Namie Amuro was a teen idol (Madonna? Japanese version) in Japan almost 20 years ago – while she has reinvented herself many times, never really liked her glitzy barbie doll image and only liked maybe 2-3 of her songs at most – here she redeems herself with this song, along with the visuals so unlike the typical commercialized artificial doll image – here, she’s more natural. Thank goodness… A fashion and style icon to girls, she usually had heavy HEAVY makeup and wore crazy clothes (former model) break your legs pointy highhhhh heels but here … (almost – if it were not for the heels in marshy grass…) nature girl – This visual popped up as I am visiting Tokyo and the hair stylist who happened to cut my hair during my last visit actually looked kind of like Namie and of course, turned out she adores Namie as a fan STILL … Tetsuya Komuro (father of J-Pop?), her producer, at the piano live – again, was never into J-pop but here, I realized that he wonderfully brought out the best then – by incorporating the traditional indigenous Okinawa sounds…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHcZp5ZK0_E
So touching one of the ladies in kimono crying… among all the dignitaries, except for maybe Chelsea Clinton, all the dignitaries are looking so glum – expression-less and looking so stern or bored…So worrisome – What’s wrong with them? Scared the world leaders are without feelings… Where’s the emotions that go along with music appreciation? Here’s live, throwback to Year 2000 for G8 Summit in Okinawa.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4gks8_amuro-namie-never-end_people
vs.
This audience is SO much better – her hometown fans – the energy – feelings – emotions – the connection – the vibration:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNLqZSZ2MMg
Why does she break down into tears ? Because she came HOME. Okinawa, the island is her HOME & she’s overwhelmed to be HOME. The Encore – Namie: ah…um, so “What am I singing?” lol
“It’s the last song and we don’t want this to ever end so – Never End.”
遠い未来だった It was to be in distant future
遠い国だった It was a distant land
遠い想いだった It was a distant sentiment
遠い記憶だった It was a distant memory
あなたとは ずっと前からきっと we were probably destined to meet from long ago
めぐりあうために 愛を誓った To meet, we swore our love
今までのことを ぜんぶ話そう I will tell you everything from my past, everything up to now
明日からのことを もっと話そう But let’s talk even more about tomorrow
Never End Never End
私たちの未来は Our future
Never End Never End
私たちの明日は Our tomorrow
Fantasy 夢を見る Seeing dreams
誰でも夢を見る We all dream
数えきれない Supported in countless
やさしさが支えてる kindness…
ずっと奇跡だった It’s always been a miracle
ずっと描いていた It’s always been drawn (that dream)
やっと分かってきた Finally we understand
きっと大事なこと what’s probably most important
生きていかなきゃいけない 涙の日でも We have to live even in days of tears
だけど強くなれない ならなきゃいけない hard to be strong but we must be strong
容赦なく時は 刻みつづける Unforgiving, Time keeps ticking
走る心おさえ 歩きつづける restrain from desire to run, instead keep walking
Never End Never End
私たちの未来は Our future
Never End Never End
私たちの明日は Our tomorrow
数えきれない Countless
やさしさが支えてる kindness, so much kindness all around us.
忘れられない We can’t forget that
思い出の風が吹く in the winds of memories
– Komuro Tetsuya
