Takeuchi started her own career with a single "Modotte-Oide, Watashi no Jikan" in 1978. From the late 1970s to the early '80s, she has recorded 5 albums and several singles including top-ten hit "Fushigi na Peach Pie". Those materials have featured dozens of Japanese and North American distinguished songwriters, instrumentalists, and producers, such as David Foster, Jim Keltner, Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate, Kazuhiko Kato, Kunihiko Kase, Shigeru Suzuki, Takashi Matsumoto, and her future long-term partner Tatsuro Yamashita.
"Heart to Heart", one of her songs co-written by Roger Nichols and released in 1980, was recorded by the Carpenters two years later, and became the last recording for the late Karen Carpenter.
In 1981, Takeuchi married to a singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, and stopped her career temporarily owing to the pregnancy. After her comeback to the Japanese music industry in 1984, she has accomplished huge commercial success more than when she was single. From that year to the present, she has recorded 6 successful studio albums that mainly consisted of her self-penned songs, and all of them have reached #1 on the Japanese Oricon chart.
As a singer-songwriter, she has produced 8 top-ten hit singles on the Oricon, including "Single Again", "Kokuhaku", "Junai Rhapsody", "Konya wa Hearty Party" and her only #1 hit "Camouflage".
終楽章
竹内まりや Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
惑わされて ためらわれて
幾度となく 言いそびれた
本当のこと 今話すわ
少し寒い あなたの部屋
向い合って 見つめ合って
もしかしたら これが最後…
お願い 心変わりを責めないで
このまま 偽り続けることがあなたをもっと深く傷つけるわ
一度はあれほど燃えたふたりだから
なおさら 友達にも戻れない
こんなに 知り尽くした そのあとでは
恋と呼べば 甘すぎるわ
愛と呼べば 重すぎるわ
だけど彼に ついて行くわ
街の噂 気にしないで
優しさだけ 求めたけど
優しさでは 足りなかった
誰が悪い わけじゃなくて
ただすべてが 運命だと
許して 新しい夢を選んだ私を
あなたと描けなかった
明日を掴むために 歩き出すの
いつしか 笑い話になる時が来たなら
どこかで すれ違っても
知らない振りしないで 声かけてね
The song "終楽章" by 竹内まりや tells a story about a woman who is in love with a man but is hesitant to express her true feelings. She is confused by his smile and doesn't know whether to trust it or not. The woman has wanted to tell him how she feels many times before but has always hesitated. Finally, she decides to confess her love to him in his slightly cold room, even though it may be their last meeting. She fears that memories will lose their meaning without him.
The woman asks him not to blame her for changing her mind and pretending everything is okay, as it will only hurt him more. She knows that they can't go back to being friends, especially after they were in love with each other once. She is aware that calling their relationship "love" may be too heavy a label, but she decides to follow him and ignore the gossip in the town. She realizes that she was seeking only kindness from him, but it wasn't enough. She accepts that it wasn't anyone's fault, and it was destiny.
The lyrical nuances of this song are profound, with a vivid representation of the complexities of a romantic relationship. 竹内まりや's "終楽章" has resonated with many people because of its emotive tune and heart-rending lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
あどけのない その笑顔に
Your innocent smile, which betrays no experience or knowledge, has the power to disrupt my thoughts and make me falter.
惑わされて ためらわれて
Your charm is irresistible, but it also makes me unsure about my feelings and hesitant to speak my mind.
幾度となく 言いそびれた
I have tried to reveal my true feelings to you many times before, but have always held back in the end.
本当のこと 今話すわ
But now I will speak the truth and nothing but the truth about how I feel at this very moment.
少し寒い あなたの部屋
Your room is slightly chilly, but it doesn't matter as we sit together facing each other.
向い合って 見つめ合って
We look into each other's eyes intently, with earnestness and sincerity, seeking a deeper understanding.
もしかしたら これが最後…
Maybe this encounter will be our last, and I want to treasure it as a precious memory.
想い出さえ 意味を失くす
But even memories can lose their significance and value if circumstances change and feelings fade.
お願い 心変わりを責めないで
Please don't blame me for changing my mind or my heart, it's not something I can control or avoid.
このまま 偽り続けることがあなたをもっと深く傷つけるわ
If we continue to pretend or deceive each other, it will only hurt us more in the end.
一度はあれほど燃えたふたりだから
We were once burning with passion and desire for each other, but things have changed since then.
なおさら 友達にも戻れない
Now it's even more difficult for us to become friends again, let alone lovers, as we face our different realities.
こんなに 知り尽くした そのあとでは
Even though we know each other so well, it may be too late for us to salvage what we had or start anew.
恋と呼べば 甘すぎるわ
If I were to call this feeling love, it would be too sweet and naive, lacking the depth and complexity of true love.
愛と呼べば 重すぎるわ
On the other hand, if I were to call it love, it would be too heavy and burdensome, requiring too much sacrifice and commitment.
だけど彼に ついて行くわ
Despite the ambiguity of my emotions, I will follow him and see where it leads me, without worrying about what others say.
街の噂 気にしないで
I won't pay attention to the gossip or rumors spread by others about us, as they don't know what we truly feel.
優しさだけ 求めたけど
I thought all I really wanted was kindness and tenderness from him, but it turns out to be not enough.
優しさでは 足りなかった
I realize that love requires more than just kindness and empathy, it also needs passion, trust, and respect.
誰が悪い わけじゃなくて
It's not about who's to blame or fault in our failed relationship, it's simply a matter of fate and circumstance.
ただすべてが 運命だと
We may not be meant to be together, despite our efforts and emotions, as destiny has its own plan.
許して 新しい夢を選んだ私を
Please forgive me for choosing a new dream and pursuing it, even if it means leaving you behind.
あなたと描けなかった 明日を掴むために 歩き出すの
I have to let go of the future that I couldn't picture with you and move forward, to seize the opportunities that await me.
いつしか 笑い話になる時が来たなら
Maybe someday, our past love story will become a funny anecdote or a nostalgic memory, something to look back on and smile about.
どこかで すれ違っても
Even if we accidentally bump into each other somewhere, we can still acknowledge each other and move on with our lives.
知らない振りしないで 声かけてね
Don't pretend that you don’t know me, or ignore me if we do meet again, just say hello and let me know you care.
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-ox5hn7dt2p
いつ聴いても名曲だと思います
今聴きましたら心情に
ずしーんと来てます
@user-iz4ji1ng7t
薬師丸ひろ子は、絶望的なネガティブな悲しみにひたれ、
竹内まりやは、前向きな歌い方されていて、比較編集素晴らしい
@teto3336
自分用
02:48
@user-qz2dq8xj9e
「駅」◀中森明菜への提供曲は…「解釈が違う」として山下達郎の指摘を受けたらしいですね…
薬師丸ひろ子さんは徳間書店の寵児(映画KADOKAWAの超売れっ子)で…
楽曲提供も…竹内まりや・山下達郎夫妻をはじめ…中島みゆきやら…◀あとは割愛しますが…
有名どころが目白押し…
それだけ優秀な歌い手さんですから…
下手なアイドル歌手(含むグループ)に合わせ曲作りすると…「消したい」黒歴史になり易いですね…「喰うために…」◀やむなく受けた曲で…「今からでも消したい」◀複数人の作詞家作曲家編曲家等(含む楽器演奏者等)を知ってますが…
本当に辛そうな顔をします…
…お察し頂けますならば幸いに存じます…
ありがとうございます