Tarō Shōji (Japanese: 東海林 太郎, Hepburn: Shōji Tarō, December 11, 1898 – October 4, 1972) was a popular Japanese ryūkōka singer. He also used the aliases Shōji Shirō (庄司史郎), Asabuki Kaoru (朝吹薫), and Fujiwara Hideo (藤原英夫) in his early recording career.[1]
Shōji was born in Akita, Akita Prefecture. His father was an employee of the South Manchuria Railway, and his parents moved to Manchukuo, leaving him behind in Japan to be raised by his grandmother, who introduced him to the violin. He graduated from the Waseda University Department of Commerce, where he majored in Marxist economics. He married shortly before graduation from undergraduate studies, and was employed by the South Manchurian Railways Research Division on completion of his graduated degree in 1923. His main work at the South Manchurian Railways was on unionization; however, his highly leftist viewpoints alienated both his managers and the Imperial Japanese Army, and he found himself sidelined to a position in a library. After seven years in Manchukuo, he returned to Japan, where his brother was running a Chinese restaurant near Waseda University.
Music careeredit
Shōji made his debut as a recording singer in 1933.[2] He attempted to become a Western classical baritone singer, but finally became a popular singer. His first major hit popular song Akagi no Komoriuta (赤城の子守唄, "Akagi Lulaby") written about Kunisada Chūji.[3] The song was released in 1934 and sold 400,000 copies. This song became a model for many lesser known singers in the 1930s and early 1940s about tragic or semi-tragic Japanese anti-heroes. .[4]
From 1934 to 1936, the young actress Hideko Takamine and her mother lived with Shōji, although she refused his offer to formally adopt her.
After World War II, many of his songs were banned by the American occupation forces as too nationalistic. In the 1960s, his popularity revived, riding a wave of nostalgia for songs of the early Shōwa period. Shōji appeared four times on the NHKKōhaku Uta Gassen, starting with the first broadcast in 1951, followed by 1955, 1956 and 1965. He performed at the Asakusa International Theater in 1957 and in 1963 became honorary chairman of the Japan Vocalist Association in 1963. He was awarded the “special recognition” award at the Japan Record Awards in 1965 and the 4th class of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1969.
Deathedit
Shōji suffered from cancer. However, he recovered from the illness in 1964. He died from cerebral hemorrhage in 1972.
Partial discographyedit
Egasa Higasa (絵傘日傘, Graphic umbrella Sun umbrella) : 1933
Akagi no Komoriuta (赤城の子守唄, Berceuse of Akagi) : 1934
Kurai Nichiyōbi (暗い日曜日, His cover version of "Gloomy Sunday") : 1936
Mugi to Heitai (麦と兵隊, Wheat and Soldier) : 1938
Aozora Dochu (青空道中, Road to Blue Skies) : 1938 with Shinbashi Kiyozo
Butaichō to Heitai (部隊長と兵隊, Unit Commander and Soldier) : 1938 with Bin Uehara
Senjō Hatsu Butai (戦場初舞台, Battleground First Stage) : 1940
Birnbaum, Phyliss. Modern Girl, Shining Stars, the Skies of Tokyo: Five Japanese Women. Columbia University Press. (2000). ISBN0231113579
Notesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taro Shoji.
^"東海林太郎". 78MUSIC. from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
^"Shoji Taro" (in Japanese). CD Journal. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
^ (in Japanese). JANJAN. 2006-06-15. Archived from the original on 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
^Ewbank, Alison J. and Papageorgiou, Fouli T. Whose Master's Voice?: The Development of Popular Music in Thirteen Cultures. Google Books. via Greenwood Publishing Group. 1997. 161. ISBN978-0-313-27772-6
January 01, 1970
taro, shoji, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, 2017, l. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Taro Shoji news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message Tarō Shōji Japanese 東海林 太郎 Hepburn Shōji Tarō December 11 1898 October 4 1972 was a popular Japanese ryukōka singer He also used the aliases Shōji Shirō 庄司史郎 Asabuki Kaoru 朝吹薫 and Fujiwara Hideo 藤原英夫 in his early recording career 1 Tarō Shōji東海林 太郎Background informationBirth nameShōji TarōAlso known asShōji Shirō 庄司史郎 Asabuki Kaoru 朝吹薫 Fujiwara Hideo 藤原英夫 Born 1898 12 11 December 11 1898Akita Akita Prefecture JapanDiedOctober 4 1972 1972 10 04 aged 73 Tachikawa TokyoGenresRyukōkaInstrumentsVocalsYears active1933 1972 Contents 1 Early life 2 Music career 3 Death 4 Partial discography 5 References 6 NotesEarly life editShōji was born in Akita Akita Prefecture His father was an employee of the South Manchuria Railway and his parents moved to Manchukuo leaving him behind in Japan to be raised by his grandmother who introduced him to the violin He graduated from the Waseda University Department of Commerce where he majored in Marxist economics He married shortly before graduation from undergraduate studies and was employed by the South Manchurian Railways Research Division on completion of his graduated degree in 1923 His main work at the South Manchurian Railways was on unionization however his highly leftist viewpoints alienated both his managers and the Imperial Japanese Army and he found himself sidelined to a position in a library After seven years in Manchukuo he returned to Japan where his brother was running a Chinese restaurant near Waseda University Music career editShōji made his debut as a recording singer in 1933 2 He attempted to become a Western classical baritone singer but finally became a popular singer His first major hit popular song Akagi no Komoriuta 赤城の子守唄 Akagi Lulaby written about Kunisada Chuji 3 The song was released in 1934 and sold 400 000 copies This song became a model for many lesser known singers in the 1930s and early 1940s about tragic or semi tragic Japanese anti heroes 4 From 1934 to 1936 the young actress Hideko Takamine and her mother lived with Shōji although she refused his offer to formally adopt her After World War II many of his songs were banned by the American occupation forces as too nationalistic In the 1960s his popularity revived riding a wave of nostalgia for songs of the early Shōwa period Shōji appeared four times on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen starting with the first broadcast in 1951 followed by 1955 1956 and 1965 He performed at the Asakusa International Theater in 1957 and in 1963 became honorary chairman of the Japan Vocalist Association in 1963 He was awarded the special recognition award at the Japan Record Awards in 1965 and the 4th class of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1969 Death editShōji suffered from cancer However he recovered from the illness in 1964 He died from cerebral hemorrhage in 1972 Partial discography editEgasa Higasa 絵傘日傘 Graphic umbrella Sun umbrella 1933 Akagi no Komoriuta 赤城の子守唄 Berceuse of Akagi 1934 Kurai Nichiyōbi 暗い日曜日 His cover version of Gloomy Sunday 1936 Mugi to Heitai 麦と兵隊 Wheat and Soldier 1938 Aozora Dochu 青空道中 Road to Blue Skies 1938 with Shinbashi Kiyozo Butaichō to Heitai 部隊長と兵隊 Unit Commander and Soldier 1938 with Bin Uehara Senjō Hatsu Butai 戦場初舞台 Battleground First Stage 1940 Gunkoku Maiougi 軍国舞扇 Militarist Dancer Fan 1941References editBirnbaum Phyliss Modern Girl Shining Stars the Skies of Tokyo Five Japanese Women Columbia University Press 2000 ISBN 0231113579Notes edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taro Shoji 東海林太郎 78MUSIC Archived from the original on November 24 2022 Retrieved November 24 2022 Shoji Taro in Japanese CD Journal Retrieved 2009 01 22 不動の魂 東海林太郎そのデビュー in Japanese JANJAN 2006 06 15 Archived from the original on 2007 11 10 Retrieved 2009 01 22 Ewbank Alison J and Papageorgiou Fouli T Whose Master s Voice The Development of Popular Music in Thirteen Cultures Google Books via Greenwood Publishing Group 1997 161 ISBN 978 0 313 27772 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Taro Shoji amp oldid 1166927016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
