Akiko Yano is a Japanese pop and jazz musician.

Her music is by tur… Read Full Bio ↴Akiko Yano is a Japanese pop and jazz musician.

Her music is by turns playful, heartfelt, melodic, ornate, and disarmingly simple, reflecting a love of music in all its forms and colors. She handles moody new wave, virtuosic fusion, traditional jazz ballads, straightahead pop, and singer-songwriter folk songs with equal aplomb.

Though she's recorded with many of the 20th century's greatest pop and jazz musicians, her primarily Japanese-language albums have kept her music below the radar of most English-language listeners. She's recorded with, among many others, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, members of Little Feat, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Kenji Omura, Jeff Bova, Yukihiro Takahashi, Charlie Haden, Peter Erskine, Anthony Jackson, David Rhodes, the band Quruli, and her son Futa Sakamoto.

Beyond her solo work, Yano has recorded with Thomas Dolby, Yngwie Malmsteen, The Chieftains, The Hammonds, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Kazumi Watanabe, The Boom, Tetsuro Kashibuchi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. She appeared on the recording "Snowflake" reading a children's story in Japanese with Peter Gabriel reading in English and music by Akira Inoue and David Rhodes accompanying both.

愛があれば?
矢野顕子 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

傾いた心ひとつもっている
どうしてもなおらない
あいしてるほんとうにあいしてる
どうしてもなおらない
あいがあればなんでもゆるされる。
そんなことはありません｡
残念でした。

遠くにはよろこびが見えている
どうしてもそこへ行くわ
近くにはかなしみが横たわる
どうしてもまたいでゆくわ
あいがあればなんでも越えられる。
それは本当のことです｡
正解でした。

あいがあれば
ブラインドじゃいられない
目を開けばもっとすてきな
気持ちなのに。
あいがあればなんでも越えられる。
それは本当のことです｡
正解でした。
あいがあればなんでもゆるされる。

そんなことはありません｡
残念でした。

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 矢野顕子's song 愛があれば？［LOVE CAN'T BE BLIND］ explore the power of love and its ability to conquer obstacles. The first two lines set the tone for the rest of the song, establishing that the singer has a troubled heart that cannot be fixed. However, they express a genuine and powerful love that refuses to be quenched. The lines "If there is love, everything will be forgiven" show the naivety of the singer, who believes that love can fix anything. The subsequent line reveals this to be a falsehood and a heartbreaking truth: "It's just not that simple."

The second verse seems to suggest that the singer is on a journey, a quest for happiness. They see joy in the distance and are determined to reach it, even if they have to cross sadness that is blocking their path. The repetition of the line "If there is love, anything can be overcome" serves as a mantra of sorts, reminding the listener and narrator of the strength that love can provide.

The final verse reiterates this message, stating that with love, one cannot remain blind. Love opens up our eyes to beautiful feelings that we may not have noticed otherwise. While love cannot fix everything, it can help us overcome obstacles and see the world in a new light.

Line by Line Meaning

傾いた心ひとつもっている
I have a heart that is tilting.

どうしてもなおらない
It can't be fixed no matter what I do.

あいしてるほんとうにあいしてる
I love you, truly love you.

どうしてもなおらない
It can't be fixed no matter what I do.

あいがあればなんでもゆるされる。
If there is love, anything can be forgiven.

そんなことはありません｡
That's not true.

残念でした。
That's too bad.

遠くにはよろこびが見えている
Joy can be seen off in the distance.

どうしてもそこへ行くわ
I must go there no matter what.

近くにはかなしみが横たわる
Sadness lies near.

どうしてもまたいでゆくわ
I will cross over it no matter what.