YuYuKo will EaT YoU

This is me, translating an enka song.

The first time I heard this song I was listening to one of my bosses karaoke’ing it while I was drunk as a skunk. I flashed back to it earlier today when I saw a crossdressing acrobatic dance interpretation of the song at the oldest wooden theater in Japan.

If you don’t live in Japan, the wonderfully ridiculous music video is off limits on YouTube, but who knows, it might be lurking around somewhere.

Notes:

The verse in (())s is not present in some versions of the song.

This song also has a lot to do with gambling. For one, the music video is filled with gambling game imagery, including hanafuda, dice and mahjong.

“Will you take your heroic role?” – lit. will you become the Kokushi Musou? (a hand in mahjong).

“I’ve got him” as in “He took the bait!”

—

アジアの海賊
　Asia no Kaizoku
　Asian Pirates
歌手：坂本冬美
作曲・作詞：中村あゆみ

追い風吹けば波に乗れ　向かい風だと血が騒ぐ
運を積んだらソレソレソレと　東南西北　風まかせ
アジアの海賊の船が出る

oikaze fukeba nami ni nore mukaikaze da to chi ga sawagu
un’ wo tsun’dara sore sore sore to tounan’shapei kaze makase
asia no kaizoku no fune ga deru

When the wind is at our backs we will ride the waves;
　if it faces us, it will only excite our blood
When luck builds on our side, all that’s left is to act
　East, South, West, North, all entrusted to the winds
The Asian pirates set sail.

空に羽ばたく鴎の涙　今日も悲しく飛んでゆく
群れをひき連れソイヤソイヤソイヤサー　国士無双と相成りますか
そこが運命の分かれ道

sora ni habataku kamome no namida kyou mo kanashiku ton’deyuku
mure wo hikitsure soiya soiya soiya sa- kokushi musou to ainarimasu ka
soko ga un’mei no wakaremichi

The tears of the seagulls taking to the sky fly full of sorrow again today
Leading the flock ever onward – Now, will you take on your heroic role?
That is the parting of ways we call fate.

Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　どこまでも
Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　我が人生に

aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke doko made mo
aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke wagajin’sei ni

Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, wherever it may go!
Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, onto my life!

鳴いて鳴いて鳴いてみたって　どうにもならない事もある
人生いろいろ津々浦々麗　魅せなきゃいけない心意気
アジアの海賊の意地を張れ

naite naite naitemitatte dou ni mo naranai koto mo aru
jin’sei iroiro tsutsuuraurara misenakyaikenai kokoroiki
asia no kaizoku no iji wo hare

There are things that will never change no matter how you cry out
Life is so filled with different things, to stand apart you must mystify
The Asian pirates assert their will

Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　かろやかに
Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　我が人生に

aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke karoyaka ni
aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke wagajin’sei ni

Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, a gentle breeze
Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, onto my life!

((

寒い寒い冬は　もう終わりましたか
ここで出逢ったのも何かのご縁
夢が夢で終わらぬように
すみからすみまで　ずずずいっと
よろしくおたの申します

samui samui fuyu wa mou owarimashita ka
koko de deatta no mo nanika no goen’
yume ga yume de owaranu you ni
sumi kara sumi made zuzuzuitto
yoroshiku otanomoushimasu

So cold, so cold… Has the winter ended yet?
That I met you here must be a thing of fate
So that dreams do not end as dreams
I would ask your favor, as I entrust you
With everything, from end to end…

))

乗った　乗った　乗った　乗った　乗った　乗った
ソイヤ　ソイヤ　ソイヤ　ソイヤ　ソイヤ　ソイヤ
壱・弐・参で大逆転　宝島へと舟を出せ

notta notta notta notta notta notta
soiya soiya soiya soiya soiya soiya
ichi ni san’ de daigyakuten’ takarajima e to fune wo dase

Aha! I’ve got him got him go him!!
Take that and that and that and that!
One, two, three, it’s a grand upset!
　Let us set sail to Treasure Island!

Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　どこまでも
Ah～AHAHAHAHA～　風よ吹け　その人生に

aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke doko made mo
aa～aahahahaha～ kaze yo fuke sono jin’sei ni

Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, wherever it may go!
Ah! A-hahahaha～ Let the wind blow, onto my life!

—