<Added 10/16/2023> Shinji Tanimura passed away on October 8th at the age of 74. May he rest in peace.
I am one year older than me, a member of the baby boomer generation (born December 11th, 1948), and I honestly wish he had lived a little longer.
“Subaru” by Shinji Tanimura (1948-2023) is a single released in April 1980. It is one of the most popular songs for middle-aged and elderly people to sing karaoke, as it is a majestic and grandiose melody, yet easy to remember and familiar. It is also a classic song that is deeply popular not only in Japan, but also in China and other Asian countries. I myself have sung it at karaoke when I was young.
“Ii Hi Tabidachi,” written by him and which became Yamaguchi Momoe’s biggest hit, is also good, but I think “Subaru” is the best.
By the way, “Subaru” is the name of the Pleiades, an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. It is a group of bluish-white stars, and around seven stars can be seen with the naked eye. It is also known as the “Mutsuraboshi” (six-star cluster).
In this article, I would like to introduce the origin of the lyrics of “Subaru” and the story behind the songwriting and composition.
1. The origin of Subaru’s lyrics
Subaru’s lyrics are strongly influenced by Ishikawa Takuboku’s “Sad Toys.” It’s not plagiarism, but it’s a direct adaptation or homage to the original.
You can see this clearly by comparing the two songs.
(1) Ishikawa Takuboku’s “Sad Toys”
When I breathe, there is a sound resonating inside my chest. It’s a sound lonelier than the wind!
I close my eyes, but nothing comes to mind. I feel lonely, so I open my eyes again.
Along the way, I suddenly had a change of heart, so I took a day off from work and wandered along the riverbank again today.
My throat was dry so I went to look for a fruit shop that was still open. Late one autumn night.
The child is out to play, but the child is not at home,
I took the Omochiya’s locomotive out of the toy box and let it run.
(2) “Subaru” by Shinji Tanimura
I close my eyes and see nothing, it’s sad, so when I open my eyes, I see nothing but the road into the wilderness
Ah, shattered stars of destiny, please at least secretly illuminate my body
I go, with pale cheeks, I go, farewell Subaru.
As I breathe, the cold wind continues to howl in my heart, but my heart is burning and I continue to pursue my dreams.
Ah, you glittering nameless stars, at least end your lives in a brilliant way…
2. The story behind Subaru’s lyrics and composition
Subaru was released as part of Shinji Tanimura’s solo activities at the height of his popularity as part of the folk group Alice, which he formed with Takao Horiuchi and Toru Yazawa, and became his biggest hit.
The song was born when the lyrics and idea for the song suddenly came to him while he was moving, and he wrote them down on a packing cardboard box and completed the song in one go.
Moreover, strangely enough, he heard a “voice” that was communicating with him from the “Pleiades” like a “channeler”. Moreover, the voice was in “Japanese”. This is what he himself wrote in his book.
It may be a story he made up, as is typical of a “storyteller,” but there is no doubt that he was inspired by something divine.
The last phrase, “Farewell, Subaru,” first came to his mind, but its meaning remained a mystery to him. When he asked the Pleiades, they only replied, “It’s a song you wrote, isn’t it?”
In his book “Shinji Tanimura’s Strange Stories,” he explains that since the celestial object Subaru is one of the “Twenty-eight Mansions” of ancient China and is known as the “Star of Wealth,” this means “nothing other than saying goodbye to material civilization.”
However, personally, I think it makes more sense to interpret it simply as “an expression of his decision to say goodbye to Alice and go out on his own.” There is no sense of tragedy or anxiety in this “declaration of determination,” but rather “confident self-intoxication,” and “the elation of a hero who has parted ways with his old companions and is setting out alone into a pathless wilderness.” We can also see through his strong will to stick to his own beliefs (following his heart’s dictates), to create the “World of Tanimura Shinji,” and to weave lyrics (words) that will resonate with the hearts of many people (with a burning passion in my heart, I will continue to pursue my dreams).
There is a poem by Kotaro Takamura called “The Path.”
There is no road in front of me, but I can make a road behind me.
Oh nature. Father, the great father who made me stand on my own.
Keep your eyes on me and protect me.
Always fill me with your fatherly spirit.
For this long journey. For this long journey.
In Shinji Tanimura’s song “Subaru,” there is the phrase “Ah, one day someone will walk this path,” which seems to express “his pride as a pioneer and trailblazer” who is trying to blaze a trail where none existed before.
As mentioned in 1., it is clear that the lyrics are based on Takuboku’s “Sad Toys.” As he himself wrote in his book, he was an avid reader of Takuboku’s works during his university days.
He must have had in mind that Takuboku had been the publisher of the first issue of the literary magazine “Subaru,” which was founded in 1909 by Mori Ogai, Yosano Tekkan, and Yosano Akiko in cooperation with other writers after “Myojo” (published from 1900 to 1908) ceased publication.
For more details about the behind-the-scenes stories behind his songwriting, please see his book “Shinji Tanimura’s Mysterious Stories,” published in 2014.
にほんブログ村