More Company Songs

[bill937ca]

Seems like every company in Japan has a company song. 

 

When I was looking into the history of Yodobashi Camera yesterday and looking for a map of their 12 Shinuku West locations and stumbled upon the Yodobashi Camera cartoon commericals, I also noticed that several other retail chains were known for having company songs and playing at least part of them in their stores.

 

Yodobashi Camera

 

In addition to the Yodobashi Camera commercials, there is also a Yodobashi Camera song.  The commercials are a  bouncy cover of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, but I'm not sure if the is or not. Different stores have different versions. 

 

 

 

 

Don Quijiote

 

The discount retail chain Don Quijiote has a distinctive song.

 

Wikipedia description: Don Quijote is known for the distinctive song that plays in its stores. The song is called "Miracle Shopping" (ミラクルショッピング^?) sung by Maimi Tanaka (田中マイミ^?), a Don Quijote store employee.^[5] "Miracle Shopping" was released as a maxi single in 1999.^[6]

 

 

Bic Camera

 

Bis Camera is one of the large electronics store chains.

 

 

Yamada Denki

 

Another large electronics retail operation and yet another company song that is played in the stores.

 

Wikipedia description: The Yamada Denki Song (ヤマダ電機の唄^?) (Lyrics: "Yamada Denki and its jolly friends"; Music: Ichirō Tomita (富田伊知郎^?)) is used as background music inside the store, and in television commercials.

 

This song ends in a coda, over which (as of December 2006) a female singer yells "Yamada.. DENKI!". This ending coda is played at seemingly random intervals within the store, often interrupting the background music - much to the surprise of patrons not accustomed to it.

 

 

When I go looking for a Yamato Transport company song I find there is a JR Freight Company song. Never did find a Yamato Transport song.

 

Edited November 4, 2016 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

How about I've been working on the railroad in Japanese? 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIafQlYHPGw

 

The Hanshin uses this as an arrival melody at some stations, (but not this veersion).

 

 

A July 2015 video introducing I'v Been Working on the Railroad as the train melody of Sakuragi-cho Station. Each track has a different segment of the song.

 

Edited November 4, 2016 by bill937ca

[westfalen]

Darn it, now I've got to go to Sakuragi-cho, I've always liked the Japanese rendition of I've Been Working on the Railroad.

 

Since this started I've been trying to find the music that plays in the K's electrical stores, I can't find it anywhere but it drives you nuts in the store.

[bikkuri bahn]

Just a note that the term "company song" is a specific term in Japan (社歌 or "shaka")- it is intended to boost employee morale and thus is an internal tool.  The Yodobashi song as well as other in-store jingles piped over the pa system/used in TV CMs are external and used for marketing and getting customers in the buying mood.

[bill937ca]

Donki Mambo