Karashima Midori 辛島美登里 - Te Wo Tsunagou~Hitoribocchi Janai~ 手をつなごう〜ひとりぼっちじゃない〜

On March 11, 2011, a terrible earthquake hit Northern Japan.  Karashima Midori (辛島美登里), in her blog, wrote that she was at the Haneda airport (羽田空港), waiting for her flight to Kyuushuu (九州) where she's going to appear on TV the next day.  After the quake stopped, she felt she was trapped on an island.  She went to the taxi booth but found long lines of around 500 people, and counting.  Suddenly, and luckily, she got a call from her manager.  He earlier spotted an airport shuttle that ran between the terminals and the parking garage.  His apartment was very close to the parking garage, so he thought if he and Midori could just get there, they'd be okay.  And so, with a traveling old couple from Osaka on the same shuttle, they arrived at the parking garage.  They then walked together to the manager's apartment, and once there, got onto the manager's car.  His manager then took her to the nearest train station at Nishi Magome (西馬込).  It would be exactly mid-night when she finally arrived home.

According to my research, this song was originally written for Saito Yuki (斉藤由貴) under the same name, without the last part (Hitoribocchi Janai).  It appeared in her album called Nanimokamo Kawaru Toshitemo (何もかも変わるとしても), which was released in February 2011.  The earthquake hit in March and so Midori did a self cover, and released it in her own name.  All sales went to a charity fund to help the earthquake victims.  She said she recorded the song at home.

I love the first 2 lines of the lyrics:

    どうぞ泣きなさい　その涙を　恥ずかしがらないで
    泣き声の中で　人は生まれ　生きてゆくのだから

Every time I listen to them, I feel warm and it gives me hope.

In any case, please enjoy the song here on YouTube (http://youtu.be/pnyQr0trDJg).

Nihon, Ganbare!  (日本、頑張れ！)


手をつなごう〜ひとりぼっちじゃない〜

曲、詩：辛島美登里

どうぞ泣きなさい　その涙を　恥ずかしがらないで
泣き声の中で　人は生まれ　生きてゆくのだから
あなあのことを　まだよく知らないけど
とても　とても　不安でいるとわかる

手をつなごう　手をつなごう　
ほら心が和らいでく
この地球で　巡り会えた
あなたという　ぬくもりひとつ
春には花が　夏には星が　きれい
そして　わたしがそばにいる

希望や夢とか　重荷ならば　今は置いていこう
大切なものは　ほんの少し　家族とともだちと
あなたがいつか　ほんとに笑えるまで
待つよ　待つよ　私の愛し方で

手をつなごう　手をつなごう　
ただあなたを守りたいの
ぎゅっと強く　ときに弱く
同じように　握れなくても
秋には夕陽　冬には雪に　染まりながら
いっしょに越えてゆく

手をつなごう　手をつなごう
大人の手も　子供の手も
この地球の　メッセージを
いろんな手が　運んでゆくの
今日の涙は　未来の愛にかわってゆく
ひとりぼっちじゃない

Let's join hands together~You're not alone~

Composer, Lyrics: Karashima Midori

Please, if you want to cry
These tears are by no means disgraceful
It's because life begins in the middle of a baby's cry
Your situation, even though I still don't know well
But your extreme anxiousness
That I can understand

Let's join hands together
Let's join hands together
Hey! Let your heart calm down
That we are able to fortuitously meet in this world
Is one of the many warmths I've encountered
Flowers in spring
Stars in summer
They are beautiful
And I'm close by your side

Aspirations, dreams and things alike
If they're too burdensome
Let's put them down for now
Important things are few
They're family and friends
Till the day you can truly smile
I will be waiting
I will be waiting
With my way of love

Let's join hands together
Let's join hands together
I just want to protect you
Firmly and strongly
Or weakly at times
It'll be the same way
Even when I cannot fully grasp
Sunset in autumn
Snow in winter
While they're permeating
Together we'll continue to overcome

Let's join hands together
Let's join hands together
Whether they're the hands of an adult or a child
Earth's message
Continues to be delivered via our various hands
Today's tears will start to become love of the future
You're not alone