鞦韆（ぶらんこ）
上條恒彦 Lyrics

The lyrics of the song 鞦韆（ぶらんこ） by 上條恒彦 are vividly descriptive of a serene scene set in the countryside. The first stanza introduces the setting with a gentle breeze carrying news from a distant mountain and a hillside plaza bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. Here, the singer notes an abandoned silver harmonica, silenced and overshadowed by the falling leaves. The second and final stanza transitions into the onset of nightfall as the old and wise watch the seasons change along the winding path. As darkness falls, the city twinkles with a sea of lights, momentarily masking the quiet night sky until an otherworldly sound of a child chasing the first star of the night enters the scene. The final line of the song paints a serene picture of closing one's eyes and listening to the faint laughter that comes just before one drifts off to sleep.

The lyrics of this song are deeply evocative of a sense of tranquility, nostalgia, and the fleeting nature of life. Throughout the song, there is a consistent theme of transition, from the changing of seasons to the fleeting nature of memories. This is a common motif in Japanese music and culture as well, where appreciation for the beauty of transience and the significance of the present moment is central to the philosophy.