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What is this singer singing? 2015/11/21 17:11
Hi, here's a 30 second musical sample of Japanese folk song. Could you please tell me what they are singing? What the lyrics mean. And could you please provide me with the lyrics to this song?
Thanks!
http://www.allmusic.com/album/world-of-taurura-kinshi-mw0000178914
by Hando  

Re: What is this singer singing? 2015/11/22 10:14
Found only 2nd and 3rd song with full lyric
but using old style Japanese a little harder for translating all.
https://youtu.be/_CtRwZTPy8U
https://youtu.be/oklJFTbvzaQ
However, basically all three songs lyrics meanings not so difficult
just singing about "Battle of Dannoura" in 1185(830yrs ago) story as drama.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dan-no-ura
This story is one of very famous battle of Japan history.
1st song title means prologue of final battle Dannoura.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunkan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishigatani_incident
3rd song title "Yoshitsune(義経)" is main chracter's first name of the long story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamoto_no_Yoshitsune

If want to know more search by Japanese "壇ノ浦の戦い"(dannoura no tatakai).
Dannoura is still exist as land name in Shimonoseki city of Yamaguchi PF Japan west.
http://www.oidemase.or.jp/tourism-information/spots/15266
One of famous sightseeing spot. (behind large bridge is Kanmon-kyo)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanmon_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanmon_Straits

And...
About SatsumaBiwa(instrument) performer Tsuruta Kinshi(鶴田錦史).
http://www.diana.dti.ne.jp/~pipars/page31/page36/page36.html
(Use google translate)
Tsuruta Kinshi is super low tone voice like male
but "She" is... like "Tracy Chapman", "Janis Joplin " or.
https://youtu.be/uTIB10eQnA0
https://youtu.be/bn5TNqjuHiU

Biwa is one of old instrument with long history born in no paper no text/writing by public period.
So biwa was one of important tool for hearsay as spead news and with as entertainment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biwa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lute
Especially SatsumaBiwa was custumized for theme of battle stoties play.
Satsuma is old domain name of Kagoshima PF area.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsuma_Domain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_system
This is one of SatsumaBiwa play "battle of Okehazama" story.
https://youtu.be/vs26i_1CxZU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okehazama

Also similar Biwa play style still exist (similar sound also play style)
"Rokyoku(浪曲)" and "Mandan(漫談)" with/by "Shamisen" instead.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dkyoku
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamisen
https://youtu.be/YOCwJ9d4zL0
https://youtu.be/GvYHOWwMCUw
Playing Shamisen maybe you know as Geisha performance already famous world wide by film or.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha
But by Shamisen songs and lyrics stoties theme are no old battle usual.
Biwa using for "Kaidan(Kwaidan)" stories performance effect matched well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaidan
by Mscd (guest) rate this post as useful

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