Mariya Takeuchi (竹内まりや, Takeuchi Mariya, born March 20, 1955) is a Japanes… Read Full Bio ↴Mariya Takeuchi (竹内まりや, Takeuchi Mariya, born March 20, 1955) is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She is known for her catchy and upliftingly romantic pop tunes and her unique tender voice. Her career started in the late 70s and she's still going surprisingly strong, especially for her slowed down pace, with her albums still reaching #1. In total she's already sold over 15 million records. She is married to singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita.

single again
Mariya Takeuchi Lyrics

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あなたを連れ去るあの女性の影に
怯えて暮らした日々はもう遠い
離れてしまえば薄れゆく記憶
愛していたのかも思い出せないほどよ

また独りに返ったと風の便りにきいてから
忘れかけた想いが胸の中でざわめく
私と同じ痛みをあなたも感じてるなら

電話ぐらいくれてもいいのに

変わり続けてく街並みのように
もとには戻れない若き日のふたり
彼女を選んだ理由さえ聞けずに
ただ季節は流れ見失った約束

もし再び出会って瞳を探り合っても
隔てたときを埋めるすべは何ひとつない
手放した恋を今あなたも悔やんでるなら
やっと本当のさよならできる

また独りに返ったと風の便りにきいてから
忘れかけた想いが胸の中でざわめく
手放した恋を今あなたも悔やんでるなら

やっと本当のさよならできる
やっと本当のさよならできる

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mariya Takeuchi's "Single Again" describe the feelings of a woman after a painful breakup. She reflects on the days of fear and insecurity while she lived with her partner who took her away from another woman's shadow. She admits that since they have been apart, she has become unsure if she ever truly loved him, and memories of him are fading. However, when she hears that he is alone once again, her forgotten feelings start to resurface. She expresses her desire for a call from him, hoping that he too feels the same pain that she does.

The verse "Like the changing cityscape" suggests that their present lives were once beautifully intertwined, but now they are unrecognizable, like the metropolitan landscape that changes with time. The nostalgia of the past days, the hope of reconciliation, and the possibility of forgiving and forgetting are all brushed aside when she admits, with a touch of resignation, that there is no way to fill the void created by their separation. In the end, she remarks that if they were to meet again and both feel regretful about losing their love, then maybe they could finally bid each other goodbye.

Line by Line Meaning

あなたを連れ去るあの女性の影に
I lived in fear of the woman who took you away.

怯えて暮らした日々はもう遠い
The days I lived in fear are long gone now.

離れてしまえば薄れゆく記憶
If we're apart, memories start to fade.

愛していたのかも思い出せないほどよ
I can't remember if I even loved you.

また独りに返ったと風の便りにきいてから
After hearing the news that you're alone again from the wind,

忘れかけた想いが胸の中でざわめく
Feelings I almost forgot start to stir in my heart.

私と同じ痛みをあなたも感じてるなら
If you feel the same pain as me,

電話ぐらいくれてもいいのに
Wouldn't it be nice if you gave me a call?

変わり続けてく街並みのように
Like the ever-changing cityscape,

もとには戻れない若き日のふたり
We can't go back to when we were young.

彼女を選んだ理由さえ聞けずに
I couldn't even ask why you chose her.