Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi

"Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi" (ロックンロール県庁所在地, Rokkunrōru Kenchōshozaichi, lit. "Rock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government") is a rockabilly song by Japanese singer/songwriter Chisato Moritaka, from her 1992 studio album Pepperland.[1] Written by Moritaka, the song was released as the B-side of her 1993 single "Watashi no Natsu".[2]

"Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi"
Song by Chisato Moritaka
from the album Pepperland
LanguageJapanese
English titleRock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government
ReleasedNovember 18, 1992 (1992-11-18)
Recorded1992
Genre
Length2:29
LabelWarner Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Chisato Moritaka
Producer(s)Yukio Seto

Background

The song's lyrics consist of Japan's prefectures and their capitals, as well as their respective dishes. It popularized shimotsukare and shiroshita karei, which were not well-known nationwide prior to the release of the song.

At the time of the song's recording, Urawa was the capital of Saitama Prefecture; in 2001, Urawa, Ōmiya, and Yono merged into the new capital of Saitama City. Cover versions of the song have since corrected the lyrics to reflect the capital change.

The song has been used by some junior high schools to educate students on their Japanese geography.

On live shows, Moritaka occasionally performs the song on guitar or drums.

Other versions

A remix of the song, titled "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi '95", is included in Moritaka's 1995 greatest hits album Do the Best.

Moritaka re-recorded the song on vocals and drums and uploaded the video on her YouTube channel on December 28, 2012.[3] This version is also included in Moritaka's 2013 self-covers DVD album Love Vol. 3.[4] She recorded a second self-cover of the song and uploaded it on July 18, 2015.[5] The 2015 version is also included in Moritaka's self-covers DVD album Love Vol. 9.[6]

Mini-Moni version
"Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi (Oboechaina Series)"
Single by Mini-Moni
from the album Mini-Moni Songs 2
LanguageJapanese
English titleRock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government (Memory Series)
B-side"Oshaberi Suki ya Nen"
ReleasedApril 9, 2003 (2003-04-09)
Recorded2003
GenreJ-pop
Length2:36
Labelzetima
Songwriter(s)Chisato Moritaka
Producer(s)Tsunku
Mini-Moni singles chronology
"Mini-Hams no Kekkon Song"
(2002)		 "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi (Oboechaina Series)"
(2003)		 "Mini-Moni Kazoe Uta (Ofuro Version) / Mini-Moni Kazoe Uta (Date Version)"
(2003)

"Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi (Oboechaina Series)" (ロックンロール県庁所在地 ～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～, lit. "Rock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government (Memory Series)") is a cover version by the Morning Musume subgroup Mini-Moni as their eighth single and their first single with Ai Takahashi as a member of the group. It was released on April 9, 2003 by zetima. This was the first version of the song to reflect the change of Saitama Prefecture's capital from Urawa to Saitama.

The music video features the quartet locked in a classroom when they are told by the school principal via intercom that they must recite all of Japan's prefectures and capitals before going home. After performing the song, they are congratulated by the principal, who attempts to give them another task before they sneak out of the classroom. A second music video, known as the "Lesson Video", features the quartet teaching Japan's prefectures with an animated map. A third video, known as the "Character Version", features the quartet as 3D animated characters with a map of Japan and its prefectures in the background.

The single peaked at No. 7 on Oricon's singles chart, selling 58,084 copies.[7]

Track listing
CD
No.TitleWriter(s)ArrangementLength
1."Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi (Oboechaina Series)" ((ロックンロール県庁所在地 ～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～, lit. "Rock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government (Memory Series)"))Chisato MoritakaYuichi Takahashi2:36
2."Oshaberi Suki ya Nen" ((おしゃべりすきやねん, lit. "Talkative Plow"))TsunkuTakahashi3:14
3."Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi (Oboechaina Series) (Original Karaoke)" ((ロックンロール県庁所在地 ～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～ （オリジナル・カラオケ）))  2:39
DVD/VHS[8]
No.TitleWriter(s)ArrangementLength
1."Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi (Oboechaina Series)" ((ロックンロール県庁所在地 ～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～, lit. "Rock 'n' Roll Prefectural Government (Memory Series)"))MoritakaTakahashi4:34
2."Rock 'n' Roll Kenchōshozaichi (Oboechaina Series) (Lesson Video)" ((ロックンロール県庁所在地～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～(レッスンビデオ)))  3:03
3."Making Video" (Meikingu Eizō (メイキング映像))  6:24

Chart positions
Charts (2003) Peak
position
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart[7] 7

Other cover versions
  • A cover of the song, along with a karaoke version, was included in Osamu Nishimoto's 2008 picture book The First Japan Map Picture Book ~ 47 Prefectures to Sing and Remember (はじめての日本地図絵本　歌って覚える47都道府県, Hajimete no Nihonchizu Ehon Utatte Oboeru 47 Todōfuken).[9]
  • Mariko Takase covered the song in the 2011 children's CD/DVD Let's Learn Utatte! ~ Kuku no Uta, Prefectural Capitals (うたって覚えよう!〜九九のうた、県庁所在地, Utatte Oboeyoō!〜 Kuku no Uta, Kenchōsozaichi).[10][11][12]
  • Dream5 covered the song as the B-side of their 2012 single "Shekimeki!" (シェキメキ！, lit. "Shake It!").[13]

References
  1. "ペパーランド". Kioku no Kiroku. The Federation of Music Publishers Japan. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  2. "｢私の夏｣(CD)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  3. Moritaka, Chisato (2012-12-28). 森高千里 『ロックンロール県庁所在地』 【セルフカヴァー】. YouTube. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  4. "「デビュー25周年企画 森高千里 セルフカバーシリーズ "LOVE" Vol.3」". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  5. Moritaka, Chisato (2015-07-18). 森高千里 『ロックンロール県庁所在地 (2015 Ver.)』【セルフカヴァー】. YouTube. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  6. "「デビュー25周年企画 森高千里 セルフカバーシリーズ "LOVE" Vol.9」". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  7. "ロックンロール県庁所在地～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～|ミニモニ。". Oricon. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  8. "シングルV 「ロックンロール県庁所在地～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ～」". Up-Front Works. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  9. "はじめての日本地図絵本". Sekaibunka.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  10. "うたって覚えよう!〜九九のうた、県庁所在地". King Records. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  11. "うたって覚えよう!DVD～九九のうた・県庁所在地～". King Records. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  12. "暗記ソング集「うたって覚えよう！九九のうた、県庁所在地」が日本全国で異例の売り上げ". BARKS.jp. 2011-08-17. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  13. "シェキメキ！". Dream5 Official Website. Avex Group. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
Mini-Moni
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