Sakai was also a very prolific songwriter. She had written all her own lyrics, and had released several books of poetry as well. She had also written songs for other artists, most notably, for JPOP groups Field of View, WANDS and DEEN. She also wrote the lyrics for and participated in the collaboration for the single "Hateshinai Yumewo" featuring JPOP groups ZARD, REV & WANDS. The single also featured famed Japanese baseball hero Shigeo Nagashima. Some of her singles have been used in Anime, such as Dragon Ball GT and Detective Conan. Sometimes, she would cover songs she's written for other artists like Field of View's "DAN DAN Kokoro Hikareteku" or Teresa Teng's "Anata to tomo ni ikite yuku".
ZARD was also known for being mysterious. This is partially because her record label does not release too much personal information on their artists, and also because she did not make that many personal appearances. She had rarely appeared on any live TV music programs (eg. Asahi TV's Music Station, Fuji TV's Hey Hey Hey Music Champ), which the main public relations tool for the record industry in Japan, since 1993 or do any public appearances. Her first concert was in 1999, which was held on a cruise ship for a mere 600 people in her fan club (300 entries x2 among 2 million concert ticket requests). Her first real concert tour, "what a beautiful moment tour", was held in 2004, 13 years after her debut. Almost every single concert was sold out at the time. The tour ended up having 10 concerts spanning 4 months from March to July 2004, with a final concert held in the famed Budokan.
ZARD was one of the most successful female singers in the 1990s, with her record sales being #1 for female singers, and #3 for overall total, just behind the groups B'z and Mr. Children. She has had 11 singles reach the #1 spot on the Oricon Singles Charts, and 9 albums reach the #1 spot on the Oricon Album Charts.
She will have released 42 singles 11 albums and 5 best albums as of 10 May 2006
She passed away on May 27, 2007 in Keio University Hospital. She was put in the hospital in June 2006 after discovering she had cervical cancer. In April 2007, the cancer had moved to her lungs, delaying her stay in the hospital. According to the hospital, she would take daily walks every morning, during her walk on May 26, 2007, she accidentally fell from the stairs and was discovered at around 5 a.m. She was sent to the emergency room, but unfortunately passed away. She had planned to release a new album in the fall, as well as her first live tour in three years to show her fans that she's fighting strong against her illnesses. Her company sincerely thanks her fans for the sixteen years of support and wishes that she can live forever in the hearts of the fans. She was 40 years old.
Singles
'Good-bye My Loneliness' (10 February 1991)
'Fushigine' (25 June 1991)
'Mou Sagasanai' (6 November 1991)
'Nemurenai Yoru wo Daite' (5 August 1992)
'IN MY ARMS TONIGHT' (9 September 1992)
'Makenaide' (27 January 1993)
'Kimi ga Inai' (21 April 1993)
'Yureru Omoi' (19 May 1993)
'Mou Sukoshi Ato Sukoshi...' (4 September 1993)
'Kitto Wasurenai' (3 November 1993)
'Kono Ai ni Oyogitsukaretemo' (2 February 1994)
'Konna ni Soba ni Irunoni' (8 August 1994)
'Anata wo Kanjiteitai' (24 December 1994)
'Just believe in love' (1 February 1995)
'Ai ga Mienai' (5 June 1995)
'Sayonara ha Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu' (28 August 1995)
'Mai Furendo' (8 January 1996)
'Kokoro wo Hiraite' (6 May 1996)
'Don't you see!' (6 January 1997) (Closing Theme to Dragon Ball GT.)
'Kimi ni Aitakunattara...' (26 February 1997)
'Kaze ga Torinukeru Machi he' (2 July 1997)
'Eien' (20 August 1997)
'My Baby Grand -Nukumori ga Hoshikute-' (3 December 1997)
'Iki mo Dekinai' (4 March 1998)
'Unmei no Ruretto Mawashite' (17 September 1998)
'Atarashi Doa -Fuyu no Himawari-' (2 December 1998)
'GOOD DAY' (2 December 1998)
'MIND GAMES' (7 April 1999)
'Sekai ha Kitto Mirai no Naka' (16 June 1999)
'Itaikurai Kimi ga Afureteiruyo' (14 October 1999)
'Kono Namida Hoshi ni Nare' (1 December 1999)
'Get U're Dream' (6 September 2000)
'promised you' (15 November 2000)
'Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi' (22 May 2002)
'Asu wo Yumemite' (9 April 2003)
'Hitomi Tojite' (9 July 2003)
'Motto Chikakude Kimi no Yokogao Miteitai' (12 November 2003)
'Kakegae no Naimono' (23 June 2004)
'Kyou wa yukkuri hanasou' (24 November 2004)
'Hoshi no Kagayaki yo/ Natsu wo matsu SEIRU no You ni' (20 April 2005)
'Kanashii Hodou Anata ga Suki/ Karatto Ikou!' (8 March 2006)
'Heart ni Hi wo Tsukete' (10 May 2006)
'Glorious Mind' (12 December 2007)
'Tsubasa wo hirogete/ Ai wa kurayami no naka de' (9 April 2008)
Albums
Good-bye My Loneliness (27 March 1991)
Mou Sagasanai (25 December 1991)
HOLD ME (2 September 1992)
Yureru Omoi (10 July 1993)
OH MY LOVE (4 June 1994)
forever you (10 March 1995)
TODAY IS ANOTHER DAY (8 July 1996)
ZARD BLEND -SUN & STONE- (23 April 1997)
Eien (17 February 1999)
ZARD BEST The Single Collection -Kiseki- (28 May 1999)
ZARD BEST -Requested Memorial- (15 September 1999)
ZARD Cruising & Live (26 January 2000)
Toki no Tsubasa (15 February 2001)
ZARD BLEND II -LEAF & SNOW- (21 November 2001)
Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidasita (28 January 2004)
Kimi to no Distance (7 September 2005)
Golden Best -15th Anniversary- (25 October 2006)
ZARD Request Best -beautiful memory- (23 January 2008)
Pray
ZARD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
あの懐かしい故郷へ いつか帰りたいと 雨の日はそう願う
素敵な思い出だけ 胸にしまっておけたらいいのにと祈る
いつも変わりなく動き始める世界は すべてがはかない
いつの夜も信じられずに きっかけ待っていた
秘密のつらい愛も つらい過去も 今はお休み
あの頃 二人で海を眺めているだけで
とてもとても 幸せだったよね
ただとなりにいて 君の話を聞いているだけだったけど
後戻り出来ない
きっと決まっていて 赤い糸のあなたに出会えたの
You're my dream
この永い冬が溶けて 再び行き場のない想いは oh
じっとしていると寂しさで凍りついてしまいそう
You are the only one
心地良かった コーヒーとバーガーで何時間も
いつもいつも この席だったよね
まだ心の準備さえ できる時間なかったけど
後戻りは出来ない
きっと決まっていて 赤い糸のあなたに出会えたの
You're my dream!
In ZARD's song "Pray," the lyrics describe the yearning to return to a peaceful and nostalgic hometown that the two protagonists have long since lost. Despite the changing and transient nature of the world, the singer wishes to hold on to the wonderful memories they share, hoping to preserve them in her heart. She mentions not being able to believe in anything during nights of sorrow and pain, waiting for a sign or an opportunity to come their way. However, now their secret and painful love, as well as their past regrets, can rest in peace. The singer fondly reminisces about the days the two of them spent watching the sea and holding conversations by each other's side, even if it was just the comfort of the presence they shared. She acknowledges that they cannot go back to those days, but knows that it was fate that brought them together, connected by an invisible red thread. The long winter has melted away, and she knows that her unrequited feelings for her romantic interest won't go away, as they are the only one for her.
The lyrics in "Pray" speak to the universal themes of longing and nostalgia for a past that can never be returned to. The singer's use of delicate language to describe the tender moments shared between the two protagonists conjures up a wistful and romantic atmosphere. The lyrics depict moments frozen in time, snippets of memories that the singer carries with her, highlighting the value of treasuring the little moments we share with the ones we love.
Line by Line Meaning
穏やかな日々 それは二人がいつしか失くしてしまったもの
The calm days were lost by the two without them realizing it
あの懐かしい故郷へ いつか帰りたいと 雨の日はそう願う
On rainy days, I hope to return to my nostalgic hometown someday
素敵な思い出だけ 胸にしまっておけたらいいのにと祈る
I pray that I could just keep the wonderful memories in my heart
いつも変わりなく動き始める世界は すべてがはかない
The world that always begins to move without changing is all fleeting
いつの夜も信じられずに きっかけ待っていた
I waited for a chance every night without being able to believe
秘密のつらい愛も つらい過去も 今はお休み
The painful love and past secrets are resting now
あの頃 二人で海を眺めているだけで とてもとても 幸せだったよね
We were really happy just looking at the sea together back then
ただとなりにいて 君の話を聞いているだけだったけど 後戻り出来ない
I was just there beside you, listening to your stories, but I can't go back now
きっと決まっていて 赤い糸のあなたに出会えたの You're my dream
Meeting you, the one with the red thread, was surely destiny. You're my dream
この永い冬が溶けて 再び行き場のない想いは oh じっとしていると寂しさで凍りついてしまいそう you are the only one
As this long winter melts, my directionless feelings will freeze with loneliness if I stay still. You are the only one
心地良かった コーヒーとバーガーで何時間も いつもいつも この席だったよね
Drinking coffee and eating burgers for hours was always so comfortable. We were always in this seat, right?
まだ心の準備さえ できる時間なかったけど 後戻りは出来ない
I didn't even have time to prepare my heart yet, but I can't go back now
きっと決まっていて 赤い糸のあなたに出会えたの You're my dream!
Meeting you, the one with the red thread, was surely destiny. You're my dream!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Akihito Tokunaga, Izumi Sakai
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ql9lj6mz7c
本当に全てが儚い😂どうして泉水ちゃん天国に行ってしまったんだろう🎉😂皆んなの悲しみ💔が計りきれない😂貴女こそオンリーワンの人です❤
@user-ml5uu5th4z
Thank you for sharing this beautiful video!