A performance of the Tsugaru taueuta, an Aomori (Tsugaru) min'yō, with lyrics. 青森県(津軽)民謡の津軽田植唄の演奏と歌詞、簡単な説明です。
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Meaning of the lyrics:
When spring comes, the snowmelt water flows into the rice field dikes. The loaches and sculpins rejoice, “Oh, the sky is so bright! What’s this? Aha!” They might think the sea has come in.
When summer comes, the rice field dikes become like warm water. The loaches and sculpins rejoice, “Yay, it’s getting hot. This feels good. What is this? Ah!” They might think hot water has come in.
When autumn comes, the mountains turn red with autumn leaves. The loaches and sculpins are surprised, "Oh, the mountains have turned red. What is that? Ah, it's scary." They might think the mountains are on fire.
When winter comes, the rice field dikes turn white with snow. The loaches and sculpins think, "Huh? The sky has darkened. What is this? I get it! Ah!” They might think a ceiling has been put over them.
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Description:
In the Tsugaru region, professional entertainers appeared at an early stage compared to the rest of the country. As a result, many traditional work songs disappeared early on, and only well-known min'yō remained. According to the “Nihon Min'yō Taikan” (NHK Publishing, Inc.), a person born in 1888 remembered hearing this song sung by farmers during their childhood, which allowed the song to be transcribed. The lines enclosed in "" are not part of the original but are the vocalist's own invention.
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Vocalist: Suzuki Toshitsugu
Audio/image editor: Suzuki Shingo
