At the age of 17, when she was still in high school, Shimatani decided to pursue a singing career, and went to a casting at the Japan Audition 1997, hosted by the music label avex trax. She heard that they were looking for young girls with exceptional singing talent. Shimatani was chosen from about 200,000 other girls who were casted, and she got a contract with avex. Shimatani wanted to finish her studies, and Avex agreed with her, as long as she took singing classes at the same time, and they made a deal.
After finishing school in 1999, and feeling ready to take her first step as a young singer, Shimatani released her first single called “Ōsaka no onna” (大阪の女, woman from Ōsaka), an enka. Although the single received great reviews and even won some awards, it didn’t sell too well, and AVEX decided that “Ōsaka no onna” was to be her one and only enka single. She started to record more songs and in 2000 she released her second single, titled “Kaihōku” (解放区, free-zone), a song very different from her first single, with a higher pop-feel.
The massive success didn’t come until the release of her third single, “Papillon” (パピヨン, papiyon, butterfly), a Japanese version of Janet Jackson’s song “Doesn’t Really Matter”. The single, despite only going top 20 in Japan, was a huge success - her second-best selling single, and raised Hitomi Shimatani to fame, being compared since then with the top artists from the avex trax label. Her greatest hit so far was her 2002 cover version of the Japanese 1960s pop classic, “Amairono Kamino Otome” (亜麻色の髪の乙女 the girl with the flaxen hair), originally recorded by Village Singers. The song was also the number one requested karaoke song in Japan the same year, spending months at number one in the karaoke chart. Since then, she has released 7 studio albums, a winter-themed mini album, a special concept album, a compilation album, and 25 singles.
Shimatani often have exotic titles for her songs. Tunes like “Perseus” (ペルセウス, Peruseusu), “Falco” (ファルコ, Faruko) or Spanish-flavoured titles such “La Fiesta” are some of those songs. Shimatani has also been recognised by Japanese cartoon (anime) and video-game fans around the globe as particularly many of her singles from the later part of her career has been featured in various cartoons and video-games: “Yume Biyori” (Doraemon), “Angelus” (Inuyasha), “Garnet Moon” & “Inori” (Another Century’s Episode), “Falco” (The Law of Ueki), “Destiny” (Black Jack). Her songs are also often used as sports or news themes.
Farewell
Hitomi Shimatani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
私の胸を締めつける
あなたのその目に写し出すものが
そのすべてを物語る
これほどまでに人を愛すること
教えてくれたのは あなたでしょ
ひとつの月の光と星達だけ
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は
私がこぼした涙で溶かしてみせる
暗闇に1人膝をかかえては
消えそうな月見つめる
戻ろうともしない2人の時間と
寂しさに耐えきれず
あなたがただ残してくれたものは
想い出と悲しみだけでした
Only 2人の夜の明かりを消したのは
悲しいたった一つのあなたの言葉
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は
この世で一番つらく切ない記憶
何億光年輝き続けた
星の光だけが知っている
Only あなたとともに消されていくものは
2人で過ごした夜と楽しい記憶
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は
私がこぼした涙で溶かしてみせる
Only 2人の夜の明かりを消したのは
悲しいたった一つのあなたの言葉
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は
この世で一番つらく切ない記憶
The song "Farewell" by Hitomi Shimatani depicts a love story that has come to an end. The first stanza speaks of how the lies and sad faces of the person she once loved haunt her. The singer has learned to love someone so deeply because of this person. The second stanza describes how only the moon and the stars shed light on a night shared by two people in love. However, their love has frozen like the September night. She promises to melt the frozen love with her tears.
In the third stanza, she is alone in the dark, staring at the moon that seems to be disappearing. She is unable to face the loneliness after the person she loved is gone. All that was left for her to hold on to were the memories and sadness that the person left behind. The fourth stanza tells us that the only reason the light of the love shared between these two disappeared is because of the one sad word uttered by the person she loved. Ever since then, her love that froze in September night has been the most painful and poignant memory she has ever had.
The final stanza tells us how nobody knows what's happening between two people except themselves, describing it as the billions of light-years that can only be seen by the stars. She tells us that with the person gone the only memories she has are the nights they shared together and the fond memories they created. The singer promises to melt the love that froze in September night with her tears and say her final farewell to the love that has come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
見え透いた嘘や悲しげな顔は 私の胸を締めつける
Transparent lies and sorrowful faces grip my heart
あなたのその目に写し出すものが そのすべてを物語る
The things reflected in your eyes tell the whole story
これほどまでに人を愛すること 教えてくれたのは あなたでしょ
You taught me how to love someone this much, right?
Only 2人の夜をやさしく照らすのは ひとつの月の光と星達だけ
Only the gentle light of the moon and stars shine on our nights together
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は 私がこぼした涙で溶かしてみせる
I'll melt the frozen love of September nights with my tears
暗闇に1人膝をかかえては 消えそうな月見つめる
I sit alone in the darkness, staring at the moon that seems to be disappearing
戻ろうともしない2人の時間と 寂しさに耐えきれず
I can't bear the loneliness and the time that will never return
あなたがただ残してくれたものは 想い出と悲しみだけでした
All you left me were memories and sadness
Only 2人の夜の明かりを消したのは 悲しいたった一つのあなたの言葉
The only thing that turned off the light of our nights together was your sad words
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は この世で一番つらく切ない記憶
The frozen love of September nights is the saddest and most painful memory in this world
何億光年輝き続けた 星の光だけが知っている
The light of stars that have shone for millions of light-years knows everything
Only あなたとともに消されていくものは 2人で過ごした夜と楽しい記憶
Only the nights we spent together and happy memories will disappear with you
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は 私がこぼした涙で溶かしてみせる
I'll melt the frozen love of September nights with my tears
Only 2人の夜の明かりを消したのは 悲しいたった一つのあなたの言葉
The only thing that turned off the light of our nights together was your sad words
Farewell 9月の夜に凍りついた恋は この世で一番つらく切ない記憶
The frozen love of September nights is the saddest and most painful memory in this world
Writer(s): 酒井 ミキオ, 島谷 ひとみ, 酒井 ミキオ, 島谷 ひとみ
Contributed by Lincoln B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.