The Itsuki Lullaby is a lullaby known to many people in Japan. It is a folk song from Itsuki Village, Kuma District, kumamoto Prefecture, on Kyushu Island, Japan.Its has long been believed that this song was sung by the baby sitters from the poor families. Itsuki was next to Gokanosho, where the Heike people came to settle after their defeat in the Genji Heike War in the Heian period and later the Kamakura shogunate sent their Genji samurai families to watch over them, thus creating the rich Genji families and poorer Heike families
Lyrics: Itsuki no Komori Uta
Odoma bon-giri bon-giri, Bon kara sakya oran-do Bon ga hayo kurya, Hayo modoru.
Odoma kanjin-kanjin, Anhito-tacha yoka-shu. Yoka-shu yoka obi Yoka kimon.
Oro-ron, Oro-ron, Oro-ron-bai,
Odoma ucchin-dachu-te, dai ga nai cha-kuryu-ka. Ura no matsu-yama, semi ga naku.
Semi-ja gozanse-nu, imoto-de gozaru. Imoto naku-nayo, kini kakru.
Oro-ron, Oro-ron, Oro-ron-bai,
Baba-no mago.
English Translation:
I work only until the Bon festival. If it comes earlier, then I can visit home sooner.
I am just a peasant. They are rich. They wear fine belts and kimonos.
If I died, who would cry for me? Only the cicadas in the forest behind.
My little sister would also cry. Don’t cry, little sister, it worries me.
Practice files:
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Youtube link