(excerpt taken from wikipedia)
Akiko Yano (矢野顕子, Yano Akiko?, born Febr… Read Full Bio ↴(excerpt taken from wikipedia)
Akiko Yano (矢野顕子, Yano Akiko?, born February 13, 1955) is a Japanese pop and jazz musician. She was born as Akiko Suzuki (Suzuki Akiko) in Tokyo and raised in Aomori, Aomori. She married and soon after divorced Makoto Yano, a producer of her first recording. She later married Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of the members of Yellow Magic Orchestra, whom she divorced in August 2006.

She has recorded with Swing Out Sister, Pat Metheny, The Chieftains, 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, Bill Frisell, Thomas Dolby, the band Quruli, Rei Harakami as yanokami, and her daughter Miu Sakamoto.

Waters Of March
Akiko Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun

The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
The knot in the wood, the song of a thrush
The will of the wind, a cliff, a fall

A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all

It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope
It's a beam, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart

The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone
A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
A fight, a bet, the range of a bow

The bed of the well, the end of the line
The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find
A spear, a spike, a point, a nail
A drip, a drop, the end of the tale

A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The sound of a shot in the dead of the night
A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump,
It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps

The plan of the house, the body in bed
And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
A hawk, a quail, the promise of spring

And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart

A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
It's a thorn on your hand and a cut in your toe
A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night

A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule
In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue

And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart

A stick, a stone, the end of the road
The rest of a stump, a lonesome road
A sliver of glass, a life, the sun
A knife, a death, the end of the run

And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Akiko's song "Waters of March" seem to be a poetic enumeration of various everyday objects and events that can be seen in nature and in human life, yet they are given metaphorical significance. The song starts with the image of a stick, a stone, and the end of the road, which could symbolize the end of a journey or a life. The following lines introduce other symbols such as the sliver of glass, which could be seen as something fragile and dangerous, or the song of a thrush, which stands for the beauty of nature. Death and life appear to be ever-present themes in the lyrics, as well as the duality of things, such as light and darkness or joy and strain.

The central image of the song is the river bank that talks of the waters of March, which can be interpreted as a symbol of renewal and the promise of life, as March is a month associated with the arrival of spring. The river carries the waters of March, which could mean that life is constantly moving forward and changing, and that it is up to us to decide how we navigate it.

Line by Line Meaning

A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
It's a metaphorical representation of reaching the end of a journey.

It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
The feeling of loneliness or incompleteness after reaching a destination.

It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
A contrast between the fragility of life and the strength of the sun.

It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun
The ominous nature of darkness, death, traps, and weapons.

The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
Natural occurrences, including flowering trees and animals in nature.

The knot in the wood, the song of a thrush
The beauty of nature, represented by the knotty patterns in wood and the song of a bird.

The will of the wind, a cliff, a fall
The unpredictable nature of weather and the danger of high places.

A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all
Small injuries or bumps that have no significant impact on life.

It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope
The freedom that comes with a downhill journey and the release of pressure from uphill battles.

It's a beam, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope
A mix of tangible and intangible concepts, including structure, emptiness, intuition, and optimism.

And the river bank talks of the waters of March
The symbolism of the changing seasons, and how the river represents the flow of life.

It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart
A sense of relief and happiness after overcoming obstacles and moving forward.

The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The physicality of human existence, including our connection to the earth and the makeup of our bodies.

The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone
The rhythmic sound of travelling and a reminder of the potential for harm in the world.

A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
The beauty and mystery of aquatic creatures, and the glistening reflections they create.

A fight, a bet, the range of a bow
Competitive or combative actions, including verbal arguments, wagers, and archery range.

The bed of the well, the end of the line
Symbols of finality and completion, including the bottom of a well and the conclusion of a journey.

The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find
Conflicting emotions that can arise from situations of both gain and loss.

A spear, a spike, a point, a nail
Sharp and pointed objects, used for construction or destruction.

A drip, a drop, the end of the tale
The slow and steady finale of a story, like a single drop of water ending a drip.

A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The industriousness of humans, represented by a large supply of building materials at the start of the day.

The sound of a shot in the dead of the night
The sudden and startling noise of a weapon discharged in the middle of the night.

A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump
A variety of actions, including distance travelled, necessary tasks, sudden movements, and minor collisions.

It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps
A collection of seemingly unrelated items or events, including a female child, a couplet in poetry, an illness, and its associated fever.

The plan of the house, the body in bed
A structure or scheme, considered alongside the peaceful rest of a sleeping body.

And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
The frustration and tedium of being caught in a muddy or difficult situation.

A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
Various ways of moving through the air or water, including floating, drifting, flying, or having a winged appendage.

A hawk, a quail, the promise of spring
The natural cycle of predator and prey, and the hope of new life that comes with the start of a new season.

A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
An assortment of everyday objects or people, including a serpent and a twig, alongside two names.

It's a thorn on your hand and a cut in your toe
Minor injuries, meant to symbolize the small hardships of everyday life.

A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
A mixture of sharp objects, small particles, insects, and stinging sensations.

A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night
An instance of quick action or transition, a bird of prey, and the sudden onset of darkness.

A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule
The rugged terrain of mountain passes, represented alongside two domesticated beasts of burden.

In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue
A description of a far-off landscape, marked by three blue shadows that give it depth and complexity.

It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart
The hope and anticipation of new beginnings; embodied in the beating of one's own heart.

The end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart
The gratification that comes from successfully completing a difficult task.

Contributed by Blake P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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