Talking about music I want to listen to in winter

--One day at the note editorial department--

Tantan: "The year is coming to an end, isn't it?"

Yama: "It really is... It's a somewhat sentimental season, isn't it? (laughs)"

Tantan: "It certainly is (laughs). I actually quite like soaking in sentimentality while listening to music!"

Yama: "I'm curious about the winter music that music geek Tantan listens to! Please, do share your recommendations!"

This time, the SKY PerfecTV! note editorial department will introduce music we want to listen to in winter.

Entry No. 1: "Gaming Party Xmas" (Zettakun)

(Introduced by: Tantan)

Speaking of winter, it has to be Christmas! So, I chose a pop Christmas song by rapper/trackmaker Zettakun!

What? "I don't want to listen to a super happy Christmas song"? Rest assured, this "Gaming Party Xmas" starts with lyrics that are kind to everyone, like:

...(laughs).

I want you to listen to the song while looking at the lyrics and follow the story, as there is an unexpected development waiting to see what kind of Christmas this complaining gamer boy had.

It's fun that it incorporates arrangements of classic Christmas songs like "Joy to the World" and "Jingle Bells," as well as game-like bleep-bloop sounds, and the animation in the music video is just so cute, so this is a song I definitely want you to enjoy visually as well!

Entry No. 2: "Subtitle" (Official Hige Dandism)

(Introduced by: Yama)

The theme song for the drama "silent," which became a hot topic in 2022. It goes without saying that it is a masterpiece, but even listening to it now, a year after the drama aired, it still tugs at my heartstrings.

And this song is also fun to listen to while watching two different MVs.
One is the "Official Video," directed by Takuto Shimpo, which depicts the relationship between a skater girl and her father. The 5 minutes and 22 seconds are packed with the story of the father and daughter, and the video footage of the girl when she was young warms the heart.

And the other is the "Official Audio," which displays the jacket photo. At the beginning of the song, a faint black circle appears on the white background of the jacket photo, but as the song progresses, the black circle fades, and at the final line, "It remains even after the snow melts," the black circle disappears completely. Even with a simple video, these kinds of fine details are irresistible, aren't they?

Entry No. 3: "Dear Snow" (Arashi)

(Introduced by: Tantan)

This song became the theme song for the 2010 movie "Ooku: The Inner Chambers," starring Kazunari Ninomiya.
It is a ballad I love so much that I have been cherishing and listening to it for over 10 years since its release, so I decided to pick it up this time.

For example, if a song's structure is verse, pre-chorus, chorus (repeated twice), bridge, and final chorus... I think the bridge is the highlight.

This song actually has a bridge (2:59~), and it features a solo part by Nino (I'm using his nickname without honorifics out of familiarity), who starred in the movie.

Of course, that part is a highlight, but my personal favorite is the incredibly emotional C-melody (2:34~) inserted right before the bridge!!

Ohno-kun's powerful, clear singing voice at the beginning of that part.
Combined with the poignant lyrics, it really tugs at your heartstrings.

Please listen to it on a cold, snowy day.

Entry No. 4 "Saikai" (LiSA & Uru)

(Introduced by: Yama)

This song was written and composed by Ayase from YOASOBI and sung by Reiwa divas LiSA and Uru. The harmony created by the charm of these two, each with their own distinct vocal quality and expressive power, is moving and touches my heart every time I listen to it.

People often say "winter is the season of parting," but this song starts right off with a farewell. (There are differences in temperature regarding events, misunderstandings due to busy schedules, and scientifically, it's also a time when the secretion of serotonin, the happiness hormone, decreases.)

When parting with someone dear, I was drawn in by the empathy I felt for the effort to try and keep smiling even during a painful goodbye. From here on, poignant lyrics about missing the person you parted with continue, but you can feel the straightforward feelings for the other person in LiSA's voice, and the memories and scenes sinking into the heart in Uru's voice, which makes me empathize with it.

Although it is a sad song, the end wishes for a "reunion," which is also the title of the song. Wishing for the moment when you can reunite with a genuine smile with the person you parted from while making a smile through teary eyes...

Isn't that wonderful!

Entry No. 5 "Fuyu ga Hajimaru yo" (Noriyuki Makihara)

(Introduced by: Tantan)

This is a classic masterpiece, but I'm picking it because I love it too.

It's stylish that a winter song starts with a story about an August birthday, and above all, it's said that the chord progression of this song is insane.

I'm not knowledgeable enough about chords to explain this, so if you're interested, please look it up, but

I love the part in the chorus where, at the word "dakedo" (but) in "Takusan no kimi wo / shitteru tsumori dakedo" (I think I know a lot about you / but), the chords that had been progressing in a minor scale create a major scale atmosphere and then race to the end of the chorus. (If you're wondering what I'm talking about, please skip this (lol))

That flow feels like the warmth you feel when you come home from a cold winter road (perhaps the image of a night road with illuminations, as it contains bright chords here and there), and I think that nuance of mixing cold and warmth is exactly what represents winter!

There are so many other parts to talk about that it's profound, or rather, precisely because of that, it's a "classic winter song." I'll be listening to it a lot this year too!

Entry No. 6 "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" (Ryuichi Sakamoto)

(Introduced by: Yama)

The world-renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" is a must. While it is a familiar tune as "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," that is actually the title of the film, and this track is the theme song from it.

The film depicts friendship with soldiers from an enemy nation, as well as connections that transcend positions and values. You will be moved not only by the beauty of Christmas and the poignancy of the melody, but also by the deep respect and brotherly love shown toward others.

Also, while the song itself has no lyrics, there are versions with lyrics covered by artists, so I hope you enjoy those as well! (I cried when I listened to Hikaru Utada's cover version)

Yama: "Tantan, your comment is overflowing with love for music! I had far fewer opportunities to listen to bright and exciting Christmas songs like 'Jingle Bells' or 'Awatenbo no Santa Claus' that I sang when I was little, so 'Gaming Party Xmas' felt especially fresh!"

Tantan: "Yama, as expected of an immunology major, I didn't know that serotonin decreases in winter! (laughs) 'Subtitle' also had a strong impression from the drama, but when I watched the music video for the first time after you mentioned it, I was surprised that it was depicted through the lens of family...! The lyrics felt completely different, and I was so moved... ugh"
Yama: "Tantan!?"

Tantan: "Sorry, sorry, I just got a bit sentimental while listening to winter songs... sniff... ugh... my serotonin... what should I do... I want to be happy too... ugh"

Yama: "It seems like crying actually increases serotonin! Let's be happy!"

▽ If you want to enjoy music live

* For those wondering who Tantan and Yama are, you can find the profiles of the SKY PerfecTV! official note editorial staff here