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)
good-night sweetheart
ZARD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Itte kuretemo ii ja nai
Souiu yasashii uso dattara iin ja nai no
Ima no anata wa amari suki ja nai datte
Ikatte bakari irunda mon
Motto hogaraka ni waratteru "anata ga suki"
Yaki mochi yai tari nanika to ki kakari ni naru
Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni
Hontou ni kimi wo aishiteru kara motto jiyuu ni shite agetai!
Mayonaka no HOOMUPEEJI wa AKUSESU de panku joutai
Kono saki dare no kotoba wo shinjite ikireba ii?
Jibun wo suki ni natte mitari mata kirai ni natte mitari
Isogashii kedo dou ni ka ikite yukerurashii
Itsudatte kimi no RUURU ni nacchau
Watashi no negai wa itsudemo kimi no koto bakari da yo
Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni
Hana wo kazarou heya juu
Sono uchi sae nai jibun mo suki ni naru
Kekka wo osorezu tobikomu kodomo-tachi
Osanai hi no egao wa itsumo
Mawari wo shiawase ni shite ita ne
Itsudatte kimi no tame ni utau yo
Yoake ga kureba
Mata atarashii ichinichi ga umareru
Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni
Nemuri ga kitto samishi wo wasuresasete kureru darou
Yume no naka no kimi ni good-night
Good-night sweetheart oyasumi
Yume no naka no kimi wo dakishimete
Good-night sweetheart
Good-night, till we meet tomorrow
Good-night sweetheart
The lyrics to ZARD's "Good-Night Sweetheart" convey a mixture of emotions about love and the fear of losing someone. The opening lines "Kanojo no koto wa wasureru" tte Itte kuretemo ii ja nai (Even if you tell me to forget about her, it's not that easy) suggest the singer is trying to move on from a past love but is struggling. The following line, "Souiu yasashii uso dattara iin ja nai no" (But it's okay if it's a gentle lie) indicates that perhaps the singer isn't ready to fully let go of their feelings yet.
The chorus "Itsudatte kimi no PEESU ni nachau" (I always fall into your pace) and "Motto hogaraka ni waratteru 'anata ga suki'" (I laugh more brightly when I like someone) express the singer's current feelings for their current love interest. However, the line "Mayonaka no HOOMUPEEJI wa AKUSESU de panku joutai" (The homepage at midnight is a panicked state with access denied) paints the picture of the internal struggle the singer is having between wanting to be open and honest with their feelings but also fearing vulnerability and rejection.
The lyrics also seem to express a wish for a future with the current love interest, like in the lines "Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni, Hontou ni kimi wo aishiteru kara motto jiyuu ni shite agetai!" (Today is for me, tomorrow is for you. Because I truly love you, I want you to be free). The final lines "Nemuri ga kitto samishi wo wasuresasete kureru darou, Yume no naka no kimi ni good-night" (Sleep will surely make you forget your loneliness tonight. Good-night to you in my dreams) suggests that the singer is still struggling with fears of losing their love, but also holding onto hope for a future together.
Line by Line Meaning
Kanojo no koto wa wasureru tte
Even if you tell me to forget about her
Itte kuretemo ii ja nai
It's not okay to say that
Souiu yasashii uso dattara iin ja nai no
It's not okay to tell a gentle lie like that
Ima no anata wa amari suki ja nai datte
You're not that fond of me right now
Ikatte bakari irunda mon
You're just pretending to be interested
Motto hogaraka ni waratteru "anata ga suki"
I want to laugh more cheerfully and say "I love you more"
Itsudatte kimi no PEESU ni naacchau
I always fall for your pace
Yaki mochi yai tari nanika to ki kakari ni naru
I get excited about things like roasted rice cakes
Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni
Today is for me, tomorrow is for you
Hontou ni kimi wo aishiteru kara motto jiyuu ni shite agetai!
I really love you, so I want to give you more freedom!
Mayonaka no HOOMUPEEJI wa AKUSESU de panku joutai
The homepage at midnight is in a blank state with access denied
Kono saki dare no kotoba wo shinjite ikireba ii?
Whose words should I believe from now on?
Jibun wo suki ni natte mitari mata kirai ni natte mitari
I try to love myself, but sometimes I end up hating myself
Isogashii kedo dou ni ka ikite yukeru rashii
I'm busy, but somehow I manage to live my life
Itsudatte kimi no RUURU ni nacchau
I always follow your rules
Watashi no negai wa itsudemo kimi no koto bakari da yo
My wish is always about you
Hana wo kazarou heya juu
Let's decorate the room with flowers
Sono uchi sae nai jibun mo suki ni naru
I even start to like myself who is not exceptional
Kekka wo osorezu tobikomu kodomo-tachi
Children who jump in without fearing the outcome
Osanai hi no egao wa itsumo
The smile of those innocent days always
Mawari wo shiawase ni shite ita ne
Made the surroundings happy
Itsudatte kimi no tame ni utau yo
I always sing for you
Yoake ga kureba
When dawn comes
Mata atarashii ichinichi ga umareru
A new day will begin again
Kyou wa watashi no tame ni asu wa kimi no tame ni
Today is for me, tomorrow is for you
Nemuri ga kitto samishi wo wasuresasete kureru darou
The sleep will surely make me forget the loneliness
Yume no naka no kimi ni good-night
Good night to the you in my dreams
Good-night sweetheart oyasumi
Good night sweetheart, sleep tight
Yume no naka no kimi wo dakishimete
Embracing the you in my dreams
Good-night sweetheart
Good night sweetheart
Good-night, till we meet tomorrow
Good night, until we meet again tomorrow
Contributed by Caroline W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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