(中森明菜, Akina Nakamori) is a Japanese pop singer and actress born on 13 July… Read Full Bio ↴(中森明菜, Akina Nakamori) is a Japanese pop singer and actress born on 13 July 1965 in Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan. She was one of the most popular singers in 1980s Japan. Best known for 難破船 (Nanpasen), Nakamori made her debut on May 1, 1982 with the single スローモーション (Slow Motion). One of her best-known performances remains that of Desire where she came out in a white kimono and wig, leaving everyone with a very strong image of her. Her own image was always more mature than that of her companions, and her voice much lower and huskier.

She attempted suicide in July 1989 in her then-boyfriend 近藤真彦 (Masahiko Kondo)'s apartment after discovering that 松田聖子 (Seiko Matsuda), her main competition, and her boyfriend were having an affair together. Afterward, she disappeared from the public eye and is rumored to have spent her days drinking heavily in Hawaii. Her career since her suicide attempt has never regained the popularity she experienced in the early- to mid-1980s. But she kept performing even after 1996. Her performances before Japanese audiences continue to be of high quality. Her 2000, 2002 and 2003 concerts attracted large numbers of fans. She still performs and releases original songs (as of 2005). She is also on the New Year’s TV show Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

越冬つばめ
中森明菜 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

娘盛りを無駄にするなと
時雨の宿で背を向ける人
報われないと知りつつ抱かれ
飛び立つ鳥を見送る私
季節そむいた冬のつばめよ
吹雪に打たれりゃ寒かろに
ヒュルリヒュルリララ
ついておいでと啼いてます

ヒュルリヒュルリララ
ききわけのない女です
絵に描いたような幸せなんて
爪の先ほども望んでません
からめた小指互いに噛めば
あなたと痛み分けあえますか
燃えて燃えつき冬のつばめよ
なきがらになるならそれもいい
ヒュルリヒュルリララ
忘れてしまえと啼いてます
ヒュルリヒュルリララ
古い恋ですか女です
ヒュルリヒュルリララ
ついておいでと啼いてます

ヒュルリヒュルリララ
ききわけのない女です

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 中森明菜's song "越冬つばめ" depict a woman who is aware of her own worth, yet finds herself in a situation where she is being taken for granted. The opening lines urge her not to waste her prime years in vain, while turning her back on someone who doesn't appreciate her. Despite knowing that she won't be rewarded, she still clings to this person, symbolized by the image of a departing bird that she watches fly away. The winter swallow, representing a season out of place, is described as enduring the cold and snow. The refrain "Hururi Hururirara" can be interpreted as a cry or call to someone, asking them to accompany her. The lyrics further convey her sense of being misunderstood or underestimated, as she refers to herself as an incomprehensible woman.

The song also explores the theme of happiness, or the lack thereof. The singer rejects the idea of a picture-perfect happiness that is only a mere fleeting desire, not even worth the size of a fingernail. The imagery of interlocking pinky fingers represents a painful connection, wondering if sharing pain with the person she loves is a form of solace. The winter swallow, being consumed and extinguished, suggests that even if she were to become a lifeless shell, it would be acceptable to her. The repeated refrain "Hururi Hururirara" serves as a plea to forget and move on from this old love, emphasizing the idea that she herself is an enigmatic woman.

Overall, the lyrics of "越冬つばめ" express the paradoxical emotions of a woman who knows her value yet continues to hold onto a relationship that brings her pain, seeking some form of validation or understanding.

Line by Line Meaning

娘盛りを無駄にするなと
Do not waste your prime years

時雨の宿で背を向ける人
Someone who turns their back at a drizzling inn

報われないと知りつつ抱かれ
Knowing they won't be rewarded, they embrace

飛び立つ鳥を見送る私
I watch the departing bird

季節そむいた冬のつばめよ
Oh winter swallow, defying the seasons

吹雪に打たれりゃ寒かろに
If caught in a snowstorm, it must be cold

ヒュルリヒュルリララ
Whirr, whirr, lalala

ついておいでと啼いてます
Crying out, 'Please come with me'

ヒュルリヒュルリララ
Whirr, whirr, lalala

ききわけのない女です
I am a woman without discernment

絵に描いたような幸せなんて
Happiness like something painted in a picture