Wait, the source of that "Drinking Song"!? The surprising history of remixes behind the masterpiece "Etenraku"

"Gagaku is too stiff and inaccessible..." If there is anyone who thinks that, I always show them some "evidence" to clear up the misunderstanding.

In fact, "Etenraku" is the most well-known masterpiece of Gagaku among Japanese people. In a certain era, this song was a huge hit among salarymen (samurai) across the country as a "super cheerful drinking party call (BGM)".

This time, I will talk about the strange fate of the masterpiece "Etenraku," which has been remixed over and over for over a thousand years.

The mega-hit song of the Gagaku world: "Etenraku"

First, let's talk about the original song. "Etenraku" is a masterpiece that boasts the most recognition even within Gagaku. Weddings, New Year's, shrine festivals... It is that slow, elegant melody that comes to mind when you think, "This is what Gagaku sounds like."

Originally, it was performed as BGM for ceremonies in the Imperial Court or when nobles were enjoying meals and drinks.

However, because this melody was so beautiful and easy to remember, "Wouldn't it be interesting to add lyrics to this song and sing it?" people who thought this appeared.

This was the beginning of the Gagaku remix culture known as "Imayo."

The J-POP of the Heian period: "Imayo"

From the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period, a genre called "Imayo" became explosively popular as the pop music (J-POP) of the time.

This is a style of singing by setting "7-5-7-5" lyrics to an existing melody. Among them, the track (accompaniment) that was overwhelmingly popular was "Etenraku."

"Singing your favorite lyrics to the melody of Etenraku" This became a huge craze among nobles and commoners at the time, and even as time passed and it became the age of the samurai, this culture continued to remain.

And that is how that famous folk song was born.

"Etenraku" + "Samurai Drinking Party" = "Kuroda Bushi"

"Drink, drink, if you're going to drink~♪"

The folk song from Fukuoka Prefecture famous for this phrase, "Kuroda Bushi." Actually, this song's melody is Etenraku itself.

Strictly speaking, "Etenraku Imayo," which is the Etenraku melody slightly broken down to make it easier to sing, was passed down to the Kuroda domain in Fukuoka, where a legendary drinking party episode was added as lyrics.

And that episode is quite bold.

Steal a "spear" at a drinking party!

Around the end of the Sengoku period, a samurai of the Kuroda domain named Mori Tahee went as an envoy to a warlord named Fukushima Masanori.

Masanori Fukushima was a great lover of sake, and he pestered Taibei like this: 'If you can drink all the sake in this giant cup (it holds several liters!), I will give you whatever reward you want.'

Taibei was also a heavy drinker. He drank the entire giant cup in one go with a cool face, then pointed at the world-famous spear that Masanori Fukushima was so proud of,'Nihongo', and said, 'Then, I will take that spear,' and walked away with it.

He sang this thrilling tale of'drinking sake and getting a world-famous spear'to the melody of 'Etenraku,' which was popular at the time. This is the true origin of the 'Kuroda Bushi' that has been passed down to the present day.

You can get a feel for what the dance is actually like in this video. I borrowed it from my wife Shino [Hoshino Uzume]'s channel 😊

Gagaku is not a 'fossil'

What do you think? A song that was once elegant background music in the imperial court had its lyrics changed, its rhythm changed, and before anyone knew it, it had been remixed into a 'drinking song showing the guts of a samurai.'

When I learned this history, I was moved by the 'depth' of Gagaku music. Gagaku is not music like a fossil displayed in a museum.

It is 'living music' that has continued to survive by changing its form while embracing the emotions of people in every era (joy, the excitement of drinking parties, and tales of heroism).'living music'.

Next time you have the chance to hear 'Etenraku' at a wedding or a shrine, try listening to it while thinking, 'Oh, this was a hit chart song from back in the day.' I'm sure the scenery from a thousand years ago will feel a little closer to you.

Ryu Miura