Uncle Hisai

Uncle Hisai

At the beginning of October, after attending the World Cimbalon Congress in Appenzell, Switzerland, I returned to Japan from Zurich on a JAL flight. At the Congress, as part of the introduction of Japanese music, there was an introduction to Okinawan music, and on the plane, there was a video of Kazufumi Miyazawa of The Boom visiting "Shimauta", so I couldn't help but watch it. And I realized how uneducated I am. I had never thought about the meaning of the Deigo flower. This triggered me to listen to a little Okinawan music recently.

 While listening, I became interested in the lyrics of Uncle Haisai. I simply couldn't understand them. The Ryukyuan language separated from Proto-Japanese to become Japanese and Ryukyuan, and apparently it is about as linguistically distant from Japanese as English and German. That's why I couldn't understand it. I searched the internet for an automatic translation, but there was nothing there either. (Although there is Korean.) I doggedly searched for a translation, and found one on 2ch. (2ch is scary.) Below is a transcription. (2ch is in the public domain, so it should be fine, right?) By the way, "Haisai" is apparently the masculine form of "Howdy." The feminine form is "Haitai."

How to pronounce "Uncle Haisai"

(The lyrics and music for "Uncle Haisai" were written by Masayoshi Kina.) 

1)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
There's still three small bottles of sake left over from last night.
I don't know what's left
Ariri boy (warabaa) Yeah boy (warabaa)
I'm a 3-go bottler.
Don't say it without thinking, yeah, boy
Uncle Anse, 3 go bottle shortage (Fuzuku) Yamiseera
I'll give you a bottle of sake.
XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
When I get older, my wife gets older.
Unju is your child, Kui Misora
Ari Ari Boy (Warabaa) Yeah Boy (Warabaa)
You, child, are covered in grass.
My wife is a small child.
Uncle Anse, I'm in my twenties or thirties
After I turned gray, my wife and I met
XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
Uncle Amberjack Magisayoi
Amberjack Taiwanese sea bream
Ariri boy (warabaa) Yeah boy (warabaa)
The head is made of gypsum.
I have created the original
Uncle Anse, I'm sad about my plastic surgery
Sweet bear amberjack planted at Iyugaya
XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
Uncle's elbow is small
The ceiling is so high I can't stand it
Ariri boy (warabaa) Yeah boy (warabaa)
You're laughing so hard
Elbow small (gwana) ashigaru muteyundo
Uncle Ansen, I won't give in, starting from tomorrow
I can't stand up straight
XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
Yesterday's prostitute smelled so good
Thank you for your patience.
Ariri boy (warabaa) Yeah boy (warabaa)
Tsuji, Nakajima, and Watari
Uncle Yamanu Shareholder
Uncle Ansen Everyday (Menachi) Amanikuma tote
I'm Poor

I don't understand this at all. German might be better.
The Tokyo translation is apparently something like this:

Tokyo translation of "Uncle Haisai"

1)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
Is there any alcohol left from last night?
If you have any left, share it with me.
Hey, hey, kid!
With just a bottle of sake,
Are you asking if there's anything left? Hey kid.
Well then, uncle. If a 3-go bottle is not enough,
Are you going to give me a bottle of sake?

XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
I'm getting old enough to want a wife.
Can you give me your daughter?
Hey, hey, kid!
Even though he's just a kid, he's so cheeky.
Are you trying to find a wife? Hey kid.
Then you're an old man. Over twenty, over thirty.
Are you saying I should wait until my hair turns gray before marrying a wife?

XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
My uncle has a big bald spot on his head
He's bald like an earthworm, but I guess they call him Taiwanese bald.
Hey, hey, kid!
Bald guys are smart.
All my ancestors were intelligent.
Well then, uncle. I'll get plastic surgery too.
I might try creating some bald spots here and there.

XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
The old man beard is weird.
They look like rat whiskers on the ceiling.
Hey, hey, kid!
You're smiling with your beard,
People with beards are more popular.
Well then, uncle. I can't lose either.
I think I'll try growing some rat whiskers starting tomorrow.

XNUMX)
Hi-sai Uncle Hi-sai Uncle
The girl yesterday was good.
Why don't you try going to a brothel at least once?
Hey, hey, kid!
My uncle is a shareholder in Tsuji, Nakajima, and Watachi (all red-light districts).
That's an old man. He stays in the brothel every day.
Are you telling me to be poor?

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