Beloved North Korea あこがれの北朝鮮

Let's go and play in North Korea, fun North Korea
North Korea is a good country, everyone's North Korea
Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, Kim, Kim, Kim Hyon-hui
If you call out "Hey! Kim!" everyone turns around

Let's go and play in North Korea, beloved North Korea
North Korea is a good country, peaceful North Korea
Beloved North Korea

Some day for sure we can all be friends
Some day for sure we'll live in a world like that
Discrimination, prejudice and borders will disappear
Beloved...

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Sha-la-la-la-la... Bibimbap...

-------------
This curious anti-North Korea ditty is from the 1995 Timers album Fushimi no Timers, which incidentally always costs a fortune when you find it in second-hand shops. I think this is the album Toshiba refused to issue saying, rather ridiculously, that "it's too good to release". Kiyoshiro and co went to another label, released it, and it promptly shot to No.1 in the charts.

I gather there is another version of the song out there about how you can get to North Korea for free: Just walk on the beach with your sweetheart and they'll kidnap you and take you there - if you don't get it, just look up "abductions" and you soon will.

FM Tokyo

FM Tokyo, rotten radio
FM Tokyo, the worst radio
They ban whatever they like

FM Tokyo, filthy radio
FM Tokyo, a tool for politicians
They ban whatever they like

FM Tokyo, stupid radio
FM Tokyo, stop acting slyly
Bunch of pussies, FM Tokyo!

FM Tokyo, rotten bastards
FM Tokyo, radio that makes you sick
They ban whatever they like

FM Tokyo, filthy radio
FM Tokyo, a tool for politicians
Bunch of pussies, FM Tokyo!

-- Stupid bastards, what did you do to that song? FM Sendai! --

Bunch of pussies, FM Tokyo!


--------
This protest song doesn't appear on any albums as far as I know.
The story behind it goes something like this: The band, The Timers, appeared at Budokan and sang their song "Beloved North Korea/あこがれの北朝鮮" and uptight Tokyo FM cut the live broadcast so as not to show it because it considered it offensive. So when The Timers later got a live TV performance they said they'd sing their song "Hypocrites/偽善者", which shows up on the screen in the YouTube clip below, but instead let rip with this pretty foul-mouthed song to blast Tokyo FM publicly. It was just the kind of stunt that kept Kiyoshiro off the TV quite a bit. This YouTube clip must have been a repeat because at the very end a message shows up reading: "Both sides have resolved the issue and are now on good terms!!" Hmmm, rather doubt that, but there you go.

Here's the recording on YouTube

A bit more explanation can be found here

Every day's a brand new day 毎日がブランニューデイ

In the middle of the night we talked about loads of stuff, but I've forgotten 75% of it
You and me, we've spent so much of our lives together, but more than 80% of it maybe I can't remember
Hey hey hey! But that's OK
Hey hey hey! It's no problem
You're always by my side so every day's a new day

Do you think you can you keep carrying on OK with me? Do you doubt it about 20%?
Hey hey hey! But that's OK
Hey hey hey! It's no problem
You're always by my side so every day's a new day

Hey hey hey! But that's OK
Hey hey hey! It's no problem
You're by my side so every day's a new day

Like today, when I wake up in the morning and see your smile
I feel more than 100% happy
I feel more than 100% happy
365% completely happy

----------
This love song for those of us with attention deficiency problems is on the 2006 album "Yume-suke"/「夢助」and the 2008 compilation "Nyuu-Mon Hen"/「入門編 」

Lunchbox お弁当箱

Spilling out of my pocket, spilling out of my smile
Tonight I'm going to eat up every bit of your past

You can hide it but you can't get rid of it, the shadow of mystery inside
If we're together till we die, the truth won't fade till we die

Even if you forget and forget, you remember
Your sad smile, that night
The dark shadow that hovers in the window, oh
You don't have to worry about a thing

Spilling out of my pocket, shining through my back
Tonight I'm going to eat up all of your past

Even if you forget and forget, you remember
Your sad smile, that night
The dark shadow that hovers in the window, oh
You don't have to worry about a thing

Kiss me lots more, and when the sun is right overhead
The dark shadows will all be gone, and you're mine
You seem embarrassed but happy and tonight together
I'm going to eat up every bit of your past for you
And in the early morning I'll pack a lunchbox full of me, for you

---------
This odd (maybe even a bit sinister?) love song comes from the 1993 album "Music From POWER HOUSE" by Imawano Kiyoshiro & 2.3's

Ageing society 高齢化社会

I've been right here since before you were born. Feel bad about that
Yeah I'm an oldie, a real meddler, sorry 'bout that. Hey hey!
Can't you introduce me to a young woman? Oh go on..
It's just I could really do with a back rub..

Treat me nice, look after me, take care of me. Sorry, eh?
Don't forget this oldie, I'm a right stubborn one, got that? Hey hey!
Young girls leave a lot to be desired, oh that's right
However good their bodies are they've got no class
Can't you introduce me to a different young woman? Oh go on..
I want someone to wash my back in the tub

For the ageing society in any society, what those government guys are doing
Just doesn't work, for me anyhow
Yeah I'm a real nagger, that's right, because I'm an old one

Oh the ageing society is on its way, the young women will end up all wrinkly
Just hurry up and lower my bloody pressure
I'm just aching for it, elderly me

Prioritise me, sympathise with me, hold me dear. Sorry, eh?
That's right, I'm old, I'm a bit of a character, sorry 'bout that. Hey hey!
Can't you introduce me to a compatible woman? Oh go on...
There must be a proper woman out there somewhere
Introduce me to a young woman - Oi! Go on..
I want to divvy up my worldly goods, right?

Introduce me to a sharp woman, because I'm just rotten with greed
Because I'm a right old potato, look just like a politician
Just introduce me to a cute girl, or introduce me to a sharp girl
Oh tighten up my loincloth one more time
Oh tighten it up and I won't rattle on
Rattle, rattle, rattle.... No I won't rattle on....

----------
This ranting impersonation of an old randy (?) git is on the 1992 album "Memphis". Great saxophone on this one, sort of Springsteen's Clarence Clemons-ish, provided (I believe) by Andrew Love.

Ishii-san 石井さん

Ishii-san, I really like you
Ishii-san, I won't forget you
No matter how busy I may be

Ishii-san, I want to see you
Ishii-san, whenever I can
though the seasons just fly by
Friends all look so busy
Passing by with troubled faces
Ah, but I want to hear the gossip on you
I want to know the words on the grapevine
And I want to ask a thousand questions

Ishii-san, I really like you
Ishii-san, but the seasons just keep flying by
All the time, all the time

Ishii-san, all the time (x3)
(Oo-i! Hightower-san!)
Nomura-san, Nomura-san
Oo-i! Ishii-saa-aan!...

-------------
This odd "love call"(?) is from the 1992 solo album Memphis, recorded in Memphis itself with Booker T and the MGs as the backing band, including the more recently departed Donald "Duck" Dunn. I wish I knew who it was about - and who Nomura-san and "Hightower-san" are (That's my trans of the Katakana ハイタワさん) at the end of the tune.

Working people はたらく人々

Right from Monday
Through to Friday
Working, working
Right from Monday
Till Saturday lunchtime
Working, working
Heave ho
Heave ho heigh
Heave ho
Heave ho hah
Right from Monday
To Friday, working
Working
From Monday to Saturday
Lunchtime working
Working
The whole world is working
So they can use the money they've made
The whole world is eating
So they can work again tomorrow
Working working
Busy as can be
Working really hard
These well-behaved people
Heave ho
Heave ho heigh
Working really hard
These well-behaved people
Heave ho heigh
Busy as can be
Mon/Mon Tues/Tues Weds/Weds Thurs/Thurs Fri/Fri
Sat/Sat
The whole world is working
So they can use the money made
The whole world is eating
So they can work again tomorrow
Busy as can be

Working really hard
These good-natured people
Osaka women work hard
They work so hard
These well-meaning people
Niigata women work hard too
Work hard without a thought
These good-natured people
Takaido women are swaying to and fro
Working away without questioning it
These well-natured people
Kurume women do a great job
Working even if they get used
These well-meaning people
Hiratsuka women too
Work pretty hard
Even if they get made fools of
Working away
These well-natured people
Gunma women are pretty hairy, eh?
Even if they get used and chucked out
These well-natured people
Tachikawa women are very proper
Even if they get laughed at, they're working
These good-natured people
Oita women...
Oooi, there they are!

-------------
This odd hymn to hard-working people, and Japanese women from a selection of regions (sorry Gunma!), is from the 1985 album "Danger II"

JUMP

As night turns to day, always at this time
The world slips into thought, and it's late getting light
Why does the TV keep telling us nothing but sad news?
Why does it all sound to me like sad lies?
Oh, I think I'll pack my bags and go on a trip
Oh, and maybe I could meet you along the way
Jump, before night falls
Jump, once more I'll jump up high

Nobody knows what's going on
You just have to pray something good happens
If it's a sleepless night, let's dance the whole way through
One morning too many coming up behind us
Oh, I can't forget, I think I'll make a trip
Oh, and maybe I could meet you along the way
Jump, before night falls
Jump, once more I'll jump up high

Crash on the drums at the centre of the world
As the murderers parade on by
In my crazed head the sky is singing and dancing
But it all just sounds like sad lies to me
Oh, before I keel over I think I'll make a trip
Oh, and maybe I could meet you along the way
Jump, before night falls
Jump, once more I'll jump up high
Jump, before night falls
Jump, once more I'll jump up high

-------------
This one is from the 2005 solo album "God".

I don't buy lottery tickets 宝くじは買わない

I don't buy lottery tickets
Because I don't need money
I don't buy lottery tickets
Because I've got someone who loves me

However much money I won
I couldn't be happier than I am now

I don't buy lottery tickets
Because I've got something money can't buy, hey!

Even if I won 4 million yen
I couldn't be happier than I am now

I don't buy lottery tickets
I've got someone I love so I don't need anything else
I don't buy lottery tickets
Because I've got something money can't buy

I've got something money can't buy

---------------
This slightly dippy love song is RC Succession's first ever single, released in early 1970, not on any of the group's albums but included in the compilation album "Wonderful Days - The RC Succession 1970-80. If you've seen the mindless Takarakuji (lottery) ads on Japanese TV still today you'll probably like this song. Not that it's put me off buying lottery tickets myself one bit...
I like the reference to 4 million yen, which is peanuts for a lottery nowadays. Here's Kiyoshiro and lead guitarist Chabo playing the song acoustic, sitting on a farm in Hokkaido in 1994, and changing the winnings to 140 million yen - a bit more like it!

Let's take it easy ラクに行こうぜ

I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
Oh yeah, let's just take it easy, goo-goo-good

I've been searching for happiness for a pretty long time
I've been searching for happiness but I still haven't found it
Oh yeah, let's just take it easy, goo-goo-good

Even if you struggle, it won't just happen like that
I want to notice the happiness that's right in front of me

I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
Oh yeah, let's just take it easy, goo-goo-good
Let's just take it easy, goo-goo-good

Even if you struggle, it won't just happen like that
I want to notice the happiness that's right in front of me

I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
I want to be happy but I don't want to work hard for it
Oh yeah, let's just take it easy, goo-goo-good

Oh oh, I don't want to work hard for it
No no no, I don't want to work hard for it
I want to be happy,
Yeah, but I don't want to work hard for it
I don't want to work hard for it
I don't want to work hard for it

-------------------
This hymn to idleness is on the 2004 single 'Jump' and also on the compilation album "Imawano Kiyoshiro - Nyumonhen", or roughly 'Imawano Kiyoshiro for beginners'

Tax 税

Tax, tax
Tax tax tax tax

Indirect tax, indirect tax
Consumption tax, increased tax
It's seriously bad (tax*), national tax

Property tax, residential tax
Inheritance tax, income tax
Fame tax - Oi, there's no such thing as that (tax)

Tax tax tax tax, I hate paying tax
Tax tax tax tax, an exemption just for me
Tax tax tax tax, I pay my taxes in sweat
Tax tax tax tax, let's make some noise over the tax system
Tax tax tax tax, how about a tax cut round about now?
Tax tax tax tax, the tax evasion I dream of...
Tax, tax
Tax tax tax tax
Product tax, separation tax assessment
City tax, soaking in sake (tax)
Catching a cold (tax), indirect tax

Won't someone tell me (tax), where the tax goes?
Raising all that money, what do you do with it?
I wish they'd buy me a guitar

Tax tax tax tax, we're not living in luxury (tax)
Tax tax tax tax, heavy taxation puts us in a tough spot
Tax tax tax tax, we don't get much in song royalties
Tax tax tax tax, I want to dodge some taxes
Tax tax tax tax, and busily reduce taxation
Tax tax tax tax, I'm begging you (tax), tax-free

I'm begging you, tax-free. Tax-free, I'm begging you,
Tax-free-ee.....

------------------------
This is from the 1989 album 'The Timers', by the band of the same name. Album lyrics written almost entirely by Kiyoshiro who used the nom de plume 'Zerry' when working with this band.
*There's a pretty much untranslatable play on words throughout this song: The Japanese word for tax is 'zei', which sounds just like the '-ze!' that you put on the end of phrases in common speech for emphasis. Where Kiyo.. er.. Zerry has put a '-ze!' on the end of a phrase I've put (tax) in brackets, though it doesn't necessarily make grammatical sense. If you don't like it, tax me!

Even though September's come 九月になったのに

Even though September's come
There's no good news
Even though September's come
Nothing's changed
It's hot and sticky, just like always
I can't sleep at night, just like always
It's still just like it always was

Even though September's come
This summer I hate goes on
Even though September's come
It's boiling hot every day
Sweating away, just like always
Singing away, just like always
It's just like it always was

What's it like over there?
How are you?
Has September come over there?
Is it still not September?

Even though September's come
Are you still not coming home?

You're cold, just like always
You're a liar, just like aways
It's just like it always was.

----------------
This cheery summer ditty, which I'm translating as it pisses with rain outside, is from the 1972 RC Succession album 'Tanoshii yuube ni', which itself translates as something like "To last night's good time".

You're so cute キミかわいいね

You're so cute, but that's all there is to say, eh?
You're so cute, but that really is all
That's all. Talking with you made me feel this knackered
You're so cute, but that's all there is to say, eh?
You're so cute, you look like a doll, but that really is all
Being with you made me feel this knackered

I gotta drink some booze, I can't stand being with you
If I'm sober there's just no way I can be with you
You're so cute, but that's all there is to say, eh?
That's all there is to say.

A river with no water, a car with no engine
A guitar with the strings cut, a cigarette with no tar

You're so cute, why don't you go on TV?
You're so cute, why don't you become a model?
You're so cute, you look like a doll
That's all there is to say
I'm going to say goodbye, you won't have any trouble finding guys

You're so cute, but that's all there is to say, eh?
You're so cute, but that really is all
You're just cute, but that's all there is to say
You're just cute

----------------

This piss-take, sung in a ridiculously high voice you might use to speak to a cute little fluffy bunny or something, is from a 1972 RC Succession single, and is also on the compilation album "Wonderful Days - The RC Succession 1970-80"

Transistor Radio トランジスタ・ラジオ

Wo-oh, bunking off from class
I went and found a spot in the sun
Lying down up on the roof
The smoke of a cigarette, so blue

Always in my inside pocket
A transistor radio
Just as she was opening her textbook
A hot number came through the sky

Ahh, this feeling
I've never been able to say it well in words

From the Bay Area, from Liverpool
The numbers this antenna has picked up
Just as she was opening her textbook
A hot message came through the sky

In class I yawned so much
My mouth got bigger
I used to fall asleep so much
My eyes got smaller

Always in my inside pocket
A transistor radio
Just as she was opening her textbook
A hot number came through the sky

Ahh, this feeling
I've never been able to say it well in words

Ah, melodies you don't know
Ah, hit songs you haven't heard
Ah, melodies you don't know
Ah, hit songs you haven't heard

-----------------------
This is from the 1980 RC Succession album 'Please'

Slow Ballad スローバラード

The other night I slept in the car
Holding hands with that girl

In a municipal parking lot
The two of us wrapped up in a blanket

From the car radio came a slow ballad
The night dew covered the windows
And I didn't have a care in the world*

I heard her talking in her sleep
Yeah, I'm sure I heard her

From the car radio came a slow ballad
The night dew covered the windows
And I didn't have a care in the world

And we dreamt
Dreams just like each other's.

---------------
This is from the 1976 album Single Man シングルマン. The song itself in the style of a slow love song, something like Aretha Franklin might sing perhaps, really soulful and crooning - and somehow perfectly matched to Kiyoshiro's rasping voice, one of his real classics right up there with "To the night sky after the rain 雨上がりの夜空に" in my humble opinion.
*I'm not sure this is the best translation of this line as the original line slips into the present tense, so perhaps "I don't have a care in the world" would be better though it sounds a little odd.

To the night sky after the rain 雨あがりの夜空に

After all this rain our engine's knackered
Our old banger has finally packed up
So what's up? Hey, hey baby!
The battery is throbbing
Get ready like you always do and let's blast off


Well sometimes we may have ridden pretty rough
But even those times you always held up
So what's up? Hey, hey baby!
Come on and cheer up
Get ready like you always do and let's blast off

Oh, go ahead and shake around as much as you like till it droops over
Woo, let's see how long it'll go on
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't give you a ride?!
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't get going?!

"This kind of thing can't carry on for all that long
Be reasonable and try to think about tomorrow"
Oh what's up? Hey, hey baby!
Are you really saying that?
Get ready like you always do and let's blast off

Oh, the starry night sky after the rain
Woo, diamond-studded through a break in the clouds
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't give you a ride?!
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't get going?!

The reception on that radio of yours is fantastic
It makes a great sound right away and flies all round
So what's up? Hey, hey baby!
The battery is throbbing
Get ready like you always do and let's blast off


Oh, drifting in the night sky after the rain
Woo, with the moon like a gin and lime
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't give you a ride?!
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't get going?!
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't give you a ride?!
On a night like this, what do you mean I can't get going?!

----------------
This one, from the 1980 album Rhapsody, is probably Kiyoshiro and RC Succession's most famous song, packed full of scantily clad double meanings. It's not just the energy of the song and the innuendo throughout that gets you, but the fact that despite all his hormones the singer can still enjoy the break in the rain and the beautiful night sky.

Sleepy ねむい

For my sake, don't call me on the phone
For my sake, don't come round in the morning
I'm just tired, yeah?
I'm just tired

For the sleep I need, just let me sleep
For the sleep that's so important, don't get in the way
I'm just tired, yeah?
I'm just tired

It wouldn't matter however much you loved me,
You wouldn't be able to stop my yawns, see

I don't want any dreams, I don't need great joy
I don't want to make love, I don't need any money
For the sleep I need, just let me sleep.

--------------
From the 1972 RC Succession album "Tanoshii yuube ni" / 楽しい夕に

Summertime Blues サマータイム ブルーズ

The hot summer is on its way
Everyone is running out to the beach
When I went for a swim at a quiet spot
Well there was a nuclear power plant
I just haven't got a clue what it's for.
Little Japan's summertime blues

Hot smoke was coming out of the top
The Tokai Earthquake* is on its way
But still there are more and more of them
They keep on building nuclear power plants
I just haven't got a clue who they're for.
Little Japan's summertime blues

Well the cold winter is on its way
It looks like lots of your hair's been falling out
But they still keep saying on TV:
Japan's nuclear plants are safe.
I just haven't got a clue, there's no truth to that.
This is the last summertime blues

(And let's fix this phrase "genpatsu/nuclear plants".
It's a bad habit of the Japanese to shorten every phrase.
Why don't we use the proper name, nuclear power plants?
We have nothing to fear)

Well I slave away and I pay my taxes
When I get a holiday and head for the country
There are 37 of them out there
And the nuclear power plants keep on multiplying.
Before anyone knew it there were some leaks
Isn't that disgusting, summertime blues

We have too much electricity
We don't need it, we just don't need it

We have too much electricity
We don't need it, we don't want it

We don't need nuclear power
It's dangerous, we don't want it

We don't need it, we don't need it, we don't want it
We don't need it, we don't need it

We have too much electricity
We don't need it, and it's dangerous.

-----------

Summertime Blues is from the 1988 RC Succession album "Covers", in which the band did cover versions of songs they liked while tweaking the lyrics, mostly by Kiyoshiro.
The band's label delayed the release, and in the end they went to another label to get it out. It turned out the first label, Toshiba EMI, had been asking them to tone down the lyrics. When news of the dispute got out sales of the album shot up, apparently.
I like the "We have nothing to fear" in calling nuclear power plants by their name. Nice irony in view of the fact that we have everything to fear from the plants themselves, as Fukushima in particular and the world in general now knows all too well.
*Tokai Earthquake - a long-expected major quake in the Pacific coast region south of Tokyo.

Jump on the back of my bicycle ぼくの自転車のうしろに乗りなよ

Just jump on the back of my bicycle Riding together, riding together let's go and have some fun
Just jump on the back of my bicycle
On the winter roads, on the winter roads let's go and have some fun
Just jump on the back of my bicycle
Down the hill, down the hill to Kunitachi shall we go?
You always love me
The scarf you knitted me is warm
Just jump on the back of my bicycle
Down the hill, down the hill to the South Exit side we'll go
You always love me
Sometimes you were my only friend
Just jump on the back of my bicycle
Down University Road, down University Road let's ride together

Just jump on the back of my bicycle
At Hitotsu Bridge, at Hitotsu Bridge let's roll on the grass

You always love me
You told me:
I'm not bad
I'm not bad
I'm not bad
I'm not that bad
I'm not that bad at all
You're the only one I won't forget
Just jump on the back of my bicycle
Riding together, riding together let's go and have some fun

------------
From the 1972 RC Succession album "Tanoshii yuube ni" / 楽しい夕に

My favourite teacher ぼくの好きな先生

There he was smoking a cigarette, always looking bored
There he was smoking a cigarette, always in the room on his own

My favourite teacher, my favourite old guy

Cigarette and paint smells, always in the room on his own
There he was smoking a cigarette as he looked at the canvas

My favourite teacher, my favourite old guy

There he was smoking a cigarette, with a troubled look on his face
I was often late and he'd tell me off with a few short words

My favourite teacher, my favourite old guy

Cigarette and paint smells, my favourite old guy

There he was smoking a cigarette, always in the room on his own
He's just like me because he hates the staff room

My favourite teacher, my favourite old guy

There he was smoking a cigarette, and me feeling all inferior
He told me a great story, not at all in a teacher-like way

My favourite teacher, my favourite old guy

Cigarette and paint smells, my favourite old guy.

------------------
From the 1972 RC Succession album "Shoki no RC Succession" / 初期のRC・サクセション