Shōji was born in Akita, Akita Prefecture. His father was an employee of the South Manchuria Railway, and his parents moved to Manchukuo, leaving him behind in Japan to be raised by his grandmother, who introduced him to the violin. He graduated from the Waseda University Department of Commerce, where he majored in Marxist economics. He married shortly before graduation from undergraduate studies, and was employed by the South Manchurian Railways Research Division on completion of his graduated degree in 1923. His main work at the South Manchurian Railways was on unionization; however, his highly leftist viewpoints alienated both his managers and the Imperial Japanese Army, and he found himself sidelined to a position in a library. After seven years in Manchukuo, he returned to Japan, where his brother was running a Chinese restaurant near Waseda University.
Music career
Shōji made his debut as a recording singer in 1933.[1] He attempted to become a Western classical baritone singer, but finally became a popular singer. His first major hit popular song Akagi no Komoriuta (赤城の子守唄 "Akagi Lulaby") written about Kunisada Chūji. The song was released in 1934 and sold 400,000 copies. This song became a model for many lesser known singers in the 1930s and early 1940s about tragic or semi-tragic Japanese anti-heroes.
From 1934 to 1936, the young actress Hideko Takamine and her mother lived with Shōji, although she refused his offer to formally adopt her.
After World War II, many of his songs were banned by the American occupation forces as too nationalistic. In the 1960s, his popularity revived, riding a wave of nostalgia for songs of the early Shōwa period. Shōji appeared four times on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, starting with the first broadcast in 1951, followed by 1955, 1956 and 1965. He performed at the Asakusa International Theater in 1957 and in 1963 became honorary chairman of the Japan Vocalist Association in 1963. He was awarded the “special recognition” award at the Japan Record Awards in 1965 and the 4th class of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1969.
Shōji suffered from cancer. However, he recovered from the illness in 1964. He died from cerebral hemorrhage in 1972.
名月赤城山
東海林太郎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
意気がとけ合う赤城山
澄んだ夜空のまんまる月に
浮世横笛 誰が吹く
意地の筋金 度胸のよさも
いつか落目の 三度笠
云われまいぞえ やくざの果てと
渡る雁がね 乱れて啼いて
明日はいづこの 塒やら
心しみじみ 吹く横笛に
またもさわぐか 夜半の風
The lyrics of the song "Meigetsu Akagiyama" by Taro Tokai Hayashi describe the beauty of nature and the emotions of a man who falls in love with the mountain of Akagi. The mountain is personified as having a masculine character that matches the spirit of the man who is admiring it. The pure and clear night sky, including the bright and full moon, serves as a backdrop to the scene. In this setting, the song describes the sound of a horizontal bamboo flute (yokobue) being played by an unknown person. The flute music symbolizes the man’s feelings and emotions, which he can’t express with words.
Line by Line Meaning
男ごころに 男が惚れて
A man falls deeply in love with another man.
意気がとけ合う赤城山
Their spirits meld and intertwine with Mount Akagi.
澄んだ夜空のまんまる月に
The clear night sky holds a perfect, round moon.
浮世横笛 誰が吹く
An otherworldly horizontal flute is being played, but by whom?
意地の筋金 度胸のよさも
A steadfast determination and courage shines through, even in difficult times.
いつか落目の 三度笠
One day, the hat of a wandering gambler will tilt and fall.
云われまいぞえ やくざの果てと
No one speaks of where the yakuza ultimately end up.
さとるわらじに 散る落葉
Fallen leaves scatter under the worn straw sandals of the wise.
渡る雁がね 乱れて啼いて
The wild honking of geese flying overhead interrupts the peace.
明日はいづこの 塒やら
Tomorrow, who knows where we will call our home.
心しみじみ 吹く横笛に
The horizontal flute playing deeply resonates with our hearts.
またもさわぐか 夜半の風
Once again, the wind in the dead of night stirs and rustles everything around us.
Writer(s): 菊地 博, 矢島 寵児, 菊地 博, 矢島 寵児
Contributed by Katherine D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keiko Fetters
名曲ですね、懐かしいです、癒されます。
和生 下田
名月赤城山❗️本当に懐かしい歌です。東海林太郎先生の直立不動の姿勢での歌声は懐かしさばかりです‼️😀
大和魂
男心に男が惚れて・・・
東海林太郎さん最高です。現在に生きていて、今この世の訳の分からない歌を
ご指導して頂ければ良かったのですが。
これが日本の歌です!
はがくれ
小さい頃、父が東海林太郎を、好きでレーコド盤を、棚一杯持つていた‼️その中に、この歌があり、よく内緒で、聞いていた。懐かしク、聞けました‼️父の、顔が、想いうかびました!
松重光男
この曲の詩が素晴らしくて良く聴いていました男心に男が惚れる、もうその様な魅力ある男は今の時代には見当たらないですね。
松本春子
しんみり聞かせるいい歌ですね。
wurry77
東海林センセイって年のわりに若々しい風貌だよな。そして声も衰えを感じさせない。当時の70代は今の80,90代くらいに相当したはず。
レジェンドご長寿のさきがけみたいな人だったんだ。
keiko belief
亡き父がカラオケでよく歌ってました。
月命日には
墓の前で私が歌って聴かせています。
今でも涙が溢れます。
昭和万歳
よく見ればハンサム。声も素晴らしい。再認識しました。
books
歌詞が大好きです。1句出来ました。ありがとう。