"Shima Uta" - The Boom

I fell in love with "Shima Uta" the first time I heard it. It had the Okinawan sound I had come to love in my short time in Okinawa and beautiful lyrics. The sugar cane lines? They get me every single time. I also love the traditional style of singing. I've been listening to it for a year or so now, but I hadn't realized that it was inspired by the plight of the Okinawan people during WWII, who hid in caves to escape American soldiers. The singer of The Boom, Kazufumi Miyazawa, wrote the song after hearing one Okinawan's tale of survival. Since its debut, it has been covered countless times by many singers, including a singer of the Okinawan dialect; a rock star trained in traditional 民謡(folk) singing; and an Argentian, whose version was on the top of the charts for a while despite being in Japanese. These versions follow the lyrics below.

でいごの花が咲き風を呼び嵐が来た でいごが咲き乱れ風を呼び嵐が来た くり返す悲しみは島渡る波のよう ウージの森であなたと出会い ウージの下で千代にさよなら 島唄よ風に乗り鳥とともに海を渡れ 島唄よ風に乗り届けておくれ私の涙 でいごの花も散りさざ波がゆれるだけ ささやかな幸せはうたかたの波の花 ウージの森で歌った友よ ウージの下で八千代の別れ 島唄よ風に乗り鳥とともに海を渡れ 島唄よ風に乗り届けておくれ私の愛を 海よ、宇宙よ、神よ、いのちよ、このまま永遠に夕凪を 島唄よ風に乗り鳥とともに海を渡れ 島唄よ風に乗り届けておくれ私の涙 島唄よ風に乗り鳥とともに海を渡れ 島唄よ風に乗り届けておくれ私の愛

The deigo flower bloomed and called the wind, and the storm has come The deigo flowers blossomed and called the wind, and the storm has come This recurring sadness is like the waves that cross the island I met you in a field of sugar cane Under the sugar cane, we say goodbye forever Oh island song, ride upon the wind, and with the birds cross over the sea Oh island song, ride upon the wind and carry off my tears The deigo flowers fall, the ripples only tremble This small happiness is fleeting, like flowers on the waves You sang in the fields of sugar cane, my friend Under the sugar cane, we part for eternity Oh island song, ride upon the wind and with the birds cross the sea Oh island song, ride upon the wind and carry off my love Oh Ocean, oh Cosmos, oh God, oh Life, grant us the evening calm of this moment forever Oh island song, ride upon the wind, and with the birds cross over the sea Oh island song, ride upon the wind and carry off my tears Oh island song, ride upon the wind and with the birds cross the sea Oh island song, ride upon the wind and carry off my love