Enka da ne...

[kotatsuneko]

whilst doing some pre-shogatsu housecleaning, put on a huge batch of enka for a change.. cleaning is hell, but doing it to the sounds of some old crooners sure was refreshing.. koi no machi sapporo was a great starter...

so, erm enka then, good or evil?

[Taro Toporific]

so, erm enka then, good or evil?

So, erm counrty-n-western then, good or evil? Same deal.

[kotatsuneko]

you think? enka seems to cover a broader and bolder spectrum than country and western, and without the negative connotations of "the south"

i can listen to enka all day long, but unless its comedy c&w, i can't stand it..

if memory serves right, hank wangford used to host a show in the uk on c&w.. maybe he should do a duet with otis crenshaw

[Taro Toporific]

you think? enka seems to cover a broader and bolder spectrum than country and western, and without the negative connotations of "the south"

Enka has all the " negative connotations" of C/W muzak as enka appeals to an even older and out-of-it generation. Just try saying you love enka to a Japanese under 30, hee, hee.
You oughta hear the whining in my office when I'm found listening to enka at work and the girls come in extra early and hear it. :P

[Steve Bildermann]

enka appeals to an even older and out-of-it generation

I know, I know but excuse me those women are very good looking in my' out of it' opinion. (self interest declaration - I did date Yashiro Aki back in the day)

[mas]

What about those girlies swooning over Hikawa Kiyoshi? Granted, he's probably the exception...

I would also like to put in a vote for good, although evil applications most certainly exist.

[Samurai_Jerk]

My host mother toook me to an enka dinner show once. I was by the far the youngest person in the room (with the excpetion of a girl sitting at a table full of yaks). It was definitely an interesting cultural experience. I don't know if I'd ever buy an Enka album but I do sometimes hear songs that I like. And I much prefer hearing people sing it at karaoke than J-pop tunes.

Negative connotations of the South? Puhlease. As if the rest of the world weren't just as full of intolerant assholes.

I'm not a fan of modern country music (I do love some classic country, though) but it's actually just as popular with young people in the US as any other kind of music. So I think Enka is much more an old fart kind of thing.

[Andocrates]

Dear kotatsuneko san:

Hello and I am very glad that you like enka.
The reason I say this is because in your future
you will be hearing a lot of enka. I mean a really lot.

See you soon -
satan/enma

[Charles]

Enka makes me natsukashii.. and that's the whole point, as far as I can tell. Whenever I hear enka, I always think back to my younger days as a student, studying in the dining room of the geshuku before breakfast, while the elderly proprietress would sing along to enka on the radio, as she banged pots around the kitchen.
Oddly, I seem to be able to understand enka lyrics better than any other music, even though they're often written in archaic idioms that are not used in modern speech. I often find myself completely unable to stop my tears from flowing, whenever I hear a particularly woeful enka song. I asked a young friend what that means, and he said, "it means you're really really old."

[Taro Toporific]

...I seem to be able to understand enka lyrics better than any other ...

Enka is sung be actual <gasp> singers </gasp> rather than fluffies pulled off the street and packaged for a shelf-life of convenience store bento.

[omae mona]

Enka is sung be actual <gasp> singers </gasp> rather than fluffies pulled off the street and packaged for a shelf-life of convenience store bento

Agreed. I might go so far as to say enka singers even have the shelf-life of convenience store oden.

[Andocrates]

I often find myself completely unable to stop my tears from flowing, whenever I hear a particularly woeful enka song.

Danny Boy sung by John McDermott can get to me. At the point in the song where the tenor is supposed to shine,

And then my grave will richer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me

McDermott gives up the glory and goes into a falsetto that just devastates. Alas, His other songs are awful, orchestrated out the ying-yang with cheesy pop-sounds.

Japanese Drama also makes me cry like a little girl. But, crying in front of a Japanese is not recommended.

[Bongo]

Girlies swooning over Hikawa Kiyoshi?
Most look like the punch Perma generation of O-Ba-Tallians to me.
They probably pay a few younger ones to go to the studio when the Faggot croans.
As for Enka---------Gag me with a spoon!

[Charles]

...I seem to be able to understand enka lyrics better than any other ...

Enka is sung be actual <gasp> singers </gasp> rather than fluffies pulled off the street and packaged for a shelf-life of convenience store bento.

Well, you have a point, but I don't mean the singing, I mean the lyrics. I remember seeing one old enka guy from Hokkaido on the Kouhaku a few years back, I could have sworn there were a few Touhoku-ben expressions in there that I could understand, which astonished me. Must have been my student days in Hokkaido, I picked it up by without realizing it.

Hey, that reminds me, I have to arrange for a buddy of mine to tape the Kouhaku for me. I always fast forward through the pop bits to get to the enka.

[Charles]

Japanese Drama also makes me cry like a little girl. But, crying in front of a Japanese is not recommended.

Ha.. you remind me of one of my language classes in Japan, we watched a taped dorama as part of the lessons. I used to sob uncontrollably. Then a few months later I was back in the US, shopping at a Japanese grocery store, when the theme song from the dorama suddenly started playing on the Muzak speakers. I couldn't help but start sobbing again. Yeah, everyone thought I was weird.

[dimwit]

whilst doing some pre-shogatsu housecleaning, put on a huge batch of enka for a change.. cleaning is hell, but doing it to the sounds of some old crooners sure was refreshing.. koi no machi sapporo was a great starter...

so, erm enka then, good or evil?

It depends. Are you a fan of middle of the road music? I think is more the equavalent of MOR than country.

I think liking enka just shows your getting old or insane.

[Socratesabroad]

[dimwit]

Western hatred of Japanese music is a long standing tradition that goes back to first contact. To quote Father Lourenco Mexia from 'The Christian Century in Japan' by C. R. Boxer (out of print) 'Their natural and artificial music is so dissonant and harsh to our eaars that it is quite a trial to listen to it for a quarter of an hour...'

[kotatsuneko]

"sukiyaki" did alright tho eh?

[American Oyaji]

Enka dayo ne.

I am going to get into Enka seriously. Looking for good sources other than Barbara's website.

[Charles]

Enka dayo ne.

I am going to get into Enka seriously. Looking for good sources other than Barbara's website.

What's "Barbara's Website?"

I answered you in more detail in the other thread. Quick answer: YouTube.

[ttjereth]

I'll put in my vote for hate.

Never could stand the stuff. I don't mind actual traditional Japanese music, but despite Japanese protestations modern Enka is a post-war phenomenon. "Traditional" Japanese music completely to the accompaniment of western instruements.

[hundefar]

I'll put in my vote for hate.

Never could stand the stuff. I don't mind actual traditional Japanese music, but despite Japanese protestations modern Enka is a post-war phenomenon. "Traditional" Japanese music completely to the accompaniment of western instruements.

So what? If you don't like it then that is your taste which is fair enough, but I don't see that it is a problem that it is a post-war phenomenon. A lot of musical styles from non-western countries was developed like that. Just look at rocksteady in Jamaica or many of the african music styles.

I think Enka has its charm. Perfect for crying into your drink.

[ttjereth]

So what? If you don't like it then that is your taste which is fair enough, but I don't see that it is a problem that it is a post-war phenomenon.

It's not because it is a post war phenomenon that I dislike it, but I dislike it being called "traditional" Japanese music when it's no more traditional than rock'n'roll or Jpop for that matter.

I dislike it because it sounds awful.

Also note my message was in reply to the "love or hate" question above, not just unasked-for venom spewing or anything.

A lot of musical styles from non-western countries was developed like that. Just look at rocksteady in Jamaica or many of the african music styles.

See my signature

I think Enka has its charm. Perfect for crying into your drink.

The only reason I'd be crying into my drink is because I was being forced to listen to enka

[hundefar]

Ah OK, well...Your post just read as if it not being traditional enough was your reason for not liking it. That was what I thought was a little strange.

You made me laugh with the last sentence in your answer

[ttjereth]

Ah OK, well...Your post just read as if it not being traditional enough was your reason for not liking it. That was what I thought was a little strange.

You made me laugh with the last sentence in your answer

Actually I was trying to say that the reason I don't like it ISN'T because it's traditional, because I do like other actual traditional music and enka isn't traditional

[American Oyaji]

What's traditional? I mean really.

I think people mix the words tradition and native, though native does sound condescending.

Anyway, Enka style IS unique to Japan. I love it. I heard my boss in the AF listening to it and I was curious about it and he said it was Enka. He was an old fart close to retirement. In fact, he retired before I left Japan and stayed in country. He had been in country almost 30 years and spoke Japanese.

Old black dude. His fault.

But I love Enka. I really do.

God Bless Chief Daniels

[Greji]

He had been in country almost 30 years and spoke Japanese. Old black dude.

Fucking jeep, Taro and I'll take him on for TIG!

[American Oyaji]

jeep? TIG?

Well, at this point he's been in Japan more like 45 years.
It was 30 years when I met him and that was back in 92. He was stationed in Japan and then was sent to Vietnam as an AF photographer when he first started his career...

No. He did 30 and out because he had made chief. so he got out in like 93 or 94.

Yeah. He's been there a while.

[Greji]

jeep? TIG?

Well, at this point he's been in Japan more like 45 years.
It was 30 years when I met him and that was back in 92. He was stationed in Japan and then was sent to Vietnam as an AF photographer when he first started his career...

No. He did 30 and out because he had made chief. so he got out in like 93 or 94.

Yeah. He's been there a while.

I've still got him. Taro don't count cause he got here in the summer of 1904.
Chief Daniels does sound familiar, I may know him, although he's still a jeep if he came in in 64. I was in Itazuke in 65 being treated for YBF!