Kiroro is a Japanese musical group out of Okinawa and is comprised of vocal… Read Full Bio ↴Kiroro is a Japanese musical group out of Okinawa and is comprised of vocalist Chiharu Tamashiro and piano/keyboard player Ayano Kinjoh. Kiroro first debuted in 1996 as an independent band, and later made their major debut in 1998 with the song "Nagai Aida (長い間)".

Eventually their song "Best Friend" was put into the very popular drama "Churasan" causing them to sprout even more fans.

長い間
Kiroro Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

長い間待たせてごめん
また急に仕事が入った
いつも一緒にいられなくて
淋しい思いをさせたね

逢えないとき受話器からきこえる
君の声がかすれてる
久しぶりに逢った時の

君の笑顔が胸をさらっていく

気づいたのあなたがこんなに胸の中にいること
愛してるまさかねそんな事言えない

あなたのその言葉だけを信じて
今日まで待っていた私
笑顔だけは忘れないように
あなたの側にいたいから

笑ってるあなたの側では素直になれるの
愛してるでもまさかねそんな事言えない

気づいたのあなたがこんなに胸の中にいること
愛してるまさかねそんな事言えない

笑ってるあなたの側では素直になれるの
愛してるでもまさかねそんな事言えない

気づいたのあなたがこんなに胸の中にいること
愛してるまさかねそんな事言えない

笑ってるあなたの側では素直になれるの
愛してるでもまさかねそんな事言えない

Overall Meaning

The song 長い間 by Kiroro talks about a woman who apologizes for keeping her partner waiting for a long time due to her sudden work schedule, which prevents them from being together. She feels guilty for making him feel lonely and left out, and she wishes she could have been there with him. Whenever they couldn't see each other, she could hear his voice on the phone, and she noticed that his voice was hoarse. But when they finally met after a long time, she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter with his beautiful smile. She realized that he had been in her heart all this time, and she couldn't bring herself to say that she loved him, but she could feel it deep inside.

The song is a beautiful ballad that touches on the pain of long-distance relationships and the fear of expressing love. It is a slow-paced song that is beautifully executed by Kiroro's lead vocalist, Chiharu Tamashiro. The song was released in 1998 as part of their album, Nagai Aida (長い間), and it became an instant hit in Japan. The song's title, 長い間, means "a long time" in English, and it refers to the amount of time that the couple has had to spend apart due to work and other commitments.

Line by Line Meaning

長い間待たせてごめん
I'm sorry for making you wait so long

また急に仕事が入った
I had to work suddenly again

いつも一緒にいられなくて
I can't always be with you

淋しい思いをさせたね
I made you feel lonely

逢えないとき受話器からきこえる
When we can't be together, I can hear your voice through the phone

君の声がかすれてる
Your voice sounds hoarse

久しぶりに逢った時の
When we meet after a long time

君の笑顔が胸をさらっていく
Your smile steals my heart away

気づいたのあなたがこんなに胸の中にいること
I realized that you are in my heart like this

愛してるまさかねそんな事言えない
I love you, but I can't believe I'm saying it

あなたのその言葉だけを信じて
I believe only in your words

今日まで待っていた私
I've been waiting until today

笑顔だけは忘れないように
I won't forget your smile

あなたの側にいたいから
Because I want to be by your side

笑ってるあなたの側では素直になれるの
I can be honest when I'm with you who's smiling