I'll Go to Tokyo
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About
fan illustration of Yoshi Ikuzo, also known as IKZO
IKZO is a nickname given to the Japanese singer Yoshi Ikuzo (吉幾三), whose 80s single I’ll Go to Tokyo recently became the subject of MAD remix videos on Nico Nico Douga. Mash-up videos of Ikuzo’s songs are typically juxtaposed with various modern genres and a happy farmer wielding a garden hoe in the video background.
Origin
I’ll Go to Tokyo (俺ら東京さ行ぐだ) is a modern folk song about a young cow breeder living in the countryside, longing to move to Tokyo one day and make it big; its lyrics are sung in Tōhoku dialect, which makes it sound more authentic and really campy. When it was first released in 1984, the song became quite popular across Japan to the point some local agricultural villages took offense and protested the lyrics.
Song & Lyrics
Although Ikuzo’s soulful enka[1] tunes are mostly remembered by the older generations in Japan, I’ll Go to Tokyo became an internet sensation for its comically self-deprecating lyrics and unusual style of delivery that’s sort of similar to rap.
| terebi mo ne rajio mo ne kuruma mo sore hodo hashittene piano mo ne baa mo ne omawari mainichi gu-ruguru asaogide ushi tsurede nijikan chotto no sampo michi denwa mo ne gasu mo ne basu ha ichinichi ichido kuru ora konna mura iya da-- ora konna mura iya da-- toukyou e deru datoukyou e dedanara zeniko a tamede toukyou de beko kauda mo ne sutereo ne umarete kono kata midagoto a ne kissa mo ne tsudoi mo ne mattagu wakamono a ore hitori baasan to jiisan to juzu wo nigitte sora ogamu kusuriya ne eiga mo ne tama ni kuru no ha kamishibai ora konna mura iya da-- ora konna mura iya da-- tokyo e deru da toukyou e deda nara zeniko a tamede toukyou de basha hiku da disuko mo ne nozoki mo ne re-za- disuku ha nanimono da? karaoke wa aru keredo kakeru kikai o midagoto a ne shimbun ne zasshi mo ne tamani kuru no wa kairanban shingou ne aru wake ne ora no mura ni wa denki ga ne ora konna mura iya da-- ora konna mura iya da-- toukyou e deru da toukyou e deda nara zeniko a tamede ginza ni yama kau da! | No TV, no radio there aren’t even cars driving by No pianos, no bars The one police car just circles around I wake up, take the cow out for a little two hour stroll no phones, no gas the bus only comes once a day I hate this village-- I hate this village-- I’m going to Tokyo, once I get to Tokyo I’ll save my money and raise cows there No guitar, no stereos Never even seen’em in my whole life no coffee shops, no hang outs the only young person is me grandma and grandpa just pray to the sky no drug stores, no movies sometimes the kamishibal visits I hate this village-- I hate this village-- I’m going to Tokyo, once I get to Tokyo, I’ll save my money and drive a horse cart No discos, no peeping tom who is “laser disc?” we do have karaoke but never seen a machine that does it no newspapers, no magazines sometimes there is that one newsletter no traffic lights, not like there even would be my village doesn’t even have electricity! I hate this village-- I hate this village-- I’m going to Tokyo, once I get to Tokyo I’ll save up and buy a mountain in Ginza! |
Spread
comparison of search volumes for “吉幾三 (Yoshi Ikuzo)” vs. “俺ら東京さ行ぐだ (I’ll Go to Tokyo)” vs. “IKZO”
Uploaded in May 2007, the first mash-up of Ikuzo’s song featured the DDR dance track Brilliant2U (Orchestra Groove)[2]. Beginning in April 2008, a handful of other remixes and MAD videos followed on Nico Nico Douga. The mash-up phenomenon soon spread to other remix-friendly communities like TM Network and Mixi. In the wake of its popularity, Japanese netizens began referring to such videos as IKZO, a variation of the singer’s stage name Yoshi Ikuza, which means “Alright, Let’s Go!” in Japanese.
Notable Remixes
- feat. Michael Jackson’s Thriller:
- feat. Spice Girls – WANNABE:
- feat. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean:
- feat. Cheetah Men theme:
External References
[2]Nico Nico Douga -- Brilliant2U / Posted 5-27-2007
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