He released his debut album in 1998 on the Sublime Records label. His follow up albums,1999's 'O*PAQ' and 'Red Curb' released in 2001 showcased his skills as an artist and producer. In 2005, his 4th album "lust" caught on quickly in many music scenes. He composed the background music that is played while using the MEGASTAR-II cosmos, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the World's Most Advanced Planetarium Projector, which debuted at the Miraikan (a Japanese technology museum). This background music was released as an album called Colors of the Dark in 2006.
Harakami regularly played large festivals in Japan such as the "Fuji Rock Festival", the "RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL", and "sonar sound tokyo". His collaborations with Akiko Yano (as a duo called Yanokami), Great 3, and UA gained him widespread recognition in Japan. He also received international recognition from his participation in music showcases in Spain, France, and Germany, and his collaborations with artists outside Japan such as England's Coldcut.
He passed away on July 27, 2011 from a cerebral hemorrhage.
owari no kisetsu
Rei Harakami Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
微かな言葉は「さようなら」
6時発の貨物列車が
窓の彼方でガタンゴトン
朝焼けが燃えているので
窓から招き入れると
笑いながら入り込んできて
それで救われる気持ち
今頃は終わりの季節
呟く言葉は「さようなら」
6時起きのあの人の顔が
窓の彼方でチラチラ
朝焼けが燃えているので
窓から招き入れると
笑いながら入り込んできて
暗い顔を赤く染める
それで救われる
気持ち
The song "Owari No Kisetsu" by Rei Harakami tells a story, through its lyrics, of a person saying goodbye to a loved one. The first verse describes the scene of the goodbye, with the person holding their breath behind a door and saying a faint "goodbye" as a train rattles in the distance. The second verse paints a picture of the morning after the goodbye as the sun rises and the person is filled with a sense of relief, recalling how the loved one's face appeared as they looked out the window.
The chorus of the song talks about how the sun's glow in the morning through the window brings comfort to the person, as they remember the redness on their loved one's face. The final line of the chorus, "sore de sukuwareru kimochi," can be translated to mean that the person feels saved or rescued as a result of this memory. The last verse repeats the scene of the goodbye, this time with the person ruminating on the fact that it's now the end of the season and saying their final goodbye as they see their loved one's face flicker through the window.
Overall, the song captures a bittersweet feeling of love, loss, and comfort in memories. The imagery of the train and the rising sun further emphasize the passage of time and the importance of cherishing what we have in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
扉の陰で息を殺した
I held my breath behind the door
微かな言葉は「さようなら」
Whispering the faint words, 'Goodbye'
6時発の貨物列車が
A freight train departing at 6 o'clock
窓の彼方でガタンゴトン
I could hear it rattling in the distance
朝焼けが燃えているので
The morning glow is burning
窓から招き入れると
I invite it in through the window
笑いながら入り込んできて
It comes in with a laugh
暗い顔を赤く染める
It changes my gloomy expression to a blush
それで救われる気持ち
That's what makes me feel saved
今頃は終わりの季節
Now it's the end of the season
呟く言葉は「さようなら」
Muttering the words, 'Goodbye'
6時起きのあの人の顔が
That person who wakes up at 6 o'clock
窓の彼方でチラチラ
I catch glimpses of them beyond the window
それで救われる
That's what makes me feel saved
気持ち
My feelings
Writer(s): 細野晴臣
Contributed by Taylor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.