Mami Kawada's vocal talent was first discovered by Eiko Shimamiya, who was a teacher at a vocal school in Sapporo, Hokkaido. She was then introduced to I've Sound, a music production group where Shimamiya is, and Kawada would soon become attached to. In 2001, her debut song with the I've Sound was to perform "Kaze to Kimi wo Daite" (風と君を抱いて) which was the opening theme for the eroge "miss you". The song was featured in the I've Sound's 5th Compilation Album entitled Out Flow. Since then, great numbers of theme songs for dating sim or visual novel games are offered for her to perform.
In 2002, she began performing anime theme songs and at the same time, still performing theme songs for visual novel games. Kawada performed the ending theme for the anime Please Teacher! entitled "Sora no Mori de" (空の森で) while co-I've Sound singer Kotoko performed the opening theme entitled "Shooting Star". At the same year, Kawada and Shimamiya grouped themselves as the band Healing Leaf and performed some theme songs for visual novel games but only one song was featured in the I've Girls Compilation which was "Ame ni Utau Ballad" (雨に歌う譚詩曲).
In mid-2003, she got her second anime tie-up with Please Twins!, the spin-off sequel of previous anime tie-in Please Teacher!. Kawada performed the ending theme entitled "Asu e no Namida" (明日への涙) while Kotoko does the opening theme entitled "Second Flight" together with J-pop singer Hiromi Satō.
In June 2009, Kawada released her maxi single "L'Oiseau bleu" which means "Blue Bird" in French. This single is also present in the I've Sound 10th Anniversary 「Departed to the future」 Special CD BOX which was released earlier by their group last March 25, 2009. Kawada sung the opening and ending themes for the original video animation series of Shakugan no Shana entitled Shakugan no Shana S, making this her fifth tie-in with said anime series. The opening theme entitled "Prophecy" will come out as a maxi single which will be released on November 18, 2009. The ending theme is entitled "All in Good Time".
Transition
Mami Kawada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
まわした腕が力なくて
でも引き離せないのは
優しさじゃないの、知ってる
何考えてるの？
多分同じかな...
なんてかけ巡り
本当は答えのない証拠
守るって こんなことじゃない事も
分からないほど
ただそばにいたかっただけなのに
「行くよ」と笑ってみせた
最後に試すような
ズルい笑顔繕って
ねえ引き止めても戻らないの
あなたも微笑んでたのは
同じ気持ち？
扉閉まる その瞬間
見た顔が忘れられないよ
一つ はじめて手に入れた
共通点が宝物で
今思えばそれだけが
本物だって言えるかも
謎解きのゲームじゃない
わかってても転がるダイス
これでしかもう進めない
廻り巡る 運命の中
堕ちてく それとも昇ってるのか
分からないほど
ただ輝いてて眩しかった
「覚えている？」って言えずに
目が合えば照れたように
瞳伏せて誤摩化した
もうあの時には戻れないの
あなたが覗き込むから
同じ気持ち？
重ねた手に
その弱さが強く結んで離れないよ
「行くよ」と笑ってみせた
強がりもここまで
瞳伏せて誤摩化した
もうあの時には戻れないの
あなたが微笑んでたのも
同じ気持ち
扉閉まる その瞬間
見た顔も全部忘れないよ
The song "transition" by Mami Kawada speaks to facing a difficult goodbye to a person who was once close, wrestling with the complex emotions that come with it. It begins with the singer expressing their desire to hold onto the moment, yet their arms feel weak and unable to grasp what was important. They acknowledge that they cannot break away from the other person, yet they know that it is not out of kindness. The singer wonders what the other person is thinking and assumes that they are likely thinking the same thing. They lament the fact that they were unable to voice their true feelings, hiding behind inconclusive evidence that leaves more questions than answers.
The chorus is where the message of the song becomes clearer. The singer reveals that they had wanted nothing more than to stay by the other person's side, but the idea of protecting them was more complicated than originally thought. The singer tries to maintain a sense of strength, putting on a brave face, and hiding behind a "cheating smile" that tries to pretend everything will be alright. However, the other person will not be stopped from leaving, and the singer is left wondering if they share the same feelings and memories. In the end, the singer cannot forget the moment the door closes, and they cannot forget the face that they saw at that moment.
Overall, "transition" is a song that speaks to the various stages of grief that come with losing someone important - the denial, the bargaining, and the acceptance. The singer wants to hold onto the happy memories and the feeling of being close to the person, but they acknowledge that it is time to move on. The song's melody is ethereal and melancholic, underscoring the wistful nostalgia that comes with endings.
Line by Line Meaning
まだこうしていたいよと
I want to stay like this a little longer
まわした腕が力なくて
My arms are too weak to move
でも引き離せないのは
But I can't let go
優しさじゃないの、知ってる
It's not because of kindness, I know that
何考えてるの？
What are you thinking?
多分同じかな...
Maybe the same thing...
なんてかけ巡り
Such a roundabout way
だけど口に出せなかった
But I couldn't say it out loud
本当は答えのない証拠
It's a proof without an answer, really
守るって こんなことじゃない事も
Protecting isn't just about this kind of thing
分からないほど
I don't even know...
ただそばにいたかっただけなのに
I just wanted to be close to you
「行くよ」と笑ってみせた
You smiled and said you were leaving
最後に試すような
As if you were testing me
ズルい笑顔繕って
You put on a fake smile
ねえ引き止めても戻らないの
Hey, even if I stop you, you won't come back
あなたも微笑んでたのは
Were you smiling too?
同じ気持ち？
Did you feel the same way?
扉閉まる その瞬間
At the moment the door closed
見た顔が忘れられないよ
I can't forget the face I saw
一つ はじめて手に入れた
The one thing we first got together
共通点が宝物で
Is a treasure of commonality
今思えばそれだけが
Looking back, that might have been
本物だって言えるかも
The only real thing we had
謎解きのゲームじゃない
It's not a game of solving mysteries
わかってても転がるダイス
Even if we know the dice will roll
これでしかもう進めない
We can only move forward this way
廻り巡る 運命の中
Within the cycle of destiny
堕ちてく それとも昇ってるのか
Am I falling or rising?
分からないほど
I don't even know...
ただ輝いてて眩しかった
You shone so brightly, it was dazzling
「覚えている？」って言えずに
Without being able to say 'do you remember?'
目が合えば照れたように
As if embarrassed when our eyes met
瞳伏せて誤摩化した
We looked away and brushed it off
もうあの時には戻れないの
We can't go back to that time anymore
あなたが覗き込むから
Because you are peering in
同じ気持ち？
Do you feel the same way?
重ねた手に
In our entwined hands
その弱さが強く結んで離れないよ
Our weakness is strongly connected and won't let go
強がりもここまで
My bluff only goes this far
瞳伏せて誤摩化した
We looked away and brushed it off again
もうあの時には戻れないの
We can't go back to that time anymore
あなたが微笑んでたのも
You were smiling too
同じ気持ち
We had the same feeling
扉閉まる その瞬間
At the moment the door closed
見た顔も全部忘れないよ
I won't forget the face I saw either
Writer(s): Nami
Contributed by Julia B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.