She became musically active once more in 2005, releasing her solo debut under AVEX's sub-label, Mad Pray Records. Her third single, Rose, was used as the opening song for the Nana anime. She and Olivia Lufkin have since performed all the opening and ending songs for the show, as well as releasing several "inspi' by Nana" project albums and singles.
Anna's music usually features a pop-rock sound and instrumentation, but with a more pop-like style for melody and lyrics, the latter of which she usually writes herself. She frequently writes entire songs or large portions thereof in English, in which she is semi-proficient. She has stated several times that she is not fluent, though her command of the language and accent are such that her overseas fans often assume otherwise. Anna also frequently covers American songs; pop hits such as Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover and True Colors. as well as rock tunes such as Somebody Help Me? and Just Can't Get Enough are in her repertoire. She is a large fan of Queen and Nirvana.
Anna has also gained success as an actress, winning several awards for Best New Actress after her debut in Shimotsuma Monogatari (released in the US as Kamikaze Girls). She has also lent her talents to Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea), Bashment, the Japanese dub of Herbie: Fully Loaded, Memories of Matsuko, Dororo, and has most recently starred in Sakuran.
Stand By Me
Anna Tsuchiya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
こんな私でごめんねと
無邪気なbutterfly
fly into the blue sky
独りで 悲しみに暮れ こぼれる涙
冷たくて
あまりに永い闇夜が
悲しすぎて 苦しくて
全て投げ出した
でも貴方は愛してくれた
Kiss me & stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
How could you smile for me
何もなくていい
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでstand by me
そっと頬を撫でた
あなたのぬくもり
やさしくて
静かな愛の幻影
目を覚ます
人は弱く 残酷で
愚かな生き物
でも貴方は許してくれた
kiss me & say good bye
閉ざされた花 弱く切なく響く
How could you cry for me
語らなくていい
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでsmilin' for me
Kiss me and stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
How could you smile for me
何もなくていい
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
kiss me and say good bye
閉ざされた花 弱く切なく響く
How could you cry for me
語らなくていい
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでsmilin' for me
The song "Stand by Me" by Anna Tsuchiya is a powerful ballad about love, loss, and perseverance. It begins with the singer acknowledging the difficulties on the journey ahead ("Long way to go"), admitting their faults and shortcomings ("こんな私でごめんねと"), and desiring to be carefree like a butterfly ("無邪気なbutterfly"). However, the loneliness and sadness of the singer's struggles soon take over ("fly into the blue sky // 独りで 悲しみに暮れ こぼれる涙 // 冷たくて // あまりに永い闇夜が // 目を覚ます").
Despite this, the singer finds comfort and strength in their love for their partner ("でも貴方は愛してくれた"). The chorus, which is repeated throughout the song, emphasizes the enduring nature of their love and the singer's desire for their partner to always stand by them: "Kiss me & stay with me // 永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く // How could you smile for me // 何もなくていい // ずっとそばにいて欲しい // ずっとそばでstand by me".
The second verse continues the theme of vulnerability and the fragility of life, but the singer finds solace in their partner's forgiveness and acceptance ("人は弱く 残酷で 愚かな生き物 // でも貴方は許してくれた"). The chorus repeats, with the addition of the line "閉ざされた花 弱く切なく響く" which relates to the pain and sadness that the singer and their partner have endured. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing their desire for their partner to always be with them and smiling ("ずっとそばにいて欲しい // kiss me and say good bye // 語らなくていい // ずっとそばにいて欲しい // ずっとそばでsmilin' for me").
Line by Line Meaning
Long way to go 長い道を 歩きながら 呟いた
As I walk down this long road, I whispered to myself
こんな私でごめんねと
I'm sorry to have to be myself
無邪気なbutterfly
fly into the blue sky
A carefree butterfly flying into the blue sky
独りで 悲しみに暮れ こぼれる涙
Alone, I succumb to sadness and tears flow
冷たくて
あまりに永い闇夜が
目を覚ます
In the very cold and long dark night, I wake up
悲しすぎて 苦しくて
全て投げ出した
Too sad and painful, I gave up everything
でも貴方は愛してくれた
But you loved me
Kiss me & stay with me
Kiss me and stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
Flowers that bloom forever, faintly, fleetingly, and strongly
How could you smile for me
How were you able to smile for me?
何もなくていい
It's okay to have nothing else
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
I want you to be always by my side
ずっとそばでstand by me
Stand by me forever
そっと頬を撫でた
Gently stroking my cheek
あなたのぬくもり
やさしくて
Your warmth, so gentle
静かな愛の幻影
目を覚ます
The illusion of a silent love, I wake up
人は弱く 残酷で
愚かな生き物
Humans are weak, cruel, and foolish creatures
でも貴方は許してくれた
But you forgave me
kiss me & say good bye
Kiss me and say goodbye
閉ざされた花 弱く切なく響く
A closed flower, weakly and painfully vibrating
How could you cry for me
How were you able to cry for me?
語らなくていい
No need to say anything
ずっとそばにいて欲しい
I want you to be always by my side
ずっとそばでsmilin' for me
Always by my side, smilin' for me
Kiss me and stay with me
Kiss me and stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
Flowers that bloom forever, faintly, fleetingly, and strongly
kiss me and say good bye
Kiss me and say goodbye
Contributed by Sophie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SU.SSSSSSSSS
Long way to go 長い道を
歩きながら 呟いた
こんな私でごめんねと
無邪気なbutterfly fly into the blue sky
独りで 悲しみに暮れ
こぼれる涙 冷たくて
あまりに永い闇夜が 目を覚ます
悲しすぎて 苦しくて 全て投げ出した
でも貴方は愛してくれた
Kiss me & stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
How could you smile for me
何もなくていい ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでstand by me
そっと頬を撫でた あなたのぬくもり
やさしくて 静かな愛の幻想 目を覚ます
人は弱く 残酷で 愚かな生き物
でも貴方は許してくれた
Kiss me & say good bye
閉ざされた花 弱く切なく響く
How could you cry for me
語らなくていい ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでsmile for me Kiss me & stay with me
永遠に咲く花 淡く儚く強く
How could you smile for me
何もなくていい ずっとそばにいて欲しい
Kiss me & say good bye 閉ざされた花
弱く切なく響く How could you cry for me
語らなくていい ずっとそばにいて欲しい
ずっとそばでsmile for me
Rach
I revisit his song every few years and the last few lines always breaks my heart.
“how could you cry for me
kataranakute ii
zutto soba ni ite hoshii
zutto soba de smiling for me”
Just sweet sorrow of it all makes my chest get all tight
m i z u n a
there is something more about nana. whenever i want to be alone i always watch an episode of nana or just listen the osts. i don't know how it happens but i feel both satisfied, relieved and unhappy. it's like laying down doing nothing just watching the sky. let's see what will happen next. life isn't that easy. nana shows this very objectively
Ehi Marie
Omg I feel the same way, this anime is still one of my favourites. It makes me feel okay with the way things are in life even when they aren't the way I would like them to be. It calms me and in a strange way and makes me feel comfortable with and accept the beauty of pain, suffering and longing.
m i z u n a
@Ehi Marie accepting the beauty of pain, suffering and longing. i really appreciate that you explained me better than me. it is just reading but somehow i can feel the feeling that you have. i hope you'll have a beautiful life. just make a good one for yourself with all its beauties and pains.
Ehi Marie
@m i z u n a Thanks for your reply, I needed to hear that. I hope you'll have a beautiful life as well with all that we are meant experience on the emotional spectrum. I think as humans we need the pain, suffering and longing in order to appreciate the happiness, love and the people in our life <3
m i z u n a
@Ehi Marie take care and have a good day and a good life! <3
zumokatoku
I rewatch nana every few months and it still never gets old
Karin Sunbear
It's one of the most amazing songs that I have ever heard through out my life time. I greatly treasure this song:)
Jaz
Karin Sunbear me too
serial experiments safa
i hope that 8 years after this comment youre doing good. this song is amazing and timeless
Ian
Same. <3