Am I forever dreaming...

I've been digging through my CDs and DVDs, trying to get a handle on what I still have, what I sent home from Japan, and what I don't have anymore. I've been finding a lot of "why did I bother sending THIS home" discs, however. *coughMorningMusumecrapcough*

I have a lot of Utada Hikaru's CDs. She was one of my favorite Japanese artists. However, now she's trying to gain a foothold in the American music scene, and in order to do so, she's changed up her style and sound into electronica/dance music, which is just not my thing. Angela Aki's taken up the number one spot on my Japanese music prefs nowadays, anyway.

I also have a lot of single songs/albums from artists who were flavor of the day for varying periods of time...Hajime Chitose, Nakashima Miyuki, Nana Katase, and several others that have never made a splash outside of Japan.

One pleasant surprise for me was uncovering a couple of video game soundtracks, of all things. Katamari Damashii, because all the tunes on there are really jazzy and catchy, and ICO.

ICO is this really atmospheric game for the PlayStation 2. Very little dialogue, beautiful graphics, challenging puzzles, and a very intriguing setting. The game soundtrack includes one song with vocals (in English, even), that uses some abstract imagery, fitting in very nicely with the game itself.

The island bathes in the sun's bright rays
Distant hills wear a shroud of grey
A lonely breeze whispers in the trees
Sole witness to history

Fleeting memories rise
From the shadows of my mind
Sing "nonomori" - endless corridors
Say "nonomori" - hopeless warriors
You were there
You were there

Am I forever dreaming
How to define the way I'm feeling

You were there
Countless visions they haunt me in my sleep
You were there
Though forgotten all promises we keep

Slaves to our destiny
I recall a melody
Sing "nonomori" - seasons lit with gold
Say "nonomori" - legends yet untold
You were there
You were there

Happiness follows sorrow
Only believing in tomorrow

You were there
Countless visions they haunt me in my sleep
You were there
Though forgotten all promises we keep

The island bathes in the sun's bright rays
Distant hills wear a shroud of grey
A lonely breeze whispers in the trees
Sole key to this mystery

Angela Aki: 手紙 (video)

In case you were wondering about the song which I tried to translate (link to translation), here's the video for it.

アンジェラ・アキ:　手紙〜拝啓 十五の君へ〜

I love this song.

(edit: replaced busted video embed with working one)

Angela Aki: 手紙〜拝啓 十五の君へ〜 (revised)

One of my favorite musicians, Angela Aki, appeared on NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen for the third time this past New Year's Eve. The song she sang, 手紙〜拝啓 十五の君へ〜　(letter to your 15 year old self), was first released in September of last year, becoming her biggest hit and the theme song to the latest season of みんなのうた, as well as the image song for the 75th Annual Nationwide School Singing Contest, shown on NHK.

I happen to like this song a lot. As some of you may know, last year was...not the easiest for me, and many times I found myself seeking comfort in music.* This song's lyrics seemed rather meaningful, in my opinion.

EDIT: After it was first posted, I ran this translation by my friend Jamie, who's much better at this kind of thing than I am. She very kindly took the time to correct my more egregious errors, and offer a lot of good suggestions. Thanks, Jamie! (You can check out her LiveJournal here.) Anyway, the corrected version follows. Original version will be in the comments. Also, this probably won't be the final revision, either.

My amateurish translation of the song:

To you reading this letter, wherever you are, whatever you're doing
The fifteen-year-old-me has a source of sorrow that I can't tell anyone about
Since I address this letter to the future me
Surely you will understand exactly how I feel

Now I am about to lose, I am close to tears, it seems I am fading away
As I go forward, whose words can I believe in?

I have only one heart, and it's been broken many times over
Living for today is living in pain
Living for today
______

To you, thank you; I have something I want to tell the 15-year-old you
If you ask yourself which way you should turn, you will eventually understand:
The seas of a stormy youth are harsh
But we go forward on a ship of dreams to the shores of tomorrow

Now, don't give up, don't cry, when it seems it's time to fade away
You can believe in your own voice as you go forward

The adult me has also had sleepless nights from pain
Living for today is bitter, yet sweet

Your whole life has meaning, don't be afraid of dreaming big
Keep on believing
_____

I am about to lose, I am close to tears, it seems that I'm fading away
As I go forward, whose words can I believe in?
_____

Ah, don't give up, don't cry, though it seems it's time to fade away
You can believe in your own voice as you go forward

You can't avoid sadness, whatever age you are
So show your smiling face, and go on living for today
Live for today

To you reading this letter
I hope for happy things for you.

(Thanks again to Jamie for the help; any remaining mistakes are mine, of course)

*Other sources of comfort: food, movies, This American Life, A Prairie Home Companion