The summer night ended while I still thought it early evening. Where in the clouds is the moon lodging now?
Kiyohara no Fukayabu, a poet of the early Heian period, was also known as a master of the koto and was one of the representative poets of the Kokin Wakashū. He was the founder of a literary family: Sei Shōnagon was his great-granddaughter.
Turning a lament over the shortness of a summer night into a light-hearted quip aimed at the moon, without taking it too seriously. The feeling of a delightful night ending in an instant hasn't changed in a thousand years.
We brought the original poem's quip — which cloud has the moon taken lodging in? — straight into a modern night that was so much fun it was over in an instant. The invention of these lyrics is a hunt for the culprit: "the culprit behind this short night is probably us, having too much fun." What we most wanted to convey is the paired lines of the Bridge: "They say there's no night that doesn't end / but there are nights you wish wouldn't end." There are so many words to encourage you through a hard night, yet surprisingly few to mourn a happy one — this is a song to fill that gap.
夏の夜は（古今和歌集・百人一首36番）Garu JP
夏の夜は まだ宵ながら
明けぬるを もう朝なの？
「まだ八時」って 笑ってたのに
気づけば日付 またいでた
くだらない話 止まらなくて
時計ばかりが 先を急ぐ
帰りたくない 終わりたくない
話したいことが まだ半分なのに
夏の夜は 短すぎる
まだ宵ながら 明けてゆく
楽しい夜ほど 早送りで
神様 巻き戻して
月はどの雲に 泊まったの？
おやすみも 言えてないのに
帰り道の空 うすむらさき
コンビニの灯り 朝に溶けてく
「もう朝だ」って きみが笑う
その顔が見れて 得した気分
ねえ この夜が短い犯人は
たぶん たのしすぎた僕らだ
夏の夜は 短すぎる
まだ宵ながら 明けてゆく
月も慌てて 帰りそびれて
雲の裏で 寝てるんだろう
探しにいこう 月の宿
今夜もきっと 眠れない
永遠なんて いらないから
あと五分だけ 夜をください
明けない夜は ないらしい
明けてほしくない夜は ある
夏の夜は まだ宵ながら 明けぬるを
雲のいづこに 月やどるらむ
夏の夜は 短すぎる
だから こんなに眩しいんだ
終わらないでと 願うほどに
夜は光って 消えてゆく
月はどの雲に 泊まったの？
また今夜 続きをやろう
夏の夜は……
また今夜 ここで
Summer nights — still barely evening
Yet dawn already? Is it morning?
Natsu no Yo wa (Kokin Wakashu / Hyakunin Isshu No.36) Garu JP
"It's only eight," we laughed
Then suddenly past midnight
Our silly talk wouldn't stop
Only the clock kept rushing ahead
Don't want to go home, don't want it to end
Half of what I want to say is still unsaid
Summer nights are far too short
Still barely evening, yet dawn breaks through
The best nights play on fast-forward
God, please rewind it
Which cloud did the moon check into?
We haven't even said goodnight
The sky on the way home, pale lavender
Convenience store lights melting into morning
"It's morning already," you laugh
Seeing that face made it all worthwhile
Hey, the culprit who stole this short night
Was probably us, having too much fun
Summer nights are far too short
Still barely evening, yet dawn breaks through
Even the moon missed its way home
Probably asleep behind a cloud
Let's go find the moon's lodging
Tonight, again, we won't sleep
I don't need forever
Just five more minutes of night, please
They say every night must end
But some nights you wish never would
Summer nights — still barely evening, yet dawn arrives
In which cloud does the moon find lodging?
Summer nights are far too short
That's why they shine so bright
The more we wish they'd never end
The night glows as it fades away
Which cloud did the moon check into?
Tonight — let's pick up where we left off
Summer nights...
Tonight, same place again