Art got the following message forwarded to him by a high school classmate. I was pretty astonished to hear Shirley Temple singing in Japanese when she was 9 years old. I had my mother listen to it and she was delighted. I remember hearing my mother sing these songs to me many times when I was a child.
This is a very rare 'novelty' recording; most people have never heard of this recording before. Shirley Temple, the all-time great child actress, sings two famous Japanese nursery rhymes, "Yuyake Koyake (夕焼け小焼け)", and "Kutsu ga naru (靴が鳴る)", in Japanese. Recorded on March 11th, 1937, at Japan Polydor Studio at Tokyo, Japan. Temple was briefly visiting Japan for promoting her film "Dimples". Despite the fact she learned the lyrics phonetically, there's basically no errors on pronunciations; and it is pretty astonishing for a 9 year-old girl.
I found this translation for Yuyake Koyake on the web:
This is a very rare 'novelty' recording; most people have never heard of this recording before. Shirley Temple, the all-time great child actress, sings two famous Japanese nursery rhymes, "Yuyake Koyake (夕焼け小焼け)", and "Kutsu ga naru (靴が鳴る)", in Japanese. Recorded on March 11th, 1937, at Japan Polydor Studio at Tokyo, Japan. Temple was briefly visiting Japan for promoting her film "Dimples". Despite the fact she learned the lyrics phonetically, there's basically no errors on pronunciations; and it is pretty astonishing for a 9 year-old girl.
I found this translation for Yuyake Koyake on the web:
"Fiery Sunset"
The day ends with a fiery sunset
The mountain temple's bell rings
Let everyone go home, hand in hand
The crows go home together too.
After the children returned home
Appeared the big, round moon.
While the baby birds dream,
In the sky the golden stars twinkle.
There are also a bunch of translations to Kutsu ga naru at this site.
The day ends with a fiery sunset
The mountain temple's bell rings
Let everyone go home, hand in hand
The crows go home together too.
After the children returned home
Appeared the big, round moon.
While the baby birds dream,
In the sky the golden stars twinkle.
There are also a bunch of translations to Kutsu ga naru at this site.
Must be only a few people in the world that are able to do this. Few people in the history of the world.
ReplyDeleteWonderful and beautiful. What a wholesome child who grew into a sophisticated woman of the world. Wasn't she an ambassador at one time?
ReplyDeleteActually, some of that pronunciation shocked me.
ReplyDeleteI've known people who've studied the language for years who wouldn't have been as accurate with some of that.
So sweet, both Shirley's singing and the lyrics!
ReplyDeleteI like to imagine you listening to your mother sing it to you, Kay.
wow astonishing, I remember Shirley Temple. My mom fashioned my hair in ringlets just like hers. I was born in 1940.
ReplyDeleteThat is totally amazing. Is she still alive? I remember her so well, I had no idea she could do something like that; she must have had a good Japanese tutor.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! What wonderful memories. Wonder if little KC would be interested in recording her version? I believe Shirley Temple Black is still alive, and yes, she was an Ambassador to somewhere. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteQuite incredible - what a gift for your mother, particularly.
ReplyDeleteHere is some information about Shirley Temple Black.
ReplyDelete"Temple was appointed Representative to the 24th General Assembly of the United Nations by President Richard M. Nixon (September - December 1969), and was appointed United States Ambassador to Ghana (December 6, 1974 – July 13, 1976) by President Gerald R. Ford. She was appointed first female Chief of Protocol of the United States (July 1, 1976 – January 21, 1977), and was in charge of arrangements for President Jimmy Carter's inauguration and inaugural ball. She served as the United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (August 23, 1989 – July 12, 1992), having been appointed by President George H. W. Bush."
I just learned on the web that Shirley Temple is still alive and just a year older than my mother.
ReplyDeleteFabulous for you, Kay, and for your mother!
ReplyDeleteKay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
wonderful find for you Kay, how precious!
ReplyDeleteKay, I never knew Shirley Temple did that-totally amazing!! I loved listening to her sing, she was a cute and amazing little girl.
ReplyDeleteWe loved watching Shirley temple movies growing up.
ReplyDeleteWow! she really was international AND very talented.
ReplyDeleteNice that Mom enjoyed :-)
Never know WHAT you will show us next, Kay!
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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One of my granddaughers looks very much like Shirley Temple, and she loves to look at videos of her. She can do a perfect "Good Ship Lollypop."
ReplyDeleteHello Kay,
ReplyDeleteVery pleasing song and wonderful lyrics.
Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes,
Joseph
Sounds so familiar. I'm quite sure I heard my mother sing these songs. I guess it brought good memories of her mother singing the songs to them when they were children. Never knew what the songs meant or the title. Thanks for the research. I've always enjoyed Shirley Temple movies and glad to hear she is still alive, even after her bout with cancer.
ReplyDeleteL.
Ote te tsunaide...in both songs. It would be interesting to know the root of these Japanese children songs. Just my suspicion that it was sung after a hard days work in the fields.
ReplyDeleteL.
L: "O-tete tsunaide" means to hold hands. I guess children are being taught how nice it is to hold hands and be friends.
ReplyDeleteI do love the Japanese nursery songs. Karasu Naze Nakuno is my favorite. (Crow, Why Are You Crying?) That song says the crow is crying because she has 7 beautiful round-eyed children in her mountain nest.
Kay: This is your cousin Lorna from Kauai. Holly and I greatly enjoyed your sympathy card for Mom. Shortly before Mom passed, I got her to start singing Yuuyake Koyake and Holly got the video on her phone, so I decided to find out what the song was about & lo and behold, I find YOU. Mom's service was beautiful; Holly did a stellar job selecting the urn, putting together a photo shadow box, designing the program, and even designing the thank you cards that we just got, and are beginning to work on filling in to mail out. Mom loved the songs of her childhood (which she taught us, but of course we remember only snippets). I'm going to have to check in on your postings as a regular part of my routine now!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Lorna? This is too too amazing and wonderful. What a way to connect! I can't believe you found me this way. This is one of my favorite songs. It has such a haunting quality for me. I can imagine the hills at dusk and sound of the crows.... the proud mother crow.
DeleteI wish we could have been at your mom's funeral, but our guest arrived on the same day from California and I'd promised her parents a long time ago to take care of her while she was here. I'm so glad your mom got such a beautiful send off. I really did love your mom. She was one of my favorites because she always told it like it was and I always felt she cared. I sure hope we'll be able to meet you and Holly one day. I wish we could have met Peter, but I'm glad my daughter was able to spend time with him in our absence.
Sending you all lots of love from Oahu.
Your cousin, Kay
Kay-san: I remember that when Peter came back from Chicago, he was delighted to have spent time with Tiffany and her husband. Peter was very particular about people, and the fact that he mentioned having a good time meant that he HAD A GOOD TIME! Aunty H looks wonderful in the photos you share, and please give her our love! And yes, I remember being fascinated by the crows in Japan -- since we don't have any here (the closest equivalent would be our mynah birds, I reckon), I'd stop just to spot where the cawing was coming from! My email address is lan@kauai-law.com, so if you send me yours, I can forward some photos of Mom's service day to you to share with Aunty!
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