松たか子 (Matsu Takako) is a famous actress and J-Pop artist from Universal Mus… Read Full Bio ↴松たか子 (Matsu Takako) is a famous actress and J-Pop artist from Universal Music Japan. She debut as a theater actress in 1994

Matsu Takako first emerged as a theater actress in 1993, when she was just 16, in Ninjo Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi. It wasn't until in 1994, after she played lead in the drama Hana no Ran did she gain media notice. Coming from the family of kabuki actors, it is no wonder that she took where her family left off. Afterwards, she had played lead roles in various television dramas, film and theater. At 1996, she had secured her position as the top actress in Japan after acting with SMAP's Kimura Takuya in Long Vacation and Love Generation, 2 movies considered by many among the best of their genre. At one point, she had switched High School because Shirayuri Gakuen, the school she previously enrolled, is prohibiting its students to enter the entertainment scene. She then switched to Horietsu High School. She was also cited as the youngest to host Kouhaku Utagassen in 1996 at the age of 19.

In 1997, she had added her medium by debuting as a J-Pop artist, showing her versatility as an artist in general, writing and performing several top of the charts songs. Her third album, 桜の雨、いつか released by the label company, Universal Music in 2000, becoming one of her many successful releases to date.

Over the years, she had received many citations and awards, most noteworthy of which is the 2004's Best Actress of the Year, making her one of the most cited J-Actress ever.

In 2013, Matsu was the Japanese dub for Elsa in Disney's Frozen. On February 9, 2020, Matsu was called to join Idina Menzel, Aurora and eight more of Elsa's international dubbers to perform the song “Into the Unknown” at the 92nd Academy Awards. Every international performer sang one line of the song in a different languages, including Maria Lucia Rosenberg, Willemijn Verkaik, Carmen Sarahí, Lisa Stokke, Katarzyna Łaska, Anna Buturlina, Gisela and Wichayanee Pearklin. Matsu worked with the producers.

エール
松たか子 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

泣いたり悩んだり繰り返す毎日
こんな弱かった自分に
気付く夜がある
光と影のように
背中あわせになった
心この胸に抱えて
明日も又ほほえむの
信じることこわくて

逃げだしそうでも
傷ついてもそれでも
もう戻れないから
明日へ進むの
最終の電車のガラス窓に映る
私こんな顔してたの？
街並みが過ぎてく
一人で居ることが
こわくてたまらない
そんな夜は誰でもない
あなたが居て欲しいのに
遠く遠く輝く
星空見上げて
こんな小さな私を
ありのまま見つめて
動けないときも
信じることこわくて
逃げだしそうでも
傷ついてもそれでも

もう戻れないから
繰り返す明日がくるから

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 松たか子's song エール are a reflection of the struggles and challenges that everyone faces in their daily lives. The singer expresses the feeling of weakness and vulnerability that she experiences, especially when she pauses to reflect at night. The repetition of tears and worries in everyday life is a theme that reverberates throughout the song.

Despite the challenges she faces, the singer remains optimistic and believes that she can persevere through the difficulties. She acknowledges her fear of believing in herself and the temptation to give up entirely, but she reminds herself that she cannot turn back now. The repetition of the phrase "tomorrow, I will smile again" underscores her determination to continue on with life and embrace the challenges ahead.

In the chorus, the singer describes her loneliness while riding the last train alone, wishing for someone to be with her. She finds solace in gazing at the stars and wishes for someone to look at her for who she is. The repetition of the phrase "even if I am small" reinforces a sense of self-doubt and the longing for someone to accept and reassure her.

Line by Line Meaning

泣いたり悩んだり繰り返す毎日
Every day is filled with tears, worries, and repetition.

こんな弱かった自分に気付く夜がある
There are nights when I realize how weak I am.

光と影のように背中あわせになった心この胸に抱えて
Our hearts, like light and shadow, are aligned and embraced within our chests.

明日も又ほほえむの
I will smile again tomorrow.

信じることこわくて逃げだしそうでも
Although it's scary to believe, and I feel like running away,

傷ついてもそれでももう戻れないから明日へ進むの
even if I've been hurt, I can't go back, so I'll keep moving forward to tomorrow.

最終の電車のガラス窓に映る私こんな顔してたの？
Reflected in the window of the last train, is this really what I look like?

街並みが過ぎてく一人で居ることがこわくてたまらない
As the cityscape passes by, being alone is scary and unbearable.

そんな夜は誰でもないあなたが居て欲しいのに
On nights like that, I want you to be here, even though it's no one's fault.

遠く遠く輝く星空見上げて
Looking up at the distant, shining stars in the night sky,

こんな小さな私をありのまま見つめて
I want you to look at me, this small person, as I am.