The Drifters (ザ・ドリフターズ) is a comedy group formed in 1964 initially as a roc… Read Full Bio ↴The Drifters (ザ・ドリフターズ) is a comedy group formed in 1964 initially as a rock band. The group consisted of the leader Ikariya Chosuke (いかりや長介) (died in 2004), Kato Cha (加藤茶), Nakamoto Koji (仲本工事), Takagi Bu (高木ブー) and Arai Chu (荒井注). Arai Chu retired in 1974 and Ken Shimura (志村けん) joined them.

ズッコケちゃん
ザ・ドリフターズ Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

ズイズイズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイ
ズッコケヒッコケズッコケヒィ
ズッコケヒッコケズッコケヒィ
ズッコケヒッコケ

田んぼ売払って
東京さ来たが
見るもの目の毒

聞くもの耳の毒
喫茶店
ボーリングキャバレー
アルサロエトセトラ
気がつきゃ一文無し
本当にお気の毒

ズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイズイ
ズッコケヒッコケ

大学行かなきゃ出世は出来ぬ
朝から晩までガリ勉本の虫
よろめきドラマに週刊誌
エレキバンドにマンガの本
これほど勉強しても大学入れない

ズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイズイ
ズッコケヒッコケ

免許とったし車もかったのよ
今日は美代ちゃんとドライブしようかな
曲れない止まれない
ユータン禁止の行き止まり
これではいつまでたっても進まぬ恋の道

ズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイズイ
ズッコケヒッコケ

仕事は駄目だが遊びはまかしとけ
一発勝負の男の人生
競輪競馬に宝くじ
麻雀パチンコオイチョカブ
仲々勝てないのが勝負の味なのさ

ズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイズイ

ズッコケヒッコケズッコケヒィ
ズッコケヒッコケズッコケヒィ

Overall Meaning

The song "ズッコケちゃん" by ザ・ドリフターズ follows the story of a young person who leaves the countryside and comes to Tokyo to find a better life. However, upon arrival, they find themselves overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the big city, and unable to find success in school, work, or love. The lyrics describe the various challenges and failures the singer faces, from the toxic environment of cafes and clubs, to the pressure to succeed academically, to the frustration of being unable to navigate the city's streets or find a partner.

Overall, the song's message seems to be a critique of the superficiality and materialism of urban life, as well as a nostalgic longing for the simplicity of the countryside. The repetition of the phrase "ズッコケヒッコケ" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's clumsy, stumbling journey through life, as they struggle to keep up with the fast pace of Tokyo and the expectations placed upon them.

Line by Line Meaning

ズイズイズッコケたぜズッコケたぜズイ
I stumbled and fell with a rhythmic beat

ズッコケヒッコケズッコケヒィ
Stumble, tumble, stumble, oops!

ズッコケヒッコケ
Stumble, tumble

田んぼ売払って
I sold my rice field

東京さ来たが
Came to Tokyo

見るもの目の毒
Everything I see is too stunning

聞くもの耳の毒
Everything I hear is too overwhelming

喫茶店
Coffee shops

ボーリングキャバレー
Bowling alleys, night clubs

アルサロエトセトラ
And so on and so forth

気がつきゃ一文無し
Before I knew it, I was completely broke