By Soeda Azenbo 添田唖蝉坊
Sung by Toshi Tsuchitori 土取利行
"Ballad of Tokyo"
This is a song I've really been looking forward to translating. Just the thought that an American Civil War song could end up in Japan as a patriotic song only to be reused as a folk song strikes me as sorta cyclical. I don't think I'd be exaggerating if I said this was Toshi Tsuchitori's most well known rendition aside from Aa Wakaranai and Oppekepe Bushi. Worry not, I'll get onto those too eventually!
Translator note 1: The Teigeki is a theater located in Marunouchi
Translator note 2: www.spacewalker.jp/mt/spacewa... The Kaminarimon is the gate in front of the Sensouji, a famous and ancient temple.
Translator note 3: Hanayashiki is an amusement park located in Asakusa. At the time, it was a botanical garden with a zoo inside.
Translator note 4: There's a lot of idiom usage in this section. 裏には裏がある means "There is an underside to the underside", and 鳥も通わぬ literally means "A place even birds don't fly over".
Translator note 5: Amazake is a type of sweet and low alcohol sake. Nanairo-tongarashi is this citrus-y mix of spices, made from nori, dried orange peels, dried peppers, both white and black sesame seeds, ginger, peppercorns, and poppy seeds.
Translator note 6: Yomiuri is a newspaper outlet. It still exists today apparently. Back before audio distribution became widespread, music lyrics and sheet music were shared in the newspaper.