Overview
Introduction
"Kōjō no Tsuki" (荒城の月 lit. "The Moon over the Ruined Castle") is a Japanese song written in the Meiji period.
Japanese pianist and composer Rentarō Taki composed the music as a music lesson song without instrumental accompaniment in 1901. The song was included in the songbook for Junior High School students. The music of the song was inspired by the ruins of Oka Castle whereas the lyrics, written by Bansui Doi, were inspired by the ruins of Aoba Castle and Aizuwakamatsu Castle.
Taki's original version of the song is a B minor song, but Kosaku Yamada's slow-paced nostalgic D minor version is also popular as an accompanied song. Taki's original version of the song uses E♯ on the second bar, but the modern version usually uses E probably because the original version did not fit the traditional Japanese music.
Japanese tenor singer Yoshie Fujiwara put his singing of the song on a record in 1925. He was the first Japanese singer to popularize the song throughout the world.
A jazz arrangement was recorded by Thelonious Monk under the title "Japanese Folk Song" on his 1967 album Straight, No Chaser. This version can be heard in the movie La La Land, as one of the main characters tries to memorize and play it.
The song was sung and recorded live in the form of a power ballad by the German heavy metal band Scorpions, during a concert at the Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo. It was released on their 1978 live album Tokyo Tapes. The band's version was one of rare tracks following Taki's original version quite well. This Song was also performed by Yngwie Malmsteen during the 1984 Alcatrazz Japan Tour. A live recording of his performance at the Sun Plaza Tokyo was released on the "Metallic Live" DVD of Alcatrazz. Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans, a Japanese band, recorded an instrumental rock cover of "Kojo no Tsuki" on their album Let's Go Blue Jeans.
The song was also live sung by Japanese enka singer Kiyoshi Hikawa in 2008.
Also sung by Jackie Evancho in 2012, her version (titled in English as "Moon Over Ruined Castle", but sung in Japanese) seems to be available only on the internet.
Lyrics
日文原词
- 春高楼（かうろう・こうろう）の花の宴（えん） 巡る盃（さかづき）影さして
千代の松が枝（え）分け出（い）でし 昔の光今いづこ - 秋陣営の霜の色 鳴きゆく雁（かり）の数見せて
植うる剣（つるぎ）に照り沿ひし 昔の光今いづこ - 今荒城の夜半（よは・よわ）の月 変はらぬ光誰（た）がためぞ
垣に残るはただ葛（かずら） 松に歌ふ（うとう）はただ嵐 - 天上影は変はらねど 栄枯（えいこ）は移る世の姿
映さんとてか今も尚 ああ荒城の夜半の月
中文翻译
春高楼兮花之宴 交杯换盏欢笑声 千代松兮枝头月 昔日影像何处寻
秋阵营兮霜之色 晴空万里雁字影 铠甲刀山剑树闪 昔日光景何处寻
今夕荒城夜半月 月光依稀似往昔 无奈葛藤满城垣 孤寂清风鸣松枝
天地乾坤四时同 荣枯盛衰世之常 人生朝露明月映 呜呼荒城夜半月
译者：茂吕美耶
春日高楼明月夜，盛宴在华堂。杯觥人影相交错，美酒泛流光。
千年苍松叶繁茂，弦歌声悠扬。昔日繁华今何在，故人知何方？
秋日战场布寒霜，衰草映斜阳。雁叫声声长空过，暮云正苍黄。
雁影剑光相交映，抚剑思茫茫。良辰美景今何在，回首心悲怆！
荒城十五明月夜，四野何凄凉。月儿依然旧时月，冷冷予清光。
颓垣断壁留痕迹，枯藤绕残墙。松林唯听风雨急，不闻弦歌响！
浩渺太空临千古，千古此月光。人世枯荣与兴亡，瞬息化沧桑。
云烟过眼朝复暮，残梦已渺茫。今宵荒城明月光，照我独彷徨！
（译词：昉雪）
赏樱宴高楼 觥筹辉相映 月析古松枝 昔华今何处
秋麾霜染営 断雁鸣空去 竖剑溯寒芒 昔荣今何觅
荒城夜半月 依旧婵娟照 残垣枯藤蔓 听风啸松桠
天地恒玄黄 人世几沧海 桑田若朝颜 夜半荒城月
訳者 ：ben Liew Beng Won
