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.
Midaregami
美空ひばり Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
赤い蹴出(けだ)しが 風に舞う
憎や 恋しや 塩屋の岬
投げて届かぬ 想いの糸が
胸にからんで 涙をしぼる
すてたお方の しあわせを
祈る女の 性(さが)かなし
沖の瀬をゆく
底曳(そこび)き網(あみ)の
舟にのせたい
この片情(かたなさ)け
春は二重(ふたえ)に 巻いた帯
三重(みえ)に巻いても
余(あま)る秋
暗(くら)や 涯てなや 塩屋の岬
見えぬ心を 照らしておくれ
ひとりぽっちに しないでおくれ
These lyrics are from the famous song "Midaregami" or "Tangled Hair" by Misora Hibari. The song is about a woman who is deeply in love with a man who has left her, and she's trying to come to terms with her feelings by seeking solace in the beauty of nature around her. The first stanza talks about how the wind carries red autumn leaves as she plays with her disheveled hair. The woman is standing on the shore of the ocean and looking towards the horizon where the man she loves had gone. She is struggling to keep her feelings in check, as the unfulfilled desires keep haunting her.
The second stanza portrays the woman's pain in her journey to come to terms with her loss. She prays for the happiness of the man who left her, even though she herself is suffering from the pain of unrequited love. She wants to offer her love as a sacrifice and wishes for the man's happiness. The woman then talks about the traditional women's clothing in Japan and how the layered kimono is still insufficient to cover up her naked soul. She pleads with her love to light her way and never let her feel alone.
Overall, the song metaphorically depicts the feelings of a woman who is trying to cope with the loss of her love. The lyrics are filled with emotions, symbolism of nature, and Japanese traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
髪のみだれに 手をやれば
When I touch my disheveled hair
赤い蹴出(けだ)しが 風に舞う
My bright red hair clip flutters in the wind
憎や 恋しや 塩屋の岬
Looking at the promontory of the salt storehouse, both love and hate fill my heart
投げて届かぬ 想いの糸が
The thread of my unrequited love cannot reach the other person
胸にからんで 涙をしぼる
I'm holding that feeling in my heart, squeezing out my tears
すてたお方の しあわせを
I pray for the happiness of the person I've given up on
祈る女の 性(さが)かなし
My prayers are the sorrowful cries of a woman
辛(つ)らや 重たや わが恋ながら
Although my love is filled with pain and sorrow,
沖の瀬をゆく
I set out to navigate towards the offshore reef
底曳(そこび)き網(あみ)の
With the bottom-trawling net,
舟にのせたい
I wish to embark on the ship
この片情(かたなさ)け
With this unrequited love of mine.
春は二重(ふたえ)に 巻いた帯
During the spring, I wore a double-layered sash
三重(みえ)に巻いても
Even though I wear it three times over,
余(あま)る秋
It's too much for autumn
暗(くら)や 涯てなや 塩屋の岬
In the darkness, at the far end, I look towards the promontory of the salt storehouse
見えぬ心を 照らしておくれ
Please illuminate my unseen heart
ひとりぽっちに しないでおくれ
Don't leave me all alone
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Tetsuro Hoshino, Toru Funamura
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ぷらむゆめじ
最高です
低音と高音の差のリズムが
綺麗ですね
ひばりさんは器をもっと上げてもっと上げてと
いわれそうです
作曲の船村徹氏がこの歌は誰も歌えん、玄人でも
難しいとテレビで言って
いました
裏声出せる人はひばりさん
だけですね
TheHikoboy
参考までに、歌詞を中国語に訳してみました。
「亂髮」
伸手撩撥凌亂的頭髮時
和服的紅色襯裙在風中飄舞
可恨啊 思念啊 站在鹽屋岬海邊
拋不到對方的情思紅線
纏繞在內心淚沾巾
被拋棄卻祈祝對方幸福
女人的這種本性真令人悲傷
難過啊 沈重錒 雖是自己的戀愛
卻希望將我的單相思情
讓拖網船幫忙載去
春天可以綁兩層的衣帶
到秋天時綁三層還剩一大截
黑暗啊 無盡啊 站在鹽屋岬海邊
請你照亮看不見的內心
別讓我孤單單一人
cross you
テレビでよくカバーしてるのは聴くけど、どんな曲でもどんな大御所が歌ってても必ずこうしてひばりさんの声で聴きたくなる
谷口恒之
この曲は、作詞家、作曲家、そしてひばりさんが見事に調和した永遠に残る渾身の名曲だと思います。船村先生が素人も玄人も歌う歌ではないと言っておられますが、将にその通りで、他の歌手の方もカバーしておられますが、あまりにもひばりさんのイメージがか強くて心に響きません。永く永く残る名曲だと思います。
順子 副島
ドームでのみだれ髪、何度聴いてもその度に💧がでます。沢山の人がカーバされてるけどひばりさん余りにも上手くて感情が凄く心に響き引き込まれて💧です。
36 Hiroki
沢山のみだれ髪のカバーされている歌手は見ていますがこの方を上回るかたは出て来ないと感じさせる歌唱です。ひばりさんみたいの歌姫の声を一度だけでも生で聴いてみたいです。
mayu
どの歌手も美空ひばりさんの足元にも及ばない、、世紀の歌手ですね！
みかん甘夏
こんなに短い歌詞を臨場感あふれる歌い方ができるって、すごいなぁと思い心が打たれます。
dai f
歌のことはわからないけど、とにかく全てが美しくまとまっていることの凄さよ。
ケロちゃん
何度見ても涙が出ます、歌の神が降りてます。ひばりさん、凄いです。
松山静子
1
松山静子
0