Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

I've just been wondering about the various songs that appear in some issues, they seem a little strange to me. I mean... I can't really get a feel of how it would actually be sung...

as an example, try singing this song from Slavers:

"Jump along grasshopper--But look out for that tree--The bird in the sky--And the hole in the ground! Ho!"

maybe I'm just not feeling the rhythm

help me out here.

-Aidan

The lyrics (I think, and please correct me if I'm wrong) are made to sound as if they were translated to from Japanese to English. In Japanese, they would make perfect sense.

Some of the songs are made up, and I wanted to give the impression that they are directly translated from Japanese.

Other songs, like the one in Grasscutter 2, is a pretty literal translation of a traditional song.

I just use a Japanese folk song in Chrysanthemum Pass.

Here's for example the lyrics of the "Pigeon Song" that medicine dealer Icho sings in Book 10 :

ポッポッポ鳩ポッポ
po po po hato po po
豆が欲しいかそらやるぞ
mame ga hoshii ka sora yaruzo
みんなで仲良く食べに来い
minna de nakayoku tabe ni koi

ポッポッポ鳩ポッポ
po po po hato po po
豆はうまいか食べたなら
mame wa umai ka tabeta nara
一度にそろって飛んで行け
ichido ni sorotte tonde ike

Actually, this is a mere children's song, and it was written in 1900 by a woman called Kume Higashi (東くめ). The music was composed by Rentarô Taki (滝廉太郎).

So, this song is a little bit anachronistic in 1604-1605. Let's say it's a poetic license.

Thank you. I did not know the history of that song. It's just one of those songs that I grew up with--like Shojo Ji.

Yeah... I suppose direct translations will rarely rhyme.

All the better I say! Me and my friend Steve have loads of fun trying to sing them regardless

Thanks!

-Aidan

"Jump along grasshopper--But look out for that tree--The bird in the sky--And the hole in the ground! Ho!"

I hear this one as being to the tune of "George of the Jungle"!