What is “Goshu Ondo（江州音頭）”？

 

The “Goshu Ondo（江州音頭）” is a Bon dance song that originated in the country of Omi (present-day Shiga Prefecture（滋賀県）).

 

It is danced to a long story in seven syllables recited by an ondo-taker. The roots of Goshu Ondo can be traced back to the Bon dance songs of the area east of Lake Biwa（琵琶湖）, which gradually became a form of entertainment based on the rites performed by mountain ascetics.

 

The original Goshu Ondo “Sumida River” performed this time is a modern adaptation of the Umewaka（梅若伝説）legend, which tells the story of the journey from Lake Biwa in distant Shiga to the Sumida River in Tokyo, and is a new ondo with lyrics that also incorporate the scenery of present-day Sumida, which is the highlight of the story.

Translation of "Sumidagawa" Goshu Ondo（江州音頭）lyrics

 

Ae, everyone, please!

From now on, let's call out together!

 

Now, to everyone here...

I've got a little something for you.

As you can hear, I have a bad voice.

I can't recite very well, but the guitarist and guiderist help me out

I'll try to recite a verse of Goshu Ondo

I'll keep trying until the time comes.

​

 

Sweating out the sweat of 1923

The tenugui (Japanese traditional towel) fluttering in the tenement house

Blowing streamers of the Tokyo Skytree

If you put your hands on your hips and drink milk

"Kon!”  the sound of kerorin (*1)  

 

Outside the window, an orange tree

a piece of electricity stimulates, and an orange falls out

the cat crawls out of the narrow alley

The orange hits the head of cat

Another orange also falls into an empty reddish-brown plant pot and makes the sound "Kon!”

 

What are you doing making your kimono fold up into your pants?

He fastened up a loincloth tighter.

His obi fell off

He was embarrassed and cheeks were blushing red.

Beside him, sparrows were dancing in the puddles 

 

Laud sutra ceremony in Sumida River today

We need to gather people for the memorial service

The more the merrier, they say

Back and forth to the other side of the river

The boatman works so hard all day 

 

The boatman asked passengers on his boat 

“What's happening?”

One passenger answered in detail, “There's a mother who got crazy after she knew her son passed away…”

 

Farmers like us

They cultivated the fields, sow the seeds, and the flowers bloom

Fruit grows in the midst of the flowers

They reap and harvest, and put them into squares

 

And how many stones, how many tons, how many squares, how many volumes etc.

We packed them in bales, tied them with rough ropes, and carried them on our backs

 

Put them in a large cart

Then they would be pulled by oxen and driven to an oil merchant.

Then they would take it to the oil store.

At the oil store, they hang it over the shimeki, and choo-choo!

What a frame for a song!

 

One or two raindrops on the roof

 

The oil that I squeezed and dripped

Young ladies over there

They buy one or two cups of it

 

And to the gods, we give the light and clasp our hands together and say

Great Bodhisattva Namu Hachiman, purify us from evil and save us, Big Lord Tenri-O no Mikoto

Peace be with you, and all will be in good health.

 

May you be with the one you love.

What is this?

 

Even though this is not the tenets of the Lotus Sutra

Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo

Like a monk reciting the sutra.

From one to ten, huh?

 

From rapeseed to kabura

Like sesame seeds and mustard seeds

 

Even if I put my whole heart and soul into it

Though I can't get through with their voices

 

I'll be danced by shells and tin cans to the tune of a Goshu Ondo, and from now on, I'll be making my speech slowly and steadily.

 

Deren, deren, deren, deren, deren

Deren, deren, deren, deren, deren, deren, deren

Denderen, denderen, denderen, denderen, denderen

Denderen deleren deleren deleren deleren deleren deleren deleren

 

The beginning of the practice of Shodan brush strokes in the first place

I don't understand what's going on in the middle of the sentence

 

It's unintentionally amusing.

It's a sight to see, they said loudly

Everyone in the boat is waiting for you.
 

Well then, to all of you here

If only... if only...

I can't even hear you anymore

I'll stop here.

Let's meet again in another time.

 

*1 Yellow wash bowl in a public bath that advertise kerorin (painkiller medicine)

 

“Goshu Ondo（江州音頭）” Japanese lyrics

 

(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

= Sora yoito yoiya makka dokkoi sa no se

＊It means "Let's dance all night!!”

​

エイ皆様たのみます(ア ヤレコラセドッコイセ)
これからはヨイヤセのコレ掛け声を(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

さてはこの場の皆さんへ
ちょいと出ました明星は
お聞きどおりの悪声で
とてもうまくは詠めないけれど
ギターとガイダにはやされて
江州音頭の一節を
時間のくるまで努めましょう(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

大正十二年の 汗吹きだして
長屋にはためく手ぬぐいは
スカイツリーの吹き流し
腰に手を当て牛乳飲めば
コーン！とケロリンの音がする(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

窓の外にはみかんの木
電気ビリビリ一粒落ちた
細い路地から這い出る猫は
野良猫あたまに一粒落ちた
転がるみかんはもひとつコン！と
空の赤茶の植木の鉢に(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

据をからげて何やってんの？
ふんどしきりっと締めあげて
帯がはらりと落ちまして
赤いほっぺた照れ隠し
雀の菅笠水たまり
ちゅんちゅ踊りのアスファルト(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

隅田川では「大念仏」 today
供養のためコレ人集めんと
多けりゃ多いほど良いと来た
向こう岸へと行ったり来たり
大忙しの渡し守(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

舟に乗せつつ尋ねる船頭
後ろで騒いで What's happen?
答えておとこはあれは都の
女物狂い下りきて
事やこまかに

​

(挿人歌その一・油紋り)
われわれ同様お百姓衆が
田を耕して菜種を蒔いて花咲いて
花なん中に実がなって
刈ってこなして升目にかけて
何石何斗何升何合何勺までもあったとて
俵につめて荒縄かけてくるりと担いで
大八車につめこんで
牛にひかしてカラリコロリと
油屋さんへと持っていき
油屋さんでは締め木にかけてちゅーちゅっと
唄う文句の枠なこと

​

（挿入歌その二・トタンの長屋に降る雨よ）
ひとつふたつ　屋根伝う雨粒

​

（挿入歌その一・油絞りにもどる）
アァンちゅーちゅっと搾り垂らしたその油
あっちやこっちの姉さんたちが
一合や二合と買い求め
神々さんにはお光あげて両の手合わせて申すには
南無八幡大菩薩や悪しきを祓うて助けたまえ天理王のみこと
家内安全身は息災
好いたお方と添えますようにと
なんじゃかじゃとて
法華の宗旨じゃないけんど
南無妙法蓮華経と
坊さんお経をよむようにゃ
エー一から十までか
ピンからキリまで
菜種からカブラまで
胡麻や芥子のようにゃ
誠真実一心こめても
こんなサー かれ声ではこまこうは参らんけれど
江州音頭の一曲で貝や錫杖にあやつられこれからぼつぼつと口演たてまつるわいな

(アンアンアレレン デレレン
レンレン デレデレレン デレレン
デレン デレレン デレレン
レンレレ デンデレレン
デンデレ デンレレレン デレレンレンレン)

そもそもの初段の筆の稽古はじめ
文句途中でわけわからねど

なんともいえずおもしろい
これは見ものと声高に
舟の者みな待ちやがる(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

さてはこの場の皆さんへ
ならばならばと思えども
もはや音声もままならぬ
私ここらで止めおいて
またのご縁で弁じましょう(ソラ ヨイトヨイヤマッカドッコイサノセ)

江州音頭「隅田川」 作詞：プリンス王子
挿入歌その1 「油絞り」伝承歌
挿入歌その2  「トタンの長屋に降る雨よ」作詞：プリンス王子　作曲：大野慎矢
 

- The song in a play -

"RAIN TOTAN〜a night at the row house〜"

lyrics：Prince=Ohji music：Shin-ya Ohno

 

One and two...

Raindrops falling down on the roof

Sun, show your face tomorrow

 

On the day the fireworks are going off

The neighbors and the residents across the street show their faces

 

Very very quiet

One and two...

I counted petals with my mom

In my dream

 

When the clear night, the real big fireworks go off

And the petal falls on the "totan"roof

​

「トタンの長屋に降る雨よ」

作詞：プリンス王子 作曲：大野慎矢

 

ひとつふたつ

屋根伝う雨粒

お天道様

顔出しなせ 明日

 

花火が打ち上がる日に

隣も向かいも顔を出し

 

静か過ぎる

夢ん中 花びら

ひとつふたつ

母さんと数えた

 

晴れたら 本物 大輪の

花びら トタンの屋根に降る