Satchan
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Satchan (サッちゃん Sat-chan?) is a Japanese children's song composed in 1959 and is well known there. Its lyric were by Hiroo Sakata (阪田寛夫 Sakata Hiroo?) and the music composed by Megumi Ōnaka (大中恩 Ōnaka Megumi?).
Contents |
[edit] Lyrics
| Verse | Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | サッちゃんはね 幸子って言うんだ 本当はね だけど ちっちゃいから 自分のこと サッちゃんって呼ぶんだよ 可笑しいな サッちゃん |
Sat-chan wa ne, "Sachiko" to yūnda, honto wa ne Dakedo chitchai kara jibun no koto "Sat-chan" to yobunda yo. Okashii na, Sat-chan. |
Satchan, you see, is really call "Sachiko"; truly, that is so. But since she is so teeny, "Satchan" is what she calls herself Ain't she funny? Sat-chan. |
| 2 | サッちゃんはね バナナが大好き 本当だよ だけど ちっちゃいから バナナを半分しか 食べられないの かわいそうね サッちゃん |
Sat-chan wa ne, banana ga dai-suki - honto da yo. Dakedo chitchai kara banana o han-bun shika taberarenai no. Kawaisō ne, Sat-chan. |
Satchan, you see, loves to eat bananas; so, that is true! But since she is so teeny, only half a banana is what she's able to eat. Ain't that sad? Sat-chan. |
| 3 | サッちゃんがね 遠くへ行っちゃうって 本当かな だけど ちっちゃいから ぼくのこと忘れて しまうだろ 寂しいな サッちゃん |
Sat-chan ga ne, tōku e itchautte honto ka na? Dakedo chitchai kara boku no koto wasurete shimau daro. Sabishii na, Sat-chan. |
Satchan, you see, is going far away; so, is that true? But since she is so teeny, probably she'll forget all about me. Ain't it'll be lonely? Sat-chan. |
[edit] History
According to the lyricist Hiroo Sakata, recalling his childhood, it was about a neighborhood girl nick-named "Satchan". Ms. Sachiko Kikuta (菊田幸子 Kikuta Sachiko?) was in Sakata's South Osaka Kindergarten (南大阪幼稚園 Minami-Ōsaka Yōchien?) class; she eventually moved away (referenced in the song as "...going far away" in the third verse). According to Megumi Ōnaka, Sakata had his first crush on Kikuta.
The reference to the banana in the second verse was over the health episode Sakata experienced himself. When younger, Sakata's body was weak; when he tried to eat more than half of a banana, he would feel nauseous and could not finish the rest.
As a note, the lyricist and the composer were cousins.
[edit] Popular culture
Due to the popularity of this children's song, several different urban legends and spoofs associated with this song have sprung up in Japan. In one version, an additional fourth verse alludes to Sat-chan being a leg-less ghost. In another version, additional verses up to the tenth were composed.
In the autumn of 2006, a memorial stone inscribed with the lyrics of this children's song was dedicated at the South Osaka Kindergarten.
[edit] External links
- MIDI of Satchan
- (Japanese) Background information on Satchan
- (Japanese) News article on the memorial stone dedication
- (Japanese) Another article on the memorial stone dedication
