Okazaki Ritsuko – I’m always close to you [Japanese lyrics with English translation]

artist: 岡崎律子　Okazaki Ritsuko
title: I’m always close to you
disc: for RITZ (album)

lyrics, music: 岡崎律子　Okazaki Ritsuko
arrangement: 村山達哉 & 磯江俊道　Murayama Tatsuya & Isoe Toshimichi

Romanization

ashita nado nai kamoshirenai no ni
doushite     kyou wo sugoshite shimau [1]
ima ga subete to
sou omotte ikitemiru no

aseru kimochi ga atta
doremo erabezu     zenbu wo yaritakatta
suteki na koto wa
memagurushiku yattekuru no yo

ikitsukenai toki wa     GOORU ga hoshikute [2]
tada     modokashiku     mogaite hashitta
GOORU ga mieru to     kondo wa okashikute
motto motto itai
mada tsuzuketeitai tte     omou no ne

I’m all right
I love you
I love my life

I’m always close to you

gomen ne     o-wakare ga totsuzen de
ima wa     chotto ne     sabishii kedo
kanashimi ja nai no
itsuka     chanto omoide ni naru

yakusoku     onegai wa hitotsu dake
ikite     ikite
donna toki ni mo     nagete wa dame yo
sore wa     nani yori CHAAMINGU na koto [3]

English translation

Though there might be no tomorrow
Why do we spend today living through it? [1]
I want to try living
As if the present is all we have

I felt restless
Not able to choose one thing, I wanted to do everything
Wonderful things
Kept coming at a hectic pace

In uncertain times, I wanted to have a goal [2]
I just ran along, struggling, so frustrated and impatient
When I can see the goal, I feel I can almost reach it
More, more, I want to be here
I think I still want to keep going on

I’m all right
I love you
I love my life

I’m always close to you

I’m sorry     that our parting was so sudden
Right now     it’s a little lonely, but
It isn’t sad
Someday     it will become a memory

Promise me     I have just one wish
Live on,     live on
No matter what,     you can’t give up
Life is     the most fascinating thing of all [3]

Japanese

明日などないかもしれないのに
どうして　今日を過ごしてしまう
今がすべてと
そう思って生きてみるの

あせる気持ちがあった
どれも選べず　全部をやりたかった
素敵なことは
めまぐるしくやってくるのよ

行きつけない時は　ゴールが欲しくて
ただ　もどかしく　もがいて走った
ゴールが見えると　今度は惜しくて
もっともっといたい
まだ続けていたいって　思うのね

I’m all right
I love you
I love my life

I’m always close to you

ごめんね　お別れが突然で
今は　ちょっとね　寂しいけど
かなしみじゃないの
いつか　ちゃんと想い出になる

約束　お願いはひとつだけ
生きて　生きて
どんな時にも　なげてはだめよ
それは　なによりチャーミングなこと

==========
[1] doushite     kyou wo sugoshite shimau: more literally, “Why do we spend today [which regretfully ends]?” or “Why do we pass the day [unfortunately]?”
  “Shimau” is a verb that suggests a regretful ending or closure, whereas “kyou wo sugosu” is literally to “spend the day” or “pass the day”.
The feeling might be expressed more as: “Tomorrow might never happen, so why do we use up today/why does it just pass by/why does it come to an end?”

[2] ikitsukenai. “Ikitsukeru” refers to being very familiar, to frequent [something]. “Ikitsukenai” is the opposite of that; I had difficulty findng the right connotation for “ikitsukenai toki.” Perhaps a time that was unfamiliar or uncertain?

[3] sore wa     nani yori Charming na koto: more literally “that is more charming than anything.”
  In this case, I’m interpreting “that” (sore) to refer to “being alive”; and “charming” to be more along the lines of “miryokuteki” which is to be fascinating/desired/attractive, e.g. to have a powerful draw. That implication was not adquately expressed by “charming.”

—

Overall, this beautiful and simple song is heartbreaking to me because it was autobiographical. Songwriter Okazaki Ritsuko, singing in her child-like voice, always cherished life through her sweet and honest songs. She died suddenly at the age of 44 of septic shock (overwhelming infection). In the year prior to her death, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. In this song, as if knowing her impending death, she wonders about living life to the fullest, then apologizes for leaving too soon, imploring us to keep living on.

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Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 Japanese lyrics

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