This month’s song I present with my English lyrics is “Summer’s Gone” (the original Japanese title “Daremo Inai Umi”). “Daremo Inai Umi” literally means “A sea without anybody”. The song was released in 1970, and became a great hit. It was sung by a duo named Toi Et Moi (You and Me), and members are a man and a woman, unrelated and unmarried to each other, but made a good team and made many other hit songs. The song may belong not to a folk song genre which was very popular among young generations at the time, but to a genre which may be termed Lounge Pops, with light and easy-listening melodies and romantic lyrics. I hope you’ll enjoy singing the English version!

“Summer s Gone”

• Composed by Yoshimi Naito
• Original Lyrics by Yoko Yamaguchi
• English lyrics by Hidekazu Morishima

Summer’s gone on the seashore.
Not a soul cares any more.
People are walking their dogs,
Wetting their hairs in the fogs.
But I will never forget
That I made a promise to the sunset;
How hard it may be, how hard it may be,
I’ll never stop being me.

Summer’s gone on the seashore.
Life is back just as before.
My only love left me alone,
As the tide had come and gone.
But I will never forget
That I made a promise to the bird I met;
How sad it may be, how sad it may be,
I’ll never let it kill me.

Summer’s gone on the seashore,
Cabanas are locked on the door.
You remain still in my heart,
Thou’ I know you’ve gone afar.
But I will never forget
That I made a promise to your letter I read;
(refr.)
Seagulls fly by, seagulls fly by,
But I will never say goodbye!