Tadaharu Nakano -- Kougen no Uta (高原の唄)

Natsu da! Natsu da yo, Mr. Nakano!

When you think of Masao Koga (古賀政男), one of the fathers of kayokyoku and sometimes cited as (but highly debatably so) the Father of Enka, you likely think of his dark yonanuki (pentatonic scale) minor melodies that relay gloom and angst through that all too familiar lonely guitar or mandolin sound. "Kage wo Shitaite" (影を慕いて). "Jinsei no Namiki Michi"(人生の並木路). "Yu no Machi no Elegy" (湯の町エレジー).  These are often cited as the quintessential Koga Melody and, in the "Father of Enka" discourse, the roots of enka. But Koga sensei had way more up his sleeve and created music in a myriad of different styles, themes, and moods. "Midori no Chiheisen" (緑の地平線). "Konna Watashi Janakatta ni"(こんな私じゃなかったに). "Koi no Manjushage" (恋の曼珠沙華). 

The singer most associated with Koga Melody is probably Ichiro Fujiyama (藤山一郎); many of the Fujiyama-Koga combos becoming some of the most beloved evergreen tunes. Another is Shigeo Kusunoki (楠木繁夫), the two of them being the best of friends. But Koga sensei also composed for many other singers, but unfortunately those pieces were overshadowed by the aforementioned hits and overlooked by mainstream media. Today, I shall put the spotlight on a tune which one is unlikely to notice that it's a Koga creation which was sung by a singer one wouldn't associate with the venerable composer: Tadaharu Nakano's (中野忠晴) "Kougen no Uta" (lit. Plateau Song).

"Kougen no Uta" was released on 1st July 1932 and was the 2nd official single by the fresh-faced tenor who had only just graduated from Musashino Music School four months earlier. Mr. Nakano's most well-known for his foray in jazz and work with Koga's compatriot Ryoichi Hattori (服部良一), but he recorded a few Koga compositions early in his career, including his debut song, before the composer's move from Columbia to Teichiku Records in 1934 (he moved back to Columbia around 1939 or so). Unfortunately, “Kougen no Uta” did not seem to be a particular success, its release sandwiched between and thus overshadowed by debut tune “Yogiri no Minato” (夜霧の港) and Olympic theme “Hashire Daichi” (国際オリンピック選手派遣応援歌-走れ大地).

Listening to "Kougen no Uta," I'd say that besides the familiar sound of the group of mandolins strumming away in the back (brought to you by the Meiji Mandolin Orchestra), its overall profile did not feel like the Koga Melody I'd been exposed to for the longest time. In fact, it didn't sound Japanese or particularly Western either. It had an oriental sound that felt North Korean or Chinese to my ears, but I could be completely wrong. If it was indeed the case, though, I wonder if Koga's formative years in Korea had anything to do with it. Or it could simply be of the Meiji-Taisho enka sound. Either way, it's got a refreshing feel that makes it perfect for early summer.

コロムビア月報６月（昭和７）
From the National Diet Library Archives　

To Koga's melody, Yoshifumi Shimada (島田芳文) wrote the words depicting a scenery of verdant nature out in the great outdoors. It's as if you’re on a hike through the woods in the mountains taking in that sweet fresh air. The bird chirps in the earlier half of “Kougen no Uta” makes the musical hiking experience more immersive. But what I love most about this song is Shimada’s artful description of the progression of time the day spent in the woods: The morning dew on the leaves of a white lily in the mountain valley, the indigo silhouette of the distant mountains, and the white birch leaves whispering as the moon shines over the marshlands. You know the bird chirps? Since the second half of the song narrates night taking over the green valley, it makes sense to not have the bird sounds in that section. 

Mr. Nakano’s more straightforward and relatively stiff delivery, reflective of the singing style when the Showa era was still in single digits, somehow makes “Kougen no Uta” sound a bit more raw. It’s as if we’re listening to a fellow hiker relay the beauty of nature and summer while trudging along a forest trail.

I was reading a little on "Kougen no Uta" in the July edition of the 1932 Columbia Records Monthlies, and it mentioned that it was created in a similar vein to the earlier released "Camp Kouta" (キャンプ小唄), what with the same lyricist-composer team. Both certainly give off that summer outdoorsy vibe, but Mr. Nakano's tune seems more forlorn and introspective in comparison to Mr. Fujiyama's lighthearted ode to camping. On that note, considering the number of tunes featuring these outdoor activities in the early to mid-1930s, it seemed like hiking and camping were all the rage back then. Maybe it was to strike a balance with the hustle and bustle of the city centers.

Despite not being a traditional Koga Melody or Nakano jazz number, I love “Kougen no Uta” very much for the reasons above. Had I heard it before my Mr. Nakano birthday dedication article, this would certainly have been included. 

Now that summer is in full swing here in Japan, the cycling trail near home base has become quite lush - a little less so now because of some weed-whacking. It flanks a river, cuts through rice fields, and on clear days you can see the mountains in the distance. As I cycle down the trail in the recent days, I can't help by feel how apt the atmosphere of "Kougen no Uta" is to the scenery before me... even if my part of town is probably more a no or susono dotted with tanbo than kougen, and I can see the next bit of town before I can the mountains. Still, it's now become one of my summer cycling songs.