Born in 1967 in Nagasaki, Japan, she first auditioned for and took the lead role in Kadokawa Pictures' film 『伊賀忍法帖』 or 'The Protocols of a Ninja' at the age of 14.
In 1982 she took the leading role as Hoshiizumi in the TV drama 『セーラー服と機関銃』 or 'A Sailor Uniform and Machine Gun', while simultaneously making her singing debut with 『悲しいくらいほんとの話』 or 'An Unhappy Story'.
In 1983 Harada's film debut in 'The Little Girl Who Conquered Time' earned her a permanent place as one of the leading lights in Kodawa Pictures' works.
In 1987 Harada decided to become independent from Kadokawa Pictures, establishing the promotional offices of 'Shorn Harada' with her sister the actress Kawako Harada, while continuing to make regular film, TV drama, commercial and narratory appearances.
After meeting 鈴木慶一 (Keiichi Suzuki) the music producer and vocalist in popular Japanese new-wave group Moon Riders, Tomoyo began to concentrate more on her singing career. Signing with For Life Records in 1990, to this day Tomoyo has found great succes in both writing and recording.
In 2005 Tomoyo announced her marriage to the illustrator and fashion designer Tsuwaki Edo.
Nocturne
原田知世 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
くちずさむうたも霧にとけて
そしていつかめぐりあえる人に
胸は騒ぎ 時が降りそそぐ夜
降り続く雨をさけて
素足のまま踊る 水の淵
こんな夜は海に舟を浮かべ
闇を渡り 眠りへと落ちてゆく
空に伸びゆく枝に
喜びの実は満ちて
あなたは手をさしのべ
長い眠りから覚めるのでしょう
The lyrics of NOCTURNE describe a rainy night where the singer feels restless and is unable to sleep. Despite the rain, she goes out to dance barefoot by the water's edge. She longs to be with someone she will someday meet, and the prospect of that person's arrival makes her heart race. As the night deepens, the singer muses about the symbolism of fruit growing from a tree reaching for the sky, and imagines that this represents the joy one feels when they awaken from a long sleep, perhaps alluding to the idea that the singer has been waiting for this person for a long time. The closing lines suggest that this person may finally be reaching out to awaken her from her long sleep.
Overall the lyrics convey a sense of longing and anticipation, with a hint of melancholy. The falling rain and misty atmosphere evoke a mood of introspection and dreaminess, as if the singer is lost in thought and seeing the world through a veil of emotion. The image of bare feet dancing in the rain suggests a willingness to take risks and embrace the moment, despite the uncertainty of what the future holds.
Line by Line Meaning
雨は今日も降り続き
Rain continues to pour today as well
くちずさむうたも霧にとけて
The song hummed is melting into the mist
そしていつかめぐりあえる人に
And for the person who will eventually meet
胸は騒ぎ 時が降りそそぐ夜
The heart is restless on this night when time pours down
降り続く雨をさけて
Avoiding the continuing rain
素足のまま踊る 水の淵
Dancing barefoot by the edge of the water
こんな夜は海に舟を浮かべ
On this kind of night, let's float a boat on the ocean
闇を渡り 眠りへと落ちてゆく
Crossing the darkness, we will drift off to sleep
空に伸びゆく枝に
On the branches reaching up into the sky
喜びの実は満ちて
The fruit of joy is overflowing
あなたは手をさしのべ
You offer your hand
長い眠りから覚めるのでしょう
It will wake me from my long sleep
Writer(s): ROBERT SCHULTE HEMMING, TRADITIONAL (WRITER UNKNOWN), JENS LANGBEIN
Contributed by Lucas V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.