noun
Only when written 歌 / 唄
The ordinary word for a song or the act/sound of singing. 唄 is especially associated with folk songs and shamisen or traditional singing.
この歌は子どものころから知っている。
I have known this song since I was a child.
祖母は古い
My grandmother softly hummed an old folk song.
noun
classical Japanese poem; tanka
Only when written 歌
Used for classical Japanese verse, especially tanka; common in literary and historical contexts such as anthologies.
See also: 短歌
万葉集には多くの歌が収められている。
Many poems are included in the Man'yōshū.
noun
Only when written 歌 / 詩
A literary use referring to poetry rather than music. The spelling 詩 with the reading うた is poetic and can be ambiguous because 詩 is usually read し.
彼の歌は、現代詩として高く評価されている。
His poems are highly regarded as modern poetry.
詩集の題名にある「愛の詩」は「あいのうた」と読ませている。
The phrase 愛の詩 in the poetry collection's title is intended to be read as ai no uta.