In April of 1987, on the way to a performance in Fukuoka, she suddenly collapsed. Rushed to hospital, she was diagnosed with bilateral femoral necrosis brought on by chronic hepatitis. Until August she was confined to hospital and eventually showed signs of recovery. She commenced recording a new song Midaregami in October, and in 1988 performed at a concert called Fushichou konsaato (Phoenix Concert) at the Tokyo Dome. Against overwhelming pain in her legs, she performed a total of 39 songs while assuring her fans that she had completely recovered. However, on 24 May 1989, having been re-admitted to the Juntendou hospital in Tokyo, she died from interstitial pneumonitis at the age of 52.
In July 1989 after her death, she became the first female recipient of the National Prize of Honour (国民栄誉賞) for her longstanding contributions to the music industry.
In 1993, the Misora Hibari-kan opened in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Its popularity with fans and tourists has endured through to the present.
Her most famous song, "Kawa no nagare no yō ni," (1989) was voted #1 in a 1997 NHK poll of the best Japanese songs of all time.
娘船頭さん
美空ひばり Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
わたしゃ淋しい 船頭むすめ
燕来るのに 便りも無くて
見るはあやめの ヨウ 花ばかり
想いそめたは 鹿島のまつり
おまえゆかたで わたしは島田
祭太鼓に 櫓拍子あわせ
鐘が鳴ります 潮来の空で
月に墨絵の 十二の橋を
漕いで戻れど 別れたひとと
水のながれは ヨウ 返りゃせぬ
These lyrics are from the song "娘船頭さん" (Muskura Hikaru, 1965) by the renowned Japanese singer 美空ひばり (Misora Hibari). The song tells the story of a young girl who works as a boatman on the river, expressing her loneliness and longing for her lover who has left without any news. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing, as the girl watches the swallows flying by and only sees the iris flowers.
In the first verse, the girl describes herself as a lonely boatman's daughter, despite wearing red lipstick to appear more cheerful. She mentions that even though the swallows have returned, she has not received any letters from her lover, causing her to feel even more alone. All she sees around her are the beautiful iris flowers.
The second verse is slightly more optimistic, as she reminisces about a festival she attended with her lover. She mentions that she was wearing a yukata (a traditional Japanese summer kimono) and her lover was named Shimada. They synchronized their movements with the festival drums and rowed a boat under the Milky Way.
The final verse describes the girl rowing her boat on the river in Chikushi, and she can hear the sound of the bell ringing in the Shioi sky. She tries to row back to the place where she parted ways with her lover, but sadly, the flow of the water will not bring him back to her. It conveys the themes of separation and the impossibility of returning to the past.
Overall, the song "娘船頭さん" captures the bittersweet emotions of longing, loneliness, and nostalgia, as the boatman's daughter yearns for her lover who has left.
Line by Line Meaning
娘十八 口紅させど
Though only eighteen, I wear lipstick on my lips
わたしゃ淋しい 船頭むすめ
As a boatman's daughter, I feel lonely
燕来るのに 便りも無くて
Even though the swallows return, I receive no news
見るはあやめの ヨウ 花ばかり
All I see are irises, blooming endlessly
想いそめたは 鹿島のまつり
In my thoughts, I join the Kajima festival
おまえゆかたで わたしは島田
You, in your yukata, and me, I am Shimada
祭太鼓に 櫓拍子あわせ
Matching the oar rhythms with the festival drums
漕いだあの夜の ヨウ 天の川
Rowing on that night, in the Milky Way
鐘が鳴ります 潮来の空で
The bells ring in the sky of Shirahama
月に墨絵の 十二の橋を
Across the moon, there's a painting of twelve bridges
漕いで戻れど 別れたひとと
Though I row back, I am still separated from the one I parted with
水のながれは ヨウ 返りゃせぬ
The flow of water, alas, does not turn back
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 西條八十
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind