Do you enjoy Japanese music?

I have a feeling many of you do... And I know I do!

So, I thought it might be fun if we looked at a song I've been listening to a bunch recently :)

Music is one of the hardest things to understand in a foreign language (at least for me it is^^).

I think it's because it's so much more poetic and abstract than normal speech.

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As learners of Japanese, we can benefit from listening to music... if we study it!

Trying to really focus on what is being said, hearing all of the words correctly-- I think it can be great practice.

Before we get into that though... Maybe try just giving it a 'normal' listen through:

幾年月 (Time Gone By) - Mili

Go here to watch the video.

What did you think? Pretty, right?

Now, try listening again but this time focus and see how much you can understand.

Or don't, and just keep reading here.

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Before getting into the lyrics, I want to point out all of the useful vocabulary that's in this song. If you remember anything from this lesson, it should be this! Also, I've noticed people ask fairly often "how do I find vocabulary in my daily life?", well, this is one way.

🍣🍣🍣 Cue Huge Wall of Vocab 🍣🍣🍣

紡ぐ (つむぐ // to spin; to make yarn)
想い (おもい // thought; feelings; emotion)
滲む (にじむ // to blur)
言葉 (ことば // words)
風 (かぜ // wind)
舞う (まう // to dance; to flutter about)
便箋 (びんせん // writing paper)
追う (おう // to chase; to pursue)

過ぎる (よぎる // to go by; to pass)
様に (ように // like; as if)
面影 (おもかげ // face; trace; looks)
薫る (かおる // to smell sweet; to be fragrant)
淡い (あわい // faint; fleeting)
染まる (そまる // to be stained; to be dyed)
出す (だす // to take out; to send; to turn in; to put out; to begin)
春 (はる // Spring)

頬 (ほほ・ほお // cheek)
受ける (うける // to receive)
ほんのり (ほんのり // slightly; faintly)
ひんやり (ひんやり // cool; chilly)
熱 (ねつ // heat)
帯びる (おびる // to wear; to carry)
冷やす (ひやす // to cool; to chill)

嫁ぐ (とつぐ // to marry into; to become a bride)
父 (ちち // father)
伝える (つたえる // to convey; to impart)
返事 (へんじ // reply; answer)
桜の木 (さくらのき // cherry tree)
歪む (ゆがむ // to warp; to deflect)
文字 (もじ // letter; character)

感じる (かんじる // to feel; to sense)
積る (つもる // to pile up)
手紙 (てがみ // letter)
綴る (つづる // to spell; to write; to compose)
牡丹 (ぼたん // peony)
雫 (しずく // drop of water; drip)
染み込む (しみこむ // to soak into)

芽吹く (めぶく // to bud)
幾度 (いくど // [how] many times; [how] often)
探す (さがす // to search; to look for)
指 (ゆび // finger)
震える (ふるえる // to shiver; to quake)
涙 (なみだ // tears)
溢れる (あふれる // overflow)

崩れ落ちる (くずれおちる // to crumble down)
音 (おと // sound)
響く (ひびく // to resound; to be heard far away)
実る (みのる // to bear fruit)
季節 (きせつ // season)

Whew!

Quite a few words indeed.

(When studying a song like this, overachievers would take all of the vocabulary that they are unfamiliar with and add them to their personal vocab deck.)

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I'll write the lyrics in Japanese first, then the English translation, and lastly do a breakdown with some notes and what not.

----Lyrics----

Japanese:

幾年月 - Mili
いくとしつき

紡ぐ想い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば

風に舞った　便箋を追う
かぜ　に　まった　びんせん　を　おう

過ぎる様に　面影は薫る
よぎる　ように　おもかげ　は　かおる

淡く染まりだす春
あわく　そまり　だす　はる

頬に受けた風は
ほほ　に　うけた　かぜ　は

ほんのりひんやりと
ほんのり　ひんやり　と

熱を帯びた想い
ねつ　を　おびた　おもい

冷やす様に
ひやす　ように

- わたし　嫁がない - と
わたし　とつがない　と

父に伝えました
ちち　に　つたえました

お返事は　桜の木に
おへんじ　は　さくら　の　き　に

歪んだ文字
ゆがんだ　もじ

紡ぐ思い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば

春の香り　君を感じて
はる　の　かおり　きみ　を　かんじて

積もる思い　手紙に綴る
つもる　おもい　てがみ　に　つづる

牡丹の雫　染み込む
ぼたん　の　しずく　しみこむ

桜芽吹く　幾度の春
さくら　めぶく　いくど　の　はる

手紙探す　指が震える
てがみ　さがす　ゆび　が　ふるえる

涙溢れ　崩れ落ちた
なみだ　あふれ くずれおちた

風の音が響いた
かぜ　の　おと　が　ひびいた

紡ぐ思い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば

実る季節　頬を冷やした
みのる　きせつ　ほほ　を　ひやした

過ぎる様に　面影は薫る
よぎる　ように　おもかげ　は　かおる

淡く染まりだす春
あわく　そまり　だす　はる

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English:

(Note: You'll find that this translation differs significantly from the English CC'd translation in YouTube. Translating songs is tricky work, and a lot of things are open to interpretation. The translation we have here takes less artistic liberties than the subtitled one. After looking through the breakdown of these lyrics in the following lesson, you can decide for yourself which translation you prefer.)

Time Gone By - Mili

Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.
Chasing a letter dancing in the wind.

Passing by, traces of a familiar smell.
Colors of spring seep in.

The wind that blows across the cheek,
Faint and cold,
As if to cool off passionate feelings.

"I will not become a bride,"
I told my father.

Response engraved in the cherry tree,
Those words twisted and bent.

Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.
Smell of spring. You are near.

Feelings piling up, write them down in a letter to you.
Dew from the peony's soak in.

Sakura blooms. Countless springs.
Look for a letter. Fingers quake.

Tears flow over, tumble down my cheeks.
The sound of the wind roars.

Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.
The season matures, gently cools the cheeks.

Colors of spring seep in,
Passing by, traces of familiar smells.

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English and Japanese Side-by-Side:

幾年月
いくとしつき
Time gone by.

紡ぐ想い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば
Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.

風に舞った　便箋を追う
かぜに　まった　びんせん　を　おう
Chasing a letter dancing in the wind.

過ぎる様に　面影は薫
よぎる　ように　おもかげ　は　かおる
Passing by, traces of a familiar smell.

淡く染まりだす春
あわく　そまり　だす　はる
Colors of spring seep in.

頬に受けた風は
ほほ　に　うけた　かぜ　は
The wind that blows across the cheek,

ほんのりひんやりと
ほんのり　ひんやり　と
Faint and cold,

熱を帯びた想い　冷やす様に
ねつ　を　おびた　おもい　ひやす　ように
As if to cool off passionate feelings.

- わたし　嫁がない - と
わたし　とつがない　と
"I will not become a bride,"

父に伝えました
ちち　に　つたえました
I told my father.

お返事は　桜の木に
おへんじ　は　さくら　の　き　に
Response engraved in the cherry tree,

歪んだ文字
ゆがんだ　もじ
Those words twisted and bent.

紡ぐ思い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば
Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.

春の香り　君を感じて
はる　の　かおり　きみ　を　かんじて
Smell of spring. You are near.

積もる思い　手紙に綴る
つもる　おもい　てがみ　に　つづる
Feelings piling up, write them down in a letter to you.

牡丹の雫　染み込む
ぼたん　の　しずく　しみこむ
Dew from the peony's soak in.

桜芽吹く　幾度の春
さくら　めぶく　いくど　の　はる
Sakura blooms. Countless springs.

手紙探す　指が震える
てがみ　さがす　ゆび　が　ふるえる
Look for a letter. Fingers quake.

涙溢れ　崩れ落ちた
なみだ　あふれ　くずれおちた
Tears flow over, tumble down my cheeks.

風の音が響いた
かぜ　の　おと　が　ひびいた
The sound of the wind roars.

紡ぐ思い　滲む言葉
つむぐ　おもい　にじむ　ことば
Feelings swell up. Words smudge and blur.

実る季節　頬を冷やした
みのる　きせつ　ほほ　を　ひやした　
The season matures, gently cools the cheeks.

過ぎる様に　面影は薫る
よぎる　ように　おもかげ　は　かおる
Passing by, traces of a familiar smell.

淡く染まりだす春
あわく　そまりだす　はる
Colors of spring seep in.

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So poetic, right??!

But I'm sorry to say that this lesson must come to an end... It's getting too long! We don't want you to forget all of the vocab, yeah?

Stay tuned for next lesson when we get into the breakdown of all the sentence and translation goodness.

Until then, just try listening to the song several times and read along with the text, trying to catch the sounds of each word. :D

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This lesson was written by Caleb, a guest contributor.