Keisuke Kuwata (桑田佳祐, born February 26, 1956) is a Japanese musician from … Read Full Bio ↴Keisuke Kuwata (桑田佳祐, born February 26, 1956) is a Japanese musician from Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a singer-songwriter and Southern All Stars's leader.

He is a multi-instrumentalist who performs on guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. 'Suteki na Mirai wo mite hoshii'（素敵な未来を見て欲しい） was recorded entirely by Kuwata Keisuke. He played all the musical instruments on this record.

Kuwata directed the movie Inamura Jane, released in 1990.

His wife, Yuko Hara is also a member of Southern All Stars. She was in the same music circle at their university. She likes blues too and they hit it off in a moment. They have two sons.

In July 2010, Kuwata was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, causing him to cancel an album planned for October 20th and a live concert tour to undergo treatment.

Dear Boys
桑田佳祐 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh dear boy この腕の中で
眠りかけた幼きの夢はいずこ

Oh dear boy 雲に気をとられ
道におちたまるい影愛しすぎる

大人に見えぬ風を
手のひらに集めて

大切な日々はいつでも
日差しに紛れる

Oh dear boy 待ちわびた夏に
祭の音を聴きながら踊る小さな胸

Dididi 誰より好きなママに
君だけの約束

やがて恋におち目醒める
時代を祈るから
コバルトの泡でラララーラ
心の奥まで塗れ

Oh dear boys 残す思い出は

汚れかけた街だけど
My boys are beautiful

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 桑田佳祐's song Dear Boys capture the melancholy of lost childhood dreams and the fervor of youth's first loves. The song's refrain "Oh dear boy" repeats throughout the verses, addressing the singer's younger self, who falls asleep in his loving arms as a child with unrealized dreams. The lyrics enigmatically ask where the young dreamer's aspirations go when they are not fulfilled. As the song continues, the singer reflects on his life and his attempts to collect elusive memories and feelings, capturing sunlit moments when they arise.

The second verse unfolds into a scene where "dear boy" gets distracted by the clouds in the sky and falls while walking, a metaphor for the trials and distractions that come in the way of one's goals. Nonetheless, the song continues with a hopeful outlook, stressing the importance of holding onto what is valuable in life, even when they seem to slip away. Towards the end, the song turns more optimistic as it talks about love, hope, and a longing for a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh dear boy この腕の中で
Oh dear boy, lying in my arms, where has the dream of your early childhood gone as you fall asleep?

Oh dear boy 雲に気をとられ
Oh dear boy, captivated by the clouds, you fall on the road, loving this round shadow too deeply.

大人に見えぬ風を
Catching winds that cannot be seen as adult, holding them in your palms, you can always lose track of the precious days.

手のひらに集めて
Collect them into your hands.

大切な日々はいつでも
Always lose yourself in the sunshine of the valuable days.

日差しに紛れる
Lose yourself in the sunlight.

Oh dear boy 待ちわびた夏に
Oh dear boy, while waiting for summer, you listen to the sound of the festival and dance with a little heart.

祭の音を聴きながら踊る小さな胸
As you listen to the sound of the festival, you dance with a small heart.

Dididi 誰より好きなママに
Dididi, you make a promise to your mother who you love more than anyone else.

君だけの約束
A promise only for you.

やがて恋におち目醒める
Falling in love, you eventually awaken and pray for the times.