Naoko Ken (研ナオコ Ken Naoko) (born July 7, 1953 - ) is a Japanese singer and… Read Full Bio ↴Naoko Ken (研ナオコ Ken Naoko) (born July 7, 1953 - ) is a Japanese singer and actress. She is well-known for her comedy roles featuring idiosyncratic looks, and a string of successful torch songs that gained popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1971, Ken debuted as an enka-oriented singer with a single "Daitokai no Yasagure On'na". In 1975, after the release of several charted singles, she gained the first outstanding commercial success with a song "Guzu", which was written by Ryudo Uzaki and his wife Yoko Aki. "Abayo", a song written by Miyuki Nakajima became the most successful single for Ken, selling more than 600,000 copies. In 1976, the prize-winning song reached number-one spot on the Oricon, Japan's most eminent chart.

In addition to the success as a musician, she also obtained popularity as a tarento in the mid 1970s, through her comical actings on the multiple TV shows including Kakkurakin Daihousou!!.

After the temporary hiatus of its career in 1977, she returned to the Japanese entertainment industry with a hit tune "Kamome wa Kamome". The melancholic ballad written by Nakajima became known as one of her signature songs, finally sold in excess of 300,000 units.

In 1982, she gained huge commercial success as a singer again with a cover version of the Southern All Stars' song "Natsu wo Akiramete", winning several Japanese music prizes. The song is her last top-ten hit solo single so far.

Through her long-term career as a comedic TV personality, she has released several novelty singles with other performers such as Ken Shimura. The song "Natsuzakari Ho no Ji Gumi" recorded with an idol singer Toshihiko Tahara is the last top-40 hit single for Ken on the Japanese record charts.

案山子
研ナオコ Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

元気でいるか街には慣れたか
友達できたか
寂しかないかお金はあるか

今度いつ帰る

城跡から見下ろせば蒼く細い河
橋のたもとに造り酒屋のレンガ煙突

この街を綿菓子に染め抜いた雪が
消えればお前がここから出て
初めての春

手紙が無理なら電話でもいい
金頼むの一言でもいい
お前の笑顔を待ちわびる
お袋に聴かせてやってくれ

元気でいるか街には慣れたか
友達できたか
寂しかないかお金はあるか
今度いつ帰る

山の麓煙はいて列車が走る
木枯しが雑木林を転げ落ちてくる
銀色の毛布つけた田圃にぽつり
置き去られて雪をかぶった
案山子がひとり

お前も都会の雪景色の中で
ちょうどあの案山子の様に
寂しい思いしてはいないか
体をこわしてはいないか

手紙が無理なら電話でもいい
金頼むの一言でもいい
お前の笑顔を待ちわびる
お袋に聴かせてやってくれ

元気でいるか街には慣れたか
友達できたか
寂しかないかお金はあるか
今度いつ帰る

寂しかないかお金はあるか
今度いつ帰る

Overall Meaning

In the song 案山子 (Scarecrow), 研ナオコ asks a series of questions to the scarecrow, as if talking to someone who is far away from her. She asks if the scarecrow is doing well, if he has gotten used to the city and made friends, if he is lonely, and if he has enough money. She also wonders when he will be returning home. Looking down from the castle ruins, she sees a thin blue river and a brick chimney of a sake brewery near a bridge. She remembers the snow that dyed the city like cotton candy and hopes that once the snow melts, the scarecrow will leave and experience his first spring. She tells the scarecrow that if it's hard to send a letter, a phone call would be okay, and even if it's just a word, she asks for a favor to show her mother a photo of him smiling. She thinks of the scarecrow's situation and wonders if he is feeling as lonely as he is living in the city.

Line by Line Meaning

元気でいるか街には慣れたか
Are you doing well? Have you gotten used to the city?

友達できたか
Have you made any friends?

寂しかないかお金はあるか
Are you feeling lonely? Do you have enough money?

今度いつ帰る
When are you coming back?

城跡から見下ろせば蒼く細い河
Looking down from the castle ruins, there's a thin blue river

橋のたもとに造り酒屋のレンガ煙突
By the bridge, there's a brick chimney of a sake brewery

この街を綿菓子に染め抜いた雪が
The snow that completely dyed this town a cotton candy color

消えればお前がここから出て初めての春
As soon as it melts, you will leave from here and it will be your first spring

手紙が無理なら電話でもいい
If you can't write a letter, a phone call is fine

金頼むの一言でもいい
Even if it's just one word, please ask for money

お前の笑顔を待ちわびるお袋に聴かせてやってくれ
I longingly wait for your smile, please let me hear it for my sake