Ongaku
坂本真綾 Lyrics

In the song Ongaku, 坂本真綾 sings about the power of music and the emotions it evokes. The lyrics start with the singer recalling something that she had kept in her pocket all along, something she only realizes after a long journey. It turns out that she had been carrying within her the memories of all the beautiful things that she had encountered in her travels – a cold marble, a flower blooming on a lighthouse, and more – and it fills her with a great sense of wonder and melancholy.

The lyrics also describe the singer's relationship with music. She asks herself what was the first song she ever sang and even though she cannot remember the answer she feels nostalgia for it. She says that she sang it not to impress anyone or to fulfill any obligation, but simply because she wanted to, like a dolphin swims freely in the sea. She then reflects on how music can be both ephemeral and enduring, how a melody can disappear once it is embraced but also how it can stay with you forever, even when everything else fades away.

In the chorus, the singer urges herself to sing today's music, to seize the moment and express herself through the power of sound. The repetitive nature of the lyrics, with the phrase "sing today's music" repeated many times, emphasises the importance of music to the singer and to everyone who loves it.