Hachiro Kasuga -- Tokyo no Ari（東京の蟻）

 

My sympathies always go out to the average company worker in Japan especially during the summers. They still gotta do right by the clients and bosses through pounding the pavement and wearing the suits, although the temperatures and humidity outside make saunas feel like igloos in comparison. Countermeasures including thinner and airier blazers, lots of vending machines filled with cold drinks, and Gatsby mentholated wipes are there to help, but it's still a mighty tough slog. Although I was a teacher and not a salesman in Japan, I still had to wear the dress blues and made frequent use of those remedies as well.

Not sure whether the late kayo legend Hachiro Kasuga（春日八郎）and the songwriting team backing him up had ever meant for his 1959 single to address the summer trials and tribulations of the typical salaryman. I think in all likelihood, his "Tokyo no Ari" (Tokyo Ant) was an all-year tribute to the life of the businessman beating the path to customers and profitability. 

In the Mood Kayo tune written by Hiroshi Yokoi（横井弘）and composed by Tadaharu Nakano（中野忠晴）, I believe that Kasuga was performing a somewhat comically forlorn if still proud paean to the worker ants helping to rebuild Tokyo from all angles and therefore Japan in general. The bluesy sax, strumming guitar and wistful accordion above accompany the corporate cog everywhere from the office to the local watering hole. It can even be a lullaby for them before they get their four hours of sleep. At the same time as was the case with many a Tokyo-based kayo back then, there are some wistful thoughts of the old hometown in the countryside.