JAPANESE FOLK SONGS

Posted on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 in Music Mania

Japanese Folk Songs

Unlock The Mystery Behind Grandfather Clocks

Ever wondered what mystery lies behind grandfather clocks? Why do they evoke such emotions? Why do they have their own brand of sentimentality?

A Mystery behind Grandfather Clocks

All these melodrama are actually called for. For there is truly a mystery behind grandfather clocks, a story so sentimental it managed to leave a mark throughout the years. And it touches every person that stops to look at its moving pendulum, or listen to its chimes.

So what's this story? Have you ever wondered why it's been called a grandfather clock in the first place? Yeah, it's stately, imposing yet homey and comforting, just like the old chap himself. But there's more to it than all these common sense answers.

So How Does the Story Go?

It all started when Henry Clay Work set foot in a hotel called the George Hotel. It was 1875 when this happened. Work found himself on the border of County Durham and Yorkshire and stopped to listen to the folks' stories. He was so touched by the story behind that long case clock that he decided to write a song about it.

You can't wait to hear the story? It goes this way. Two brothers who carried the name Jenkins owned and operated George Hotel. And right in the heart of the lobby stood proud an imposing longcase clock. The clock was efficient and was a faithful reminder of time, until one of the brothers died. After that, the clock just ceased to be efficient. The hotel staff, together with the local clockmakers, tried to repair it the best they could. But their efforts were all in vain. The clock just won't cooperate.

Where Grandfather Clocks Got Their Names

And then the second brother died. After that untoward incident, the longcase clock just stopped functioning altogether. It just lost its reason for existence.

The inspired Henry Clay Work went on to write a song about the touching story he heard. He gave the song the title, "My Grandfather's Clock." And that's where your longcase clocks got their current name. And that's how your grandfather clocks became a legend.

The Song Became a Hit

The song then became a hit in the 50's and 60's. The version by Radio Revellers made waves in Europe. If you grew up during these decades, you're bound to be familiar with the song. In 2002, Ken Hirai made a hit out of the song in Japan with his own version. The song earned a high position in the Japanese popularity charts. It became a favorite among many generations of Japanese.

Now popular singers like Boyz II Men have given the song their own beautiful rendition. Have you seen the episode of Twilight Zone called "Ninety Years without Slumbering"? That episode gained inspiration from the song. You may even have heard the song's version that's beyond the pale. It's called "My Grandfather's Cock."

And so the legend lives on (for the grandfather clock, that is). And you have that legend standing in your receiving area, with its unwavering pride and imposing facade.

About the Author

Experience a unique brand of sentimentality with
Grandfather Clocks
. Consider the elegance of the
Howard Miller grandfather clock
and the timelessness of the
Ridgeway grandfather clock
. Visit GrandfatherClockMarket.com today.

	Flute For Relaxation Sale Price: $4.68

	The Very Best of James Galway Sale Price: $7.35

	The Japanese Album Sale Price: $4.98

	The Yellow Jar: 2 Tales from Japanese Tradition (Songs of Our Ancestors;) Sale Price: $73.99
	Introducing the delightfully precise and beautifully designed art of Patrick Atangan in a new series of adaptations of traditional Asian tales. This book, drawn in the ukiyo-e style (world of floating pictures), presents "The Yellow Jar" which centers around a simple fisherman and a beautiful maiden he takes as wife, after finding her in a magic jar...

	Saibara: Volume 2, Music: Japanese Court Songs of the Heian Period (v. 2) Sale Price: $39.98
	From literature of the Heian period (782-1184) it is evident that Saibara songs enjoyed great popularity at court as entertainment music practised by noble amateurs. As well as being of value to musicologists, these volumes will interest readers concerned with early Japanese literature and paleography.

	Buddha-Fields BUDDHIST ALLUSIONS IN JAPANESE FOLK-SONG

report/project?

i need help getting a good conclusion paragraph

These are just a few of the many types of music in Japan. A lot of the Japanese music listed in America is the songs from the popular anime shows. There are also Japanese songs in American movies.
this is what i have so far

anything i should add
in my body paragraphs i talked about folk, j pop, and traditonal music

'A lot of the Japanese music listed in America is the songs from the popular anime shows' should be 'A lot of the Japanese music listed in America are songs from popular anime shows such as bla bla bla'.

'There are also Japanese songs in American movies.' would sound better as 'Some Japanese songs are included in American movies, such as bla bla bla'.

You should include examples.. it's usually on the marking scheme somewhere.