戦車は動けない [Tanks Can't Move]

Annotation — Japanese Songs

LP titled "Singing to Hanoi" (EMI Music Japan # LRS-371), performed and recorded live in North Vietnam by Kumiko Yokoi (born 1944, in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, and died on 14 January 2021 in Kunitachi, Tokyo, Japan), as seen on the front cover of the record. Contained a mixture of songs, including a couple specific peace songs about the Vietnam War. The first song "戦車は動けない" ("Tank Can't Move") noted the US presence: "point their muzzles into Vietnam, shoot at children", and then optimistically repeated "war won't pass, tanks can't move". The other song specifically addressing the Vietnam conflict was "ブーゲンビリア花咲くハノイよ" ("Hanoi Where Bougainvillea Flowers Bloom"), a pro-North patriotic track, which quoted the North Vietnamese leader: "love the motherland... more precious than life, Uncle Ho taught me".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

A1. "Point their muzzles into Vietnam, shoot at children" — 1972 Sagamihara tank blockade むぎぶえレコード (Mugibue Records) LRS-371 (labels also LRS-370-A / LRS-370-B), stereo, 33⅓ rpm, ℗ 1974, "All rights reserved. Made by Mugibue no Kai"; manufactured (製作) by 東芝EMI株式会社, Made in Japan, price ¥2,200. The front cover shows Kumiko Yokoi playing acoustic guitar among applauding Vietnamese soldiers in pith helmets, with her signature added in marker. Recording venues printed: ハノイ市ホン・ハー劇場 (Hồng Hà Theatre, Hanoi), 1973/12/14; 立川社会教育会館, 1974/1/24; 足立文化会館, 1974/3/25. Musicians include 北市数幸, ダニー石尾 and 横井久美子 (folk guitar), 小林潔 (steel guitar), 江草進/有馬啓介 (piano), 宗台春男 (drums) and 川畑利文 (wood bass) with brass and strings; photographs by 宇崎真 (Quảng Bình anti-aircraft position) and 足立義峰, jacket design 浜田桂子; planned and produced by 麦笛の会, 東京都国立市東4-3-16. Liner notes by poet 滝いく子 describe arriving at Hanoi's Gia…

About the artist

Japanese folk singer and songwriter, born 1944, died 14 January 2021; known for songs on pollution and discrimination such as "No More SMON". [Source: Wikipedia (Japanese)]

Themes

Anti-War · Protest

In collections

Japanese Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]