北の男歌
細川たかし Lyrics

The lyrics to 細川たかし's song 北の男歌 describe the rugged and fearless nature of the men who live in the northern regions of Japan. The song contains vivid imagery of two specific locations in the north, 竜飛崎 and 大間崎, and depicts the men singing and chanting as they go about their daily activities. At 竜飛崎, the men look out at the sea, lit by the fires of the fishermen's lines and shout out their enthusiasm. As they cross the tidal (汐首) currents westwards, towards 大間崎, they are singing songs while fishing with long lines. At both locations, they encounter harsh weather conditions; the freezing arctic winds known as 北の息吹 or the blinding snowstorm and sleet of the 北のみぞれ.

Throughout the song, there is a sense of unity and community amongst these men in their shared experience of earning a living in the harsh North. They sing and chant as a form of camaraderie, and also because it helps them to keep morale high. The lyrics of 北の男歌 tell us that the fishermen of the north are seen as heroic figures, who always rise to the occasion and get the job done, no matter how difficult or challenging their environment might be.