Cuckoo David Hughes shamisen

I played this on shamisen (3-string Japanese “banjo“), with spoons by Gina Barnes. Recording an LP of Japanese trad folk songs with my wonderful teacher Tanaka Yoshio in 1980, I was asked to include an American folk song. Chose “The Cuckoo“. No 5-string banjo nearby, so.... Bit of a challenge to get the feel without that 5th string (never mind the 4th one!), but fun nonetheless. - For Japanese speakers: Last verse = my translation of the original verse “Oh the cuckoo, s/he's a pretty bird, s/he sings as she flies; s/he brings us sad [I replaced 'glad' for some reason] tidings and tells us no lies.“ Sad = kanashiki; glad could have been tanoshiki. Needed the bungo -ki ending to fit the rhythm.