Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa (“The Smiling You is Like a Sun”)
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“The smiling you is like a sun, you make friends with everyone you meet. Go on living this innocently.”
OR: A reminder for everyone still growing up: no matter what growing pains you’re going through right now, you’re awesome.
kuyashisa wa wasureru mon ja nai
mata chikyuu wa mawari kisetsu ga meguri
kimi wa seichou suru
Frustration isn’t something you forget–
The earth spins again, the seasons change
And you grow up
kanashimi wa dareka no mon ja nai
mata chikyuu wa mawari dareka ga umare
wakare no hi ga kuru
Sadness isn’t something that belongs to anyone–
The earth goes on spinning again, when someone is born
A day for goodbyes also approaches
mata aishi aisare dareka ga umare
shiawase wo shiru
Loving and being loved again, someone is born
And knows happiness
ikite koso
It’s called living
ha wo kuishibaru shikanai
soshite hito wo urayamun ja nai
kimi ni shika dekinai
sore ga aru darou
sore wa totemo idai nanda
There’s no choice but to grit your teeth and bear it
And so don’t envy others
There must be something
Only you can do,
A very great something
otona ni natte kara mo
mada benkyou wa tsudzuku
ima shika dekinai kimi ga shitai koto wo shina yo
You’ll still go on learning
Even after you’re an adult¹:
Do the things you want to, that you can only do right now
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
deau hito minna wo egao ni suru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
seiseidoudou to shiterya ii
The smiling you is like a sun
You make everyone you meet smile
The smiling you is like a sun
Keep on doing things fair and square²
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
yo no naka no dare mo ga motometeru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
uso ga tsukenai toko ga ii
The smiling you is like a sun
The whole world wants you
The smiling you is like a sun
You can’t bring yourself to lie, and that’s what’s great about you
shinsetsu wa sunao ni ukerya ii
mata kondo wa kimi ga chigau dareka ni
shinsetsu dekirya ii
Humbly accept kindness when it’s given
And next time when you can,
Be kind to someone else
uragiri wa hikizuranai ga ii
mata kondo wa kimi ga chigau dareka wo
shinjite yareba ii
Don’t hold on to the time someone betrayed you
And next time
Trust again in someone else
mata ai ga hirogari chigau dareka mo
shiawase ni naru
When you spread the love again, it makes even other
People happy
ikite koso
It’s called living
otona wa ZURUi to ka
sou kanjiteru darou
otona wa kimi ni modoritai to omotteru yo
That’s right, you might feel
Like “adults are crooked”
Adults wish they could go back in time to when they were you
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
deau hito minna to tomodachin naru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
tenshinranman de ikirya ii
The smiling you is like a sun
You make friends with everyone you meet
The smiling you is like a sun
Go on living this innocently
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
yo no naka no subete wo aishiteru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
dare no mane demo nai no ga ii
The smiling you is like a sun
You love everything in the world
The smiling you is like a sun
You don’t imitate anyone else, and that’s great
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
deau hito minna wo egao ni suru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
seiseidoudou to shiterya ii
The smiling you is like a sun
You make everyone you meet smile
The smiling you is like a sun
Keep on doing things fair and square
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
yo no naka no dare mo ga motometeru
egao no kimi wa taiyou sa
uso ga tsukenai toko ga ii
The smiling you is like a sun
The whole world wants you
The smiling you is like a sun
You can’t bring yourself to lie, and that’s what’s great about you
---
¹ The UFP subs say “learning” so I kept it as such, but 勉強 is almost singlehandedly used as ‘studying’. A common criticism of Japan’s academically-rigorous educational system is that children are encouraged to study at the expense of everything else (including hobbies, hanging out with their friends, etc.) The lyrics point out that people still have to study (and learn) their whole lives through, but that the kid/teenager only has their childhood to do childhood things.
² “正々堂々” can be “proud and confident” in the pomp-and-circumstance sense of the term, but it’s most often used for doing things “fairly”, the right way. So you’d use the term for a clean fight, or good sportsmanship, someone who plays fair and square.
Also, strictly speaking the title is a metaphor, not a simile, but I took the liberty of adding the “like a” in there anyway.
Confession time: I love these lyrics to pieces, like. I think these are some of the best lyrics Tsunku’s ever written, I love the words as much (possibly more???) than even greats like I WISH and Souda! We’re ALIVE and yet this is possibly the least musical melody Tsunku’s ever written. It’s like it’s purposefully not singable. There’s no real hooks (I like the ‘ikite koso’ so much but I’m pretty sure that’s mostly through sheer force of will), the “egao egao egao egao egao” parts are grating when you try listening to it nonstop, and the rhythm is choppy to the point of sounding disjointed half the time. I still love it anyway (I’ve actually reached the point where I love it just this way, but objectively I realize most people don’t experience Stockholm syndrome for mediocre songs when the group has hundreds more songs that actually try to be catchy.)
Anyway, it’s a huge tragedy to me that Tsunku set these words to this music because fans forget about it and it’s such a great song.
If you read through my rant and somehow disagree, I submit as proof Tsunku’s liner notes on the subject:
“This song is a message for the current members of Morning Musume.
However, it's also a message on my part to the "youth" who are living in a new era and who must survive. At the same time, I wrote it as a pep talk for my own self. At the age of 45, I'm still lacking, still incomplete.
I still have to grit my teeth, bear it, and just survive. And so, I wrote this song with the feeling of "you must treasure your 'smile'."
For non-Tsunku fans, at the time he was writing this, he was already struggling with losing his voice–a little less than a month later, he was officially diagnosed with larygneal cancer, which he went on to beat only after removing his vocal cords and losing his beloved voice, after which he taught himself esophageal speech to be able to speak again. Bear it and survive indeed.
(On a lighter note, he also mentions in the liner notes that he also made the members re-read the lyrics countless times before shooting the music video and asked them to try to convey the “ultimate smile” each time they got to the chorus. Please appreciate their efforts.)
At any rate, Tsunku telling Colorful Momusu “there must be something only you can do–a very great something” is touching, but Tsunku telling himself that kind of makes me want to cry–as an older fan, I’ve always thought of this as a “parent” type song, knowing that it’s a self-love song as well is just really great in a way I can’t articulate.
GARAKUTA no you ni mieru rashii bokura no
osanai omoide ano toki no ibasho datta
kasunda kao mo futashikana sono koe mo kiete ikunda
sukoshizutsu
aitai natte omou no wa ano hi mijika ni kanjiteta kara
koibito nante inakute mo zenzen yokatta no ni na
sayonara to iu shunkan ga itsu no ma ni ka konna ni kirai ni natta
jikan to tomo ni kawatte itta mainichi
eien nante futashika datte ano toki no otona ga itte takke
shinjinai tte honki de hitei shiteta ano hi
fuhitsuyou demo imi ga nakutemo zenzen atarimae ja nakutemo
yokatta, yokatta
kouen no sumi ni suterareta koneko wa
me mo akerarezu ni tada soko de naiteita
dakikakaetara nukumori ga chanto atta
inochi no kodou ga kikoeteta
kotoba wo kuchi ni suru mae ni dareka no tame ni muchuu ni natte
yaritai koto wa nani demo shinken ni nareta no ni na
bujoku ya hiniku wo shittara itsu no ma ni ka okubyou ni natteita
jikan to tomo ni wakatte itta kanashimi
eien nante futashika datte ano toki no otona ga itte takke
shinjinai tte honki de hitei shiteta ano hi
fuhitsuyou demo imi ga nakutemo zenzen atarimae ja nakutemo
yokatta, yokatta
eien nante futashika datte ano toki no otona ga itte takke
shinjinai tte honko de hitei shiteta ano hi
fuhitsuyou demo imi ga nakutemo zenzen atarimae ja nakutemo
yokatta, yokatta
konya no ongaku wa isshoni HAMA tta ano kyoku
namida ga dechau naa, konya wa.
koibito tte kotoba ga nanka totte mo kirai de
bokura wa haruka sono saki wo itteru ki ga shita
POKKE wa kimi to boku no te de gyuugyuu kyuukutsu ni natte
maru de boku no kokoro mitai da naa
haruka saki zutto saki made isshoni irareru to omotteta no ni
kyou no kyou made yappari wakannai
dekireba mata isshoni
raku ni naru no nara shindeshimaou
hajimete sou omotte shimatta
boku wa kyou mo mata nisemono no egao de
warau, warau, warau.
BETTO no SHIMI ga itsumade mo boku wo shibari tsukete
kokyuu suru koto sae mo maru de tsumi no you de
asa mo hiru mo yoru mo kakegae no nai kono toki no
nani hitotsu iranai kara
dakara sa, kaette oide
boku wa mada koko de matteru
itsumade mo kimi no koto
anata no egao ga kobiritsuite
namida ga afurete shikata nai naa
boku wa kyou mo mata omoide ni hitatte
warau, warau, warau.
raku ni naru no nara shindeshimaou
hajimete sou omotte shimatta
boku wa kyou mo mata nisemono no egao de
warau, warau, warau.
akirameru koto ga dekinakute
itsumade tatte mo kuraitsuku
BAKA na boku wa mata nisemono no egao de
warau, warau, warau.
tenjou no SHIMI ga nandaka anata no kao ni miete
mou sugu haru ga kuru yotte itteru ki ga shita
konya no ongaku wa isshoni HAMA tta ano kyoku
namida ga dechau naa, konya wa.
tachi tomatta toki ashimoto wa karete
oritatanda kasa mo mochigusareta
hiagatta tochi suminarenai juutaku
dare mo kite kurenai hitori de iki wo suikonda
ame ga futte arekara mou dore kurai tatta darou
kanashii tte koto wasurechatta naa
machigaeta koui no kazushirezu nando me demo yarakasu
mou yameyou dakara oaite suru no wa oki ni no TEDIBEA
korekara no koto kangaete mite mo
nani hitotsu datte omoi ukabanai
kakimushitta toko akaku nijinderu
sonna koto sae dareka ni kidzuite hoshikute
ame ga yande sorekara zutto hitori de naite tano
kumo no sei da yo watashi wa migawari
saisho kara wakatteta kedo ashita mo mata kyou to onaji
mou yametai dakedo mata ashita mo onaji toki wo kuri kaesunda
marude umaretate no kojika furueru ashi wa chi ni tsukazu
KONPYUUTAA no suushiki no umi de fuyuu suru watashi no neiro ga hazumi dasu
saishuu densha ni yurarete kono te ni nigitta shuumatsu
kousoku de sugite iku SUTOORII omoi haseru FANTAJII
akarui sora sukoshi irozuku ao wa KAATEN wo tsurameku
madogiwa no BETTO no ue de nemurenai
yarikirenai kibun
zuibun mae ni mukaeta asa wa hajimaru koto wo yorokonde
soto ni detara shiranai koto darake de iya na koto mo wasureta
aimai na senbiki mo fumi tsubushite
kowai mono nante nakatta naa
miushinatta mono, torimodoshite ikeru no kana
imasara massara na kokoro ni wa mou modorenai desho?
imasara sarasara ganbareru ki ga shinai yo
ongaku mo, tomodachi to hanasu no mo, tsumekomu yotei mo,
zenbu, zenbu, tanoshikute shikata nakatta koro ni modottara
mitakunai kageguchi ni kizutsuite naku koto ga dekiru kana
zenbu akiramechau otona ni nacchatta yo
imasara massara na kokoro ni wa mou modorenai desho.
imasara sarasara ganbareru ki ga shinai yo
otona no kotoba wa ookikute monikomu no mo taihen
yatto nomikonda saki ni matsu no wa uragaeshi no umi
sonna koto ittakke? tte warai nagara iwarete mo
waraenaishi omoshiroku mo nai
aa, soukatte funbatte mata shigamitsuite
norikoetatte omotta saki ni matsu no mo onaji de
hito no sei ni sun ja nai yo tte iwarechatte
nani ga seikai nanoka wakaranai yo
imasara massara na kokoro ni wa mou modorenai desho?
imasara sarasara ganbareru ki ga shinai yo
imasara naosara watashi ni wa mou nani mo nai desho?
imakara korekara ganbareru ki ga shinai yo
akarui sora sukoshi irozuku ao wa KAATEN wo tsurameku
madogiwa no BETTO no ue de nemurenai
yarikirenai kibun
kobi te wo totte motto hoshii tte
yureru hitomi ni anata wa NOKKUAUTO
ryoute mawashite toiki morashite
atsuku mureru atashi wo koi ni jirashite
hitosashi yubi de anata no karada wo nazoreba
mangetsu no yoru kanashimi wo yobu
atashi no me wo mite GYUTTO idaite
soshite karada no jiyuu subete ubatte motto motto
komarihateta kao de waratte yurashite haide hatte
yukkuri to sashinoberu yubisaki sotto furete matte
awakunatte naite naite
azatoi kuchibiru ni tamaranakunatte unatte ubatte
aimai na senbiki mo kankei nakute chikakute atsukute
mazari au toiki ni tokete itta yuuwaku
kanashimi mo kaikan mo zenbu saite chirashite
sente wo totte motto hoshii tte
omowaseburi de mata anata NOKKUAUTO
DOKIDOKI natte tanoshimi ne tte
miageteru atashi ni hayaku KISU shite
mimi moto de sasayaku anata no ijiwaru shimikomu
takaburu mune ni mata yume wo miru
futarikiri de atsuku moete tsukite
me ga samete hitorikiri no asa ni naite naite naite
dakedo mata yoru ni nareba aishiatte mitashite kakushite
yokubou mukidashi ni subete wo futsukete motto motto
zenbu tsuite nando datte
uketomete ageru kara isshoni ochite mitashite egaite
saikou no hitotoki ni subete wo yotte kuzushite sarashite
mazariau toiki ni tokete itta yuuwaku
kurushimi mo koukai mo zenbu saite moyashite
anata ni fureteitai
kamitsuite hanasanai
kuchibiru wa oboeteru anata no sonzai
amai koe wo dashite motto motto
hajime kara saigo made hageshiku yatte unatte ubatte
aimai na senbiki mo kankei nakute chikakute atsukute
mazariau toiki ni tokete itta yuuwaku
koraekirenai you na hitomi de yatte unatte ubatte
anata no honki wo mata atashi ni haite haite haite
dare ni mo misenai hyoujou de sukitte itte motto
machigai darake demo sore demo ii yuuwaku
KONKURIITO de dekita ano ie wa
zutto mae ni tashikani ita basho da
douyara itsushika kawatte itta kono machi to tomo ni
boku no shiranai uchi ni
kousaten mo kinjo no KONBINI mo
mukashi kayotta onajimi no dagashiya mo
shiranai uchi ni shitashii ano hito no kage mo nakute
aa, nanka ana ga aite sa
kitto wakattetanda boku wa
ano hi RABENDAA no kaori ga kasuka ni hoo wo nadete wa
yuuutsu wo fukikonda mahou no you ni
NOIZU ga ooku kasanatta tanin doushi no oyuugi wa
itsushika boku wo nomikonde itta
KONKUREETO de dekita ano ie wa
zutto mae ni tashikani ita basho da
suunen mae no kyou wo omoidasu no wa kantan de
mata mune ga CHIKURI to itanda
kitto naite itanda boku wa
ano hi RABENDAA no kaori ga kasuka ni hoo wo nadete wa
yuuutsu wo fukikonda mahou no you ni
NOIZU ga ooku kasanatta tanin doushi no oyuugi wa
itsushika boku wo nomikonde itta
yogore kitta BENCHI de kimi no koto wo kangaete
hitoban wo akashite kore to itte nani mo nakute
BAKABAKA shiku natta yo nani mo kamo sutete shimaou
boku wa sayonara wo shitanda
ano hi RABENDAA no kaori ga kasuka ni hoo wo nadete wa
yuuutsu wo fukikonda mahou no you ni
NOIZU ga ooku kasanatta tanin doushi no oyuugi wa
itsushika boku wo nomikonde itta
RABENDAA no kaori wo wasurerarezu ni iru no wa
kore hodo honki de kimi wo aishiteta kara sa
NOIZU darake no sekai de kimi no kaori ga nabiita
iroasenai ano toki no mama
itsushika boku wo nomikonde itta
13. I’scream
[WIP]
静かに日差しがまたからあったんだか
こっち明けていったまた今日が始まった
瞬きするのモメントだからさ
この間も目を閉じて眠ってしまうかな
また明日も迎えに来る
「」毎日にさよならできたらな
いいのにな
アイスクリームは溶けてしまった
コンクリートのシミになった
毎朝通学路であたしの事ジッと見守るのだ
愛したあの人何知ってるのかな
今更考えバカバカしくなった
誰もいないのに誰も「」ない
私は一人でベットに座っていた
また明日もさまよってる
誰かが隣にいたなるな「」な
いいのにな
アイスクリームは溶けてしまった
それとシーツのシミになった
毎晩ベットで「」私と緒に眠るのだ
お願い神様「」
私の一層はそんなに贅沢な物じゃないよね
アイスクリームは溶けてしまった
コンクリートのシミになった
毎朝通学路であたしの事ジッと見守るのだ
アイスクリームはお口の中で
「」溶けてしまった
毎日泣き無し私の中でまったり溶けるのだ
shizuka ni hizashi ga mata kara attanda ka
kocchi akete itta mata kyou ga hajimatta
mabataki suru no MOMENTO dakara sa
kono ma mo me wo tojite nemutte shimau kana
mata ashita mo mukae ni kuru
souzoushin(?) mainichi ni sayonara dekitara na
ii no ni na
AISUKURIIMU wa tokete shimatta
KONKURIITO no SHIMI ni natta
mai asa tsuugakuro de atashi no koto JI tto mimamoru no da
aishita ano hito nani shitteruno kana
imasara kangae BAKABAKA shikunatta
dare mo inai no ni dare mo sasue(?)nai
watashi wa hitori de betto ni suwatteita
mata ashita mo samayotteru
dareka ga tonari ni ita naru na aetara(?) na
ii no ni na
AISUKURIIMU wa tokete shimatta
soreto SHIITSU no SHIMI ni natta
maiban BETTO de nesondera(?) watashi to isshoni nemuru no da
onegai kamisama arikikuritei(?)
watashi no issou wa sonna ni zeitaku na mono ja nai yo ne
[aikama(?) hoshikute watashi zutto kono mitsumeteiru no
SNS ni kakikanda tte taku kashirateru no ni ne
demo kyou no dokoka de dareka ga chotto demo motometetara
ii wake, ii yo ne, ii yo ne tte mete ikenai atashi wo]
pls send help
AISUKURIIMU wa tokete shimatta
KONKURIITO no SHIMI ni natta
mai asa tsuugakuro de atashi no koto JI tto mimamoru no da
AISUKURIIMU wa okuchi no naka de
amattarugu(?) tokete shimatta
mainichi nakinashi watashi no naka de mattari tokeru no da
Mirai no mirai wo itsumo egakitai yo
Mirai wa nozomanakya tsukamenai
Saisho no tobira kara
Shiranai basho e mukatte ikou
Saa ikou, ikioi yoku
Kanaetai yume wo omoeba
Zenshin ga wakuwaku suru yo
Kitto afuredasu kono kimochi ga
Watashitachi wo tooku tooku e michibiite kureru to shinjite
Ganbarunda
Haai! Hajimatta!!
Mae dake muite kou nani ga okotte mo
Tsuyoku nare
Atsuku nare
Tomerarenai ne kimi mo tomaranai ne
Haai! Hajimatta!!
Makenaitte koe wa kokoro no koe sa
Issho dakara zutto zutto
Issho ni korekara hashitte kou
Mirai no mirai wo itsumo egakitai yo
Makenai mirai sore ga watashi no mirai
Hiraita tobira e to
Tokimeki sodate nagara ikou
Saa ikou, dokomade demo
Kataritai yume wo ashita wo
Ippai no kirakira mitai
Datte sono tame ni ikiterunda
Watashitachi wa zettai zettai ni kibou wo sute tarishinai
Ganbaru dake
Aai! Mukaunda!!
Yokubarinanda yo te ni iretainda yo
Tsuyoku nare
Atsuku nare
Tometakunai ne daremo tomenaide yo
Aai! Mukaunda!!
Makenai chikara wo jibun ni motomete
Issho no michi zutto zutto
Issho ni hitasura hashitte kou
Yakusoku suru yo akiramenai
Kujike souna tokiniwa omoidasou
Kimi no kotoba, kimi no egao
Sore wa taiyou no youni kagayaite
Terasaretara terashikashite ageru yo
Minna tsunagatteru yo
Ganbarunda
Haai! Hajimatta!!
Mae dake muite kou nani ga okotte mo
Tsuyoku nare
Atsuku nare
Tomerarenai ne kimi mo tomaranai ne
Haai! Hajimatta!!
Makenaitte koe wa kokoro no koe sa
Issho dakara zutto zutto
Issho no michi zutto zutto
Issho ni korekara hashitte kou
Mirai no mirai wo itsumo egakitai yo
Mirai wa nozomanakya tsukamenai
Makenai mirai sore ga watashi no mirai
I was so disappointed when I saw the setlist for Masaki's graduation. The fact that they chose Egao no kimi wa taiyou sa as HER moment was kinda sad. Yes I get it: "oh, she was always smiling so it was so fitting!". But really, it sounded kinda weird when she sang it alone.. imasugu tobikomu yuuki would have made more sense to me personally. And I also remember reading online that Maa-chan was really moved by the lyrics too when she first read them.. Not the best send off for her imo :(
Love's a curious thing
It often comes disguised
Look at love the wrong way
It goes un-recognized
Not While I’m Around
Demons'll charm you with a smile
For a while
But in time
Nothing can harm you
Not while I'm around
What I Did For Love
It hurts but I remember every start
And I've learned, but living is the hardest part
I can't believe what I did for love
I can't believe what I did for us
Egao no Kimi wa Taiyou sa
Because that's life
You might feel like adults are very unfair
But in reality, they wanna go back to your age
Enrai
As I approach you as you were that day,
I finally understand
Why you suddenly squatted down,
And shed those final tears.
Hiiragi
I didn't notice --
The things I'd lost sight of...
The fact that I'd lost sight of you...
TAO
A cane of hope will surely guide you into the light,
In place of me.
Your tears will dry... I'll keep praying
Under the distant sky.
SECRET AU TRACK:
Time Has Come (k but what if August TOOK HIM WITH HER after Filbert died)
So let's turn up the radio, it's time to go
We're off to something better
Leave your worries all behind
So let's turn up the radio, it's time to go
We're off to something better
Pedal to the metal baby