Cool idea for a thread, risu_! And yeah, I also like 人にやさしく, although my first exposure to it wasn't the original version, but the opening to the anime Rolling Girls:
The anime features covers of lots of other songs by THE BLUE HEARTS, although by far the best musical number in the show is actually an original song:
Anyway, more on topic, I used to have a book called 歌から学ぶ日本語, which introduced grammatical concepts via lyrics to popular Japanese songs - mostly either children's songs like めだかの兄弟 or "oldies" like 川の流れのように. The song in that book whose lyrics I liked the most though was one called 誰もいない海 by the duo トワ・エ・モワ.
While this isn't the version of the song it first got famous in, I think having it sung a bit slower than the original and by older singers actually adds depth and believability to it. The lyrics don't reveal much specific information about the singer's experiences, but the overall feeling of longing and the occasional line here and there hint at a bittersweet story of love, loss and perseverance. I don't really think of myself as a sentimental person, but something about these lyrics just gets me every time.
The anime features covers of lots of other songs by THE BLUE HEARTS, although by far the best musical number in the show is actually an original song:
Anyway, more on topic, I used to have a book called 歌から学ぶ日本語, which introduced grammatical concepts via lyrics to popular Japanese songs - mostly either children's songs like めだかの兄弟 or "oldies" like 川の流れのように. The song in that book whose lyrics I liked the most though was one called 誰もいない海 by the duo トワ・エ・モワ.
Quote:誰もいない海
歌：トワ・エ・モワ
作詞：山口洋子
作曲：内藤法美
今はもう秋 誰もいない海
知らん顔して 人がゆきすぎても
わたしは忘れない
海に約束したから
つらくても つらくても
死にはしないと
今はもう秋 誰もいない海
たったひとつの夢が 破れても
わたしは忘れない
砂に約束したから
淋しくても 淋しくても
死にはしないと
今はもう秋 誰もいない海
いとしい面影 帰らなくても
わたしは忘れない
空に約束したから
ひとりでも ひとりでも
死にはしないと
ひとりでも ひとりでも
死にはしないと
ルルル ルルルル・・・
While this isn't the version of the song it first got famous in, I think having it sung a bit slower than the original and by older singers actually adds depth and believability to it. The lyrics don't reveal much specific information about the singer's experiences, but the overall feeling of longing and the occasional line here and there hint at a bittersweet story of love, loss and perseverance. I don't really think of myself as a sentimental person, but something about these lyrics just gets me every time.