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.
街
矢野顕子 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
今このときだけ心を止めてほほえむ
知っている人達も知らない人達も
小さな光ポケットにいれて
歩いている
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
かわらぬ街のぬくもりのなかへ
ならないこともある
今このときだけ涙を許してほしい
きこえてくるあなたの
なつかしいその声
大きく心を広げて抱きしめていよう
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
変わらぬ愛のぬくもりの中へ
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
変わらぬ街のぬくもりの中へ
These lyrics are from the song "Machi" (meaning "Town" or "City") by Akiko Yano. They convey a sense of longing and anticipation to return to someone or somewhere familiar and comforting.
The first verse talks about seeing someone who resembles the person the lyrics are directed towards, at a particular corner in the city. At that moment, the singer's heart stops and they smile. The lyrics suggest that the singer cherishes both the people they know and those they don't know, keeping them in a small pocket of light. As they walk, they are preparing to go back to the person they care about and into the warm embrace of an unchanging town.
In the second verse, there is a realization that there are things one must face and deal with alone. However, in this particular moment, the lyrics ask for permission to allow oneself to cry. The singer mentions hearing the familiar voice of the person they long for, and with an open heart, they want to embrace it. They are preparing to return to the person they love, to be surrounded by the unchanging warmth of their love and the town they both know.
Overall, the lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and yearning. The singer is eagerly counting down the moments until they can return to the person they care about and the familiar surroundings of the town. The "unchanging warmth" mentioned throughout signifies the comfort and stability that the singer is seeking in their return. It is a heartfelt expression of longing and the desire to be reunited with someone cherished.
Line by Line Meaning
あなたによく似た人みかけたあの角
I saw someone who looked a lot like you at that corner
今このときだけ心を止めてほほえむ
For this moment only, I stop my heart and smile
知っている人達も知らない人達も
Both the people I know and the people I don't know
小さな光ポケットにいれて
I put them all in a small pocket of light
歩いている
While walking
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
I'll be back soon, to your place
かわらぬ街のぬくもりのなかへ
Into the unchanged warmth of the town
ひとりで受けとめねば
I must face it alone
ならないこともある
There are things that can't be avoided
今このときだけ涙を許してほしい
For this moment only, I want you to allow me to cry
きこえてくるあなたのなつかしいその声
I can hear your nostalgic voice
大きく心を広げて抱きしめていよう
Let's open our hearts wide and embrace each other
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
I'll be back soon, to your place
変わらぬ愛のぬくもりの中へ
Into the unchanged warmth of love
もうすぐ帰るよあなたのもとへ
I'll be back soon, to your place
変わらぬ街のぬくもりの中へ
Into the unchanged warmth of the town
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 顕子 矢野
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Snelson Alexander Rex
Beautiful! Japanese Girl is one of absolute all time favorite records.
I would love to hear this band do a version of Kikyuu ni Notte
DustyCowdog
I love Jay Bellerose... I never heard him play in this gig before. Freaking all of them, Marc, Akiko and Jennifer are awesome.
Jonathan Moss
Dang, and I thought this was good on the album. It's absolutely thrilling live!
Polman Izak
I can say that I have never listened to a pianist who could always draw my attention to her interpretation either folk songs or her alternate versions, her "variations", her musicianship and technique talently bails out any pianist in popular music. I still remember how stunning it was to me when I heard "Japanese Girl" in the late 1970s first time and Tokimeki later. Cover of アンダンテ.カンタービレwas repeatedly played more than a thousand times. I kneel down for you, Akiko. You are such a magic."
inouexhunky
日本の民謡とジャズとロックとすべて凌駕する所に矢野顕子が笑って空を飛んで行く、そんな感じがするスーパーパフォーマンス。とにかく、だれもできないライブであることに間違いない。
Yoshimi Miyake
This is the master piece of master pieces. I have just been to Nebuta Matsuri. I just remembered that in Yano Akiko's first album, there was a song similar to Nebuta hayashi. Indeed this is the one.
70s tv 80s tv 90s tv - The Foot Of Our Stairs
Absolutely amazing
そ511
矢野顕子さんってもちろんパフォーマンスも素晴らしいんだけど、素材の選び方からして優れてるんだよな。
この哀切たる歌詞もメロディも。
Bitterman45
Where is the rest of this concert. What a fantastic group. Akiko is amazing.
Kevin Koh
It's from her 2008 live DVD "akiko". I believe it can still be purchased.