posting anything between now and the new year, so let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!