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.
Teen-age Blue
中森明菜 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
知らぬ振りで風を切っても
荒れて燃える夜に迷う
まるでガラスの身を投げる様に
Teen-age blue 無邪気で
Teen-age blue 野蛮で
Teen-age blue 切ない
「一人歩きしてみたい」と
呟くあの子は危ないエンジェル
「海が好き」といつか言った
言葉がまだ気に掛かるけど
波に揺れる泡沫ほど
脆く砕けて散るはずもないと……
Teen-age blue 涙も
Teen-age blue 笑顔も
Teen-age blue すべてが
心を癒す愛だから
夜明け前の空の蒼が
染めてくあの子はクリスタル・エンジェル
Teen-age blue 無邪気で
Teen-age blue 野蛮で
Teen-age blue 切ない
心を埋める愛探す
夜明け前の空の蒼が
染めてくあの子はクリスタル・エンジェル
ガラスの天使
The Japanese song "Teen-age Blue" by Akina Nakamori is a nostalgic ode to young love and growing up. The lyrics describe the restlessness and confusion of adolescence, as well as the search for meaning and identity. The singer finds herself lost and alone, wandering through rough and fiery nights, trying to cut through the wind and ignore the jeers and taunts of strangers. She feels fragile as glass but also keenly aware of her own desires and dreams.
The chorus sings "Teen-age Blue," which is both a description of her current state of mind and a metaphor for the feelings and experiences of teenage life. She is naive and innocent, yet also wild and passionate. She is yearning for a love that will fill the void in her heart and give her a sense of purpose and direction. The second verse introduces an angelic image of a young girl who dreams of walking alone and loves the sea. The persona is intrigued by her words and believes that just like the fragile foam on the waves, she will not be broken or scattered.
The song's theme of teenage longing and identity crises is universal, and it speaks to people of all ages and cultures. The use of vivid metaphors, such as glass and foam, highlights the transient nature of youth and encourages listeners to cherish the present moment. The haunting melody and Nakamori's emotive vocals perfectly capture the bittersweet essence of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
街角から掛かる野次に
Ignoring the jeers coming from street corners
知らぬ振りで風を切っても
Even if I pretend not to notice and breeze past them
荒れて燃える夜に迷う
I'm lost in the turbulent, fiery night
まるでガラスの身を投げる様に
As if throwing away a fragile glass body
Teen-age blue 無邪気で
Teen-age blue, carefree
Teen-age blue 野蛮で
Teen-age blue, wild
Teen-age blue 切ない
Teen-age blue, heartrending
心を埋める愛探す
Searching for love to fill my heart
「一人歩きしてみたい」と
That girl who said 'I want to walk alone'
呟くあの子は危ないエンジェル
She's a dangerous angel murmuring to herself
「海が好き」といつか言った
Sometime, she said 'I like the sea'
言葉がまだ気に掛かるけど
Those words still weigh on my mind
波に揺れる泡沫ほど
Like the froth that sways on the waves
脆く砕けて散るはずもないと……
I won't break and scatter like delicate froth...
Teen-age blue 涙も
Teen-age blue, with tears too
Teen-age blue 笑顔も
Teen-age blue, with smiles too
Teen-age blue すべてが
Teen-age blue, everything is
心を癒す愛だから
Love that heals my heart
夜明け前の空の蒼が
The blue of the sky before dawn
染めてくあの子はクリスタル・エンジェル
That girl being dyed by it is a crystal angel
ガラスの天使
A glass angel
Contributed by Kennedy F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.