Lullaby / Eko by shinkawasaki
2024 VC Film Fest Official Selection (Cinema Musica)
https://festival.vcmedia.org/2024/movies/lullaby-eko/
This is my long overdue tribute to my grandmother, Sada who basically raised me in my early childhood while my parents were busy with family business. The song was concocted from the Buddhist chant that she had me memorize for our daily devotion, and a children's song she sang to me.
The video outlines her story of immigration, escape and survival through the wars of early 20th century, and the subsequent deterioration of her life. Having witnessed the last half of her tale in the same household and being absent at her last breath, the idea of documenting the story that I've been told countless times never left me. After I was given the opportunity with Nikkei Music Reclamation Project to write and record her song in the most simplistic way, I finally had my first building block.
My sincere gratitude goes to everyone at NMRP especially Nobuko Miyamoto who encouraged me to "tell the story," more explicitly than the song alone could. Also Niall Taro Ferguson, a fellow NMRP participant who provided a gorgeous cello intro, Wingo Shackleford with his densely layered synthesizer pads, and Ryoi Hata for an immaculate mastering job.
Tracklist
| 1. | Lullaby / Eko | 5:12 |
Lyrics
おつきさま まあるい
おやねはさんかく
ハンカチしかく
だれかがふってるよ
White Round Moonrise
O'er the roofs of triangle
See the square handkerchief
Someone's waving all night long
Be good, be kind
Know the pain of your neighbor
Listen well before you speak
Life is short, the journey's long
How could I forget
All the things she said
Didn't recall the meal she had
Threw her dishes by her bed
How could I forget
All the things she said
Didn't recall her favorite son
Didn't know that he was dead
Credits
Niall Taro: Cello
Wingo Shackleford: Synthesizers
Ryoji Hata: Mastering
