When I was teaching English, the only way I could get my students to listen to English music is if I played Monpachi or Avril Lavigne. I didn't like the latter, and I loved the former, so it's pretty obvious which one I choose. Of course, they only wanted to listen to the Japanese songs by Monpachi, so it often backfired, but on the whole it worked out all right.
One of my students, though, always wanted to listen to Ryuukyuu Aika. Why? I have no idea. I wish I had asked. Unfortunately, at the time, my Japanese wasn’t great and I didn’t really know what the song was about. Now, I really want to know why a student from the middle of Japan indentified with such a patriotic song of a place he has very little to do with.
Oh Masashi, I wish I could ask you.
[EDIT : The kimono the person is wearing above is the Okinawan style kimono. The design is inspired by my favorite traditional singers, Tink Tink (テインクテインク) in this video.]
琉球愛歌
MONGOL800
メッセージ
泣かないで人々よ あなたのため明日のため
すべての国よ うわべだけの付き合いやめて
忘れるな琉球の心 武力使わず 自然を愛する
自分を捨てて誰かのため何かができる
日々あなた思い 一生が終わればいい
日々の暮らしの中 間違いだらけこの世の中
責任たらい廻し 子は親殺し 平気な顔
貧しい国見殺し 無力な自分 くずれる今
日々あなた思い あなた思い 一生が終わればいい
日々あなた思い あなた思い 一生が終えてもいい
日々あんたと僕 あなたと僕 一生を終えようか
Ryukyuu Aika
Mongoru Happyaku
MESSEEJI
Nakaide hitobito yo Anata no tame ashita no tame
Subete no kuni yo Uwabedake no tsukiai yamete
Wasureru na ryuukyuu kokoro buryoku sukawazu Shizen wo aisuru
Jibun wo sutetee dare ka no tame nanika ga dekiru
Hibi anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi no kurashi no naka Machigai darake kono yo no naka
Sekinin tarai mawashi Ko ha oyagoroshi Heiki na kao
Mazushii kuni migoroshi Muryoku na jibun Kuzureru ima
Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Issho ga oetemoii
Hibi anata to boku Anata to boku Isshou wo oeyouka
Ryuukyuu (1) Love Song
MONGOL800
Message
They are people who don’t cry for you or tomorrow
This whole country should stop socializing with just outward appearances
Don’t forget your Ryuukyuu heart, which doesn’t use military force (2) which loves nature
Leave yourself behind because you can do anything for someone else’s sake.
Day after day, your thoughts are that it’d (3) be better if it ended
Day after day in our lives, the world is full of mistakes
Responsibilities are being passed around, children kill their parents with calm faces
We let this poor country die, we have no power, and it’s all crumbling
Day after day, your thought, your thoughts are that it’d be best for it to end
Day after day, your thoughts, your thoughts are it’d be okay to finish it
Day after day, you and me, you and me, let’s finish it!
ANNOTATIONS:
1. Ryuukyuu is the native name for Okinawa. Obviously, it’s a more patriotic term for Okinawans who don’t feel that connected to mainland Japan.
2. I’d like to explain this a bit more, but since I’m not an expert I think I’d like to let this quote from a 1968 TIME article say it all (well, most of it anyway):
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841453,00.html#ixzz1MC3nAOKp
3. This isn’t about suicide… It’s just really hard to translate what it’s talking about. It uses the kanji for one and life (pronounced isshou) and it doesn't translate too well into English. It can mean doing something your whole life, or it can mean life (as in life, or an era) until its end. So… I just decided to call it “it” to be vague as well.
琉球愛歌
MONGOL800
メッセージ
泣かないで人々よ あなたのため明日のため
すべての国よ うわべだけの付き合いやめて
忘れるな琉球の心 武力使わず 自然を愛する
自分を捨てて誰かのため何かができる
日々あなた思い 一生が終わればいい
日々の暮らしの中 間違いだらけこの世の中
責任たらい廻し 子は親殺し 平気な顔
貧しい国見殺し 無力な自分 くずれる今
日々あなた思い あなた思い 一生が終わればいい
日々あなた思い あなた思い 一生が終えてもいい
日々あんたと僕 あなたと僕 一生を終えようか
Ryukyuu Aika
Mongoru Happyaku
MESSEEJI
Nakaide hitobito yo Anata no tame ashita no tame
Subete no kuni yo Uwabedake no tsukiai yamete
Wasureru na ryuukyuu kokoro buryoku sukawazu Shizen wo aisuru
Jibun wo sutetee dare ka no tame nanika ga dekiru
Hibi anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi no kurashi no naka Machigai darake kono yo no naka
Sekinin tarai mawashi Ko ha oyagoroshi Heiki na kao
Mazushii kuni migoroshi Muryoku na jibun Kuzureru ima
Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Issho ga oetemoii
Hibi anata to boku Anata to boku Isshou wo oeyouka
Ryuukyuu (1) Love Song
MONGOL800
Message
They are people who don’t cry for you or tomorrow
This whole country should stop socializing with just outward appearances
Don’t forget your Ryuukyuu heart, which doesn’t use military force (2) which loves nature
Leave yourself behind because you can do anything for someone else’s sake.
Day after day, your thoughts are that it’d (3) be better if it ended
Day after day in our lives, the world is full of mistakes
Responsibilities are being passed around, children kill their parents with calm faces
We let this poor country die, we have no power, and it’s all crumbling
Day after day, your thought, your thoughts are that it’d be best for it to end
Day after day, your thoughts, your thoughts are it’d be okay to finish it
Day after day, you and me, you and me, let’s finish it!
ANNOTATIONS:
1. Ryuukyuu is the native name for Okinawa. Obviously, it’s a more patriotic term for Okinawans who don’t feel that connected to mainland Japan.
2. I’d like to explain this a bit more, but since I’m not an expert I think I’d like to let this quote from a 1968 TIME article say it all (well, most of it anyway):
“History of Okinawa reveal distinguished record of conquerors.
We have honor to be subjugated in fourteenth century by Chinese pirates, In sixteenth century by English missionaries, In eighteenth century by Japanese warlords, And in twentieth century by American Marines."
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841453,00.html#ixzz1MC3nAOKp
3. This isn’t about suicide… It’s just really hard to translate what it’s talking about. It uses the kanji for one and life (pronounced isshou) and it doesn't translate too well into English. It can mean doing something your whole life, or it can mean life (as in life, or an era) until its end. So… I just decided to call it “it” to be vague as well.
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