Tare o ka mo (Kokin-shu / Fujiwara no Okikaze, Hyakunin Isshu No. 34) Garu JP
By the old warehouse along the river
under the pine we played our very first chord
four of us laughing at our off-key harmonies
we didn't go home until morning
One moved far away, one fell ill
every time I count, there are fewer of us
At the side of the stage, I happen to look back
and I'm the only one still holding a guitar
Whom shall I now call a friend who knew me long ago?
Even the pines of Takasago were never my friends of old
The only one who knows who we were back then
is that pine tree, and yet
the pine will never call itself my friend
Young kids in the crowd
are jumping to our old songs
not even knowing whose songs they are
and somehow I felt that was fine
On the way home I take the long way round to that pine
and try playing the very first chord
beneath the branches that never answer
I sing for all four of us
Whom shall I now call a friend who knew me long ago?
Even the pines of Takasago were never my friends of old
If there's no one left who knows
then I'll remember, and I'll sing
I'll play it here again tomorrow
Whom shall I now call a friend who knew me long ago?
Even the pines of Takasago were never my friends of old
The off-key harmonies, just as they were
the voices that are gone now overlap
the pine stands silent, listening
tonight again, from the very first chord
