Jpop Recommend #340 Inochi no uta by Mana Kana Mariya Takeuchi

いのちの歌 Inochi no uta

茉奈 佳奈 Mana Kana / 竹内 まりや Mariya Takeuchi


Released first by Mana Kana in February 2009, this song is the twin's 4th single.  In a popular NHK drama, they played the leading role and sang this song.  Mana Mikura and Kana Mikura were twin sisters and they were popular as an actress since their childhood.  They are now grown up as an adult and both got married.


The lyrics was written by Mariya Takeuchi and she later released this song in January 2012 as a self-cover version.  There are many cover versions of this song but I liked the remote chorus version covered by opera singers and another cover by Bosa nova singer, Risa Ono and Koji Tamaki.  Which one do like?  

In a time like this, the lyrics ask us what is the meaning of life...

Mana Kana version

Mariya Takeuchi version




Covered by opera singers "Remote chorus" version 


Covered by Risa Ono and Koji Tamaki



Any comment about this blog is highly appreciated.  Requests to pick up any singer or song are always welcome!



Japanese
Japanese pronunciation
English translation


生きて ゆく  こと  の  意味 問いかける その たび に
ikite   yuku koto no imi    toikakeru  sono tabi ni
Whenever I ask myself the meaning of life
胸       を  よぎる 愛しい   人々     の   あたたかさ
mune wo yogiru itoshii hitobito no atatakasa
what comes to my mind was the warmth of people I love
この   星       の    片隅        で めぐり  会えた 奇跡   は
kono hoshi no katasumi de meguri-aeta kiseki wa
The miracle of meeting you in a little corner of this planet
どんな   宝石      より  も たいせつ な    宝物
donna houseki yori mo taisetsu na takaramono 
is my treasure more precious than any other jewelry


泣きたい 日  も  ある 絶望       に   嘆く     日   も
nakitai   hi mo aru zetsubou ni nageku hi mo 
There are days I want to cry  the days I lose all hope in despair
そんな  時  そば   に  いて 寄り 添う あなた の   影
sonna toki soba ni ite     yori-sou anata no kage
On such days, you are always by my side and your shadow nestle mine
二人   で  歌えば    懐かしく        よみがえる
futari de utaeba natsukashiku yomigaeru 
When we sing together it brought us old memories
ふるさと の    夕焼け     の 優しい   あの  ぬくもり
furusato no yuuyake no yasashii ano nukumori
That gentle warmth the sunset of hometown used to give me


本当にだいじなものは 隠れて見えない
hontou ni daiji na mono wa kakurete mienai
What is truly important is hidden to be seen
ささやかすぎる日々の中に かけがえない喜びがある
sasayaka sugiru hibi no naka ni kakegaenai yorokobi ga aru
Among days that is too ordinary hidden are indispensable joys


いつか は    誰     でも この    星    に   さよなら   を
itsuka wa dare demo kono hoshi ni sayonara wo 
Someday every one says good-bye to this planet
する  時    が  来る   けれど    命    は     継がれて   ゆく
suru toki ga kuru keredo inochi wa tsugarete yuku
Someday such time will come, but the life will be passed on


生まれて きた   こと 育てて   もらえた  こと
umarete kita koto sodatete moraeta koto
The fact of being born into and being raised
出会った こと 笑った  こと
deatta   koto waratta koto
Meeting someone, Laughing together
その  すべて  に  ありがとう
sono subete ni arigatou
I say thank you to everything
この     命     に  ありがとう
kono inochi ni arigatou
I say thank you to this life






Any comment about this blog is highly appreciated.  Requests to pick up any singer or song are always welcome!

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