＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
(Reference) Original article in Japanese
・山をテーマにした曲や歌。坊がつる讃歌、フニクリ・フニクラ、白銀は招くよなど
I previously wrote an article about songs and music with themes of the sea and beaches, so this time I’d like to introduce songs and music with themes of mountains.
1. Songs and music with mountain themes
(1) Bogatsuru Sanka
“Bōgatsuru Sanka” (The Anthem of Bōgatsuru) is a beloved song about Bōgatsuru, a basin and wetland in Taketa City, Oita Prefecture. The lyrics were written by Akimasa Kamio, with additional lyrics by Yukio Matsumoto, and music by Senji Takeyama.
It was first broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” (Everyone’s Songs) in June 1978. The singer is Yoko Seri (born 1951), who made her debut appearance on the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Contest) that same year with this song.
The original song was “Kumo ni Kieyuku Yamaotoko” (The Mountain Man Disappearing into the Clouds), the club song of the Hiroshima Higher Normal School’s mountaineering club. Students at Kyushu University adapted this song, using Bōgatsuru as the theme.
This parody song subsequently spread among mountaineering enthusiasts in Kyushu. In 1977, when singer Yoko Seri visited the foot of Mount Aso for an outdoor concert, she reportedly learned this parody song from young people at her lodgings. The broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” (Everyone’s Song) was the following year.
1.
Even when everyone is intoxicated by the flowers,
a mountain man longs for the lingering snow and enters the mountains,
shedding tears,
knowing spring in the melting snow water.
人みな花に 酔うときも
残雪恋し 山に入り
涙を流す 山男
雪解(ゆきげ)の水に 春を知る
2.
The mountain azaleas are in full bloom,
gazing upon the crimson peaks of Taisen,
a mountain man,
is one who understands the compassion of flowers.
ミヤマキリシマ 咲き誇り
山くれないに 大船(たいせん)の
峰を仰ぎて 山男
花の情(なさけ)を 知る者ぞ
(2) Funiculì, Funicula
“Funiculì, Funiculà” is a commercial song composed in 1880 to attract customers to the funicular railway that once existed on Mount Vesuvius in Italy.
It is also known as the original song for the famous parody “Oni no Pantsu” (The Demon’s Pants), which includes the line “The demon’s pants are good pants.” Separately, a Japanese version with lyrics was added and first broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” (Everyone’s Songs) in April 1961.
The song title, “Funiculì, Funiculà,” is the nickname for the funicular railway. Because it was a very steep and simple cable car, it had almost no passengers when it first opened, so a commercial song was hastily created to attract customers.
The funicular was discontinued due to the massive eruption on March 22, 1944, and a two-person seated lift took tourists to the vicinity of the crater. Later, roads were built to accommodate the large number of tourists, and the lift was abolished in 1984.
1.
Let’s climb, let’s climb, to that mountain that spews red flames
It’s the cauldron of hell
Let’s peek, let’s peek
A mountain railway has been built
So anyone can climb it
The flowing smoke beckons
Everyone, everyone
Let’s go, let’s go, to the fiery mountain
Let’s go, let’s go, to the fiery mountain
Funiculì, funicula
Funiculì, funicula
Everyone rides, funiculì, funicula
Let’s go, let’s go, to the fiery mountain
Let’s go, let’s go, to the top of the mountain
Funiculì, funicula
Funiculì, funicula
Everyone rides, funiculì, funicula
赤い火をふくあの山へ
登ろう 登ろう
そこは地獄(じごく)の釜(かま)の中
のぞこう のぞこう
登山電車ができたので
誰でも登れる
流れる煙は招くよ
みんなを みんなを
いこう いこう 火の山へ
いこう いこう 火の山へ
フニクリ フニクラ
フニクリ フニクラ
誰も乗る フニクリ フニクラ
いこう いこう 火の山へ
いこう いこう 山の上
フニクリ フニクラ
フニクリ フニクラ
誰も乗る フニクリ フニクラ
2.
In the dark night sky, it shines brightly
I can see it, I can see it
That’s Mount Vesuvius, the fiery mountain
Mount Vesuvius, the fiery mountain
The mountain train is coming down
To the foot of the mountain, to the foot of the mountain
The burning flames reflect in the sky
Shining, shining
Let’s go, let’s go to Mount Vesuvius
Let’s go, let’s go to Mount Vesuvius
Funiculì, funicula
Funiculì, funicula
Everyone is on board, Funiculì, funicula
Let’s go, let’s go to Mount Vesuvius
Let’s go, let’s go to the top of the mountain
Funiculì, funicula
Funiculì, funicula
Everyone is on board, Funiculì, funicula
暗い夜空に あかあかと
見えるよ 見えるよ
あれは火の山 ベスビアス
火の山 火の山
登山電車が降りてくる
ふもとへ ふもとへ
燃える焔(ほのお)は 空に映(は)え
輝く 輝く
いこう いこう 火の山へ
いこう いこう 火の山へ
フニクリ フニクラ
フニクリ フニクラ
誰も乗る フニクリ フニクラ
いこう いこう 火の山へ
いこう いこう 山の上
フニクリ フニクラ
フニクリ フニクラ
誰も乗る フニクリ フニクラ
(3) The silver beckons
“The snowy mountains are my friends, they beckon young dreams,” is the opening line of “The Silver Snow Beckons,” the theme song from the West German film released in October 1959, sung by the film’s star, Toni Sailer.
Incidentally, Toni Sailer (1935-2009) was an Austrian alpine skier who won gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships. He retired at the age of 22 and, due to his good looks, transitioned into acting.
Japanese lyrics were added, and the song was first broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” (Everyone’s Songs) in January 1963. It has been covered by groups such as Dark Ducks and Bonny Jacks.
The original German title is “Ich bin der glücklichste Mensch auf der Welt” (I am the happiest man in the world).
Lyrics: Willy Dehmel (1909–1971), Music: Franz Grothe (1908–1982).
The Japanese lyrics were written by Toshio Fujita (1928–2020), a director and lyricist who also worked on “Young People,” which begins with the line, “The road you are on is endlessly long.”
Snow-covered mountains are our friends, inviting young dreams
Ho-ya-ho, ho-ya-ho, they even beckon our singing voices
Snow-covered mountains are our friends, run, young hearts
Ho-ya-ho, ho-ya-ho, our singing voices run too
Rising clouds, forests of frost-covered trees
Shining silver slopes
Let your overflowing energy soar to speed
Let’s scatter the snow clouds
Something wonderful is about to happen
Yeah, it seems we’ll encounter something wonderful today
Snow-covered mountains are our friends It beckons young dreams
Ho-ya-ho, ho-ya-ho, even the singing voices beckon
The snowy mountains are our friends, run, young hearts
Ho-ya-ho, ho-ya-ho, the singing voices run too
But one day, we must say goodbye to the mountains
Goodbye, snow, dreams
Life in the town will soon begin
I remember it at the window at night
It’s a nostalgic song
Yeah, a song of longing for the mountains
雪の山は友達 まねくよ若い夢を
ホーヤッホ ホーヤッホ うた声もまねく
雪の山は友達 走れ若い心よ
ホーヤッホ ホーヤッホ うた声も走る
わきあがる雲 樹氷の林
かがやく 銀のスロープ
あふれる力 とばせスピード
雪けむりを け散らそう
なにか すばらしい ことに
ヤー 今日は出あいそうだ
雪の山は友達 まねくよ若い夢を
ホーヤッホ ホーヤッホ 歌声もまねく
雪の山は友達 走れ若い心よ
ホーヤッホ ホーヤッホ 歌声も走る
けれど いつかは 山におわかれ
雪よ 夢よ さようなら
町のくらしが やがて はじまり
夜の 窓で 思いだす
それは なつかしいうたさ
ヤー 山をしのぶうたさ
(4) The sun sets over the distant mountains
“The Sun Sets on Distant Mountains (Going Home)” is a song based on the melody of the second movement of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” with Japanese lyrics written by lyricist Keizo Horiuchi (1897-1983). It is a popular song for outdoor recreation such as campfires.
Keizo Horiuchi is also famous as the lyricist of “Winter Constellations.”
2. Songs incorporating both mountains and the sea
(1) The Thistle Song
“The mountains have their own sorrows, and the sea has its own sadness,” is the opening line of “Azami no Uta” (The Thistle Song), a Japanese popular song released on NHK Radio in 1949.
Although it’s a popular song, it’s very dignified, and its melody has a similar atmosphere to “Utsukushiki Ten’nen” (Beautiful Nature).
The music was composed by Hideaki Yashima (1915-1985), known for “Sakuragai no Uta” (The Cherry Blossom Shell Song). The lyrics were written by Hiroshi Yokoi (1926-2015), who also wrote “Sayonara wa Dance no Ato ni” (Goodbye After the Dance) and “Shitamachi no Taiyo” (The Sun of the Downtown).
After the war, Yokoi moved to Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture, where he wrote over 15 poems while taking walks in nature. It is said that “Azami no Uta,” written in the Yashimagahara Marsh, was his favorite.
The Yashimagahara Marshland (Yashima Marshland), where the lyrics to “Azami no Uta” (The Thistle Song) were written, is a high-altitude marshland at an elevation of approximately 1632m in Kirigamine, Nagano Prefecture.
Kirigamine has three marshlands: Yashimagahara Marshland, Kurumayama Marshland, and Odoriba Marshland, all of which are designated as national natural monuments.
The mountains have their own sorrows
The sea has its own sadness
And how much more so for the thistle flower that blooms in the flower garden of the heart
More than the lilies of the high peaks
Its form, burning crimson,
My deep feelings for the thistle
My beloved flower, you are the thistle
The flower of my heart, you are the thistle
Though the path of destiny is endless
Let your fragrance at least fill my heart
山には山の 愁(うれ)いあり
海には海の 悲しみや
ましてこころの 花ぞのに
咲しあざみの 花ならば
高嶺(たかね)の百合の それよりも
秘めたる夢を ひとすじに
くれない燃ゆる その姿
あざみに深き わが想い
いとしき花よ 汝(な)はあざみ
こころの花よ 汝はあざみ
さだめの径(みち)は はてなくも
香れよせめて わが胸に