北の一本釣り
三山ひろし Lyrics

These lyrics are from 三山ひろし's song 北の一本釣り (Kita no Ippon-zuri), which is a tribute to the fisherman's way of life in Japan's northernmost Honshu region. The first stanza is about the singer's father who used to tell him to pay attention to the flow of the tide and the color of the sea. The father had earned a living off this sea, bravely taking on tuna, and the singer wants to follow in his footsteps. He declares that he won't lose to any rough and tumble waves and calls the Tsugaru Strait "my sea," expressing his sense of pride and belonging to this place.

The second stanza describes the unpredictable nature of the fisherman's profession. Sometimes they hit a big catch and become wealthy, while other times they come back empty-handed and become penniless. The singer relies on his father's intuition to figure out where the big fish are swimming, and he feels the excitement of the wind blowing and the birds chirping on the sea. The second half of this stanza talks about the fishing showdown between the singer and a stubborn tuna, where both life and pride are at stake. The singer mentions his mother's fishing port, indicating a sense of certainty and assurance that he will come back safe.

Overall, these lyrics represent the resilience of fishermen who face the challenges of the sea with courage, intuition, and determination, creating a sense of identity and belonging to the land.