Anzen Chitai 安全地帯 (Tamaki Koji 玉置浩二) - Friend

When I was in Hong Kong, I knew there were lots of Cantonese pops that were originally from Japan.  Alan Tam (譚詠麟) and Leslie Cheung (張國榮) were good examples.  It also occurred to me that their more popular songs were originally Japanese songs.  In fact, the Top Ten Chinese Songs of 1985, sponsored by Radio Hong Kong, registered 7 songs of foreign origin (70%)!  Six of them were Japanese (60%)!  One can argue against their representation, but I don't think anyone would contest that covers of Japanese origin were mainstream in the 80s.

It's only recently that I came to realize many of Jacky Cheung's (張學友) popular songs were also covers of Japanese songs.  I used to think that "情已逝" (Love Is Gone)，"遙遠的她" (She Who Is Afar)，"藍雨" (Blue Rain)，"最後的告別" (Last Goodbye)，"還是覺得你最好" (I Am Longing For You; literally "I still think you're the best")，"每天愛你多一些" (Loving You More Each Day), were all local creations.  But in fact, they're all covers of Japanese songs!  I wonder whether Hong Kong would present Kisugi Takao (来生たかお), Tokunaga Hideaki (徳永英明), and Tamaki Koji (玉置浩二) with a Life Achievement Award one day.  They really contributed greatly to the Hong Kong music scene! :)

Jacky Cheung's "沈默的眼睛" (Silent Eyes) is originally Anzen Chitai's (安全地帯) "Friend", written by their vocalist Tamaki Koji (玉置浩二).  At that time, Anzen Chitai has not yet dissolved.

You can listen to it on YouTube: http://youtu.be/QfUMFgNNKrc

Friend

曲：玉置浩二
詩：松井五郎

さよならだけ　言えないまま
きみの影の中に　いま涙がおちてゆく

つめたくなる　指　髪　声
ふたり暮らしてきた 香りさえが消えてゆく

もう　Friend　心から　Friend
みつめても　Friend　悲しくなる

想い出には　できないから
夢がさめてもまだ　夢見るひと忘れない

もう　Friend　きれいだよ　Friend
このままで　Friend　やさしく

もう　Friend　心から　Friend
いつまでも　Friend　今日から
Friend

Friend

Composer: Tamaki Koji

Lyrics: Matsui Goro

Goodbye remains to be the only word I cannot speak

And now tears are dropping inside your shadow

Turning cold are fingers, hair, and voice

Even the scent of us living together starts to disappear

Already, friend; from the bottom of my heart, friend

Even if we're staring at each other, friend

Sadness descends

Because I cannot let them become memories

I still won't forget the woman in my dream even after I'm awaken

Already, friend; beautiful, friend

It'll remain this way, friend; tenderly

Already, friend; from the bottom of my heart, friend

Forever, friend; starting from today

Friend