If I Could Draw Life – YOASOBI
Composed by:Ayase/Konnie Aoki
To see how that moon is shining beauty
While I’m all by myself surrounded by trees
On the edge of departure to be starting my journey
Up to that day reliving’s came across my view
Few riches that we had
However all this kindness stood by me
My mother’s own
That sketching I was drawing and painted on
I love it she voiced it was caring that was shown
So we could make a living
She gave her dream away went to work instead
And even so to come the day we parted
Then we came to meet and in such a time
Falling for you I learned of real love
See I was feeling that joy was bound to be
So state why’s it that all I’m treasuring has been fading to end
In a cruel realm of gathering woes
I convey byes to all
I need to go and meet up with you straight away
Proceeding up to where you now remain
Heart is with you forgive me
All at once I heard your voice
And it caught me off guard
So acting to end everything in that style
Wish to be departed and gone
Can’t anymore encounter people as you know
On nights full moon is seen
And I could not reach for that side
I fell to end up on the ground it’s been surprising
The moon chatted with me
At that very time gave me a mystifying talent
Powers crept out
I pour life into things I see and draw
As I distribute with this power
Even all the dying greenery
Restoring all the essence too
And I could give it this time that I hold and I’m left to live
I spread it to all the life I was then drawing
Small pieces I divided it into
Then I found a meaning to my life
So was everything when I got to meet you
Resembling me
You have been over the days living in the woes
And when I tried to leave before and end it on my own
Got mad at me for it all
In the bat of an eye I was mesmerized
But I know you already have somebody who’s so dear to you
He went on and betrayed you and you know it’s wrong
And even so to reside inside you love for him to flow
So now he’s on the way to a fade-out
Life to lose all hues
You kept on crying and it was his name you called
It took that sight of you to make me realize
Amid a single day
So committed all the soul to drawing
To pour in my life in what I sketched out
And from there he was restored opening eyes
I made it happen it’s a miracle painted
As you were shedding tears
Coming from you blissfully
Sparing no trial
Want to have you knowing my thought
Finally listen
In that way giving me the joy to live my life again
I will tell you I so truly had love for you deep inside
See you goodbye
In the end it’s just me
As I’m picturing you my mom is in my thoughts
Was thinking of you and slowly closing my eyes
End of the line of such a long journey
Finally united again
《If I Could Draw Life》是日本双人音乐组合YOASOBI于2022年11月18日发行的单曲,收录于第二张英文EP《E-SIDE 2》中。这首歌曲并非独立创作的英文原作,而是其大热日文单曲《若能描绘生命》(もしも命が描けたら)的官方英语版本。其创作背景深深植根于YOASOBI标志性的“小说音乐化”企划,原作小说出自作家田中圭一之手,同时也是同名舞台剧的主题曲。在将日文原版转化为英文版的过程中,制作团队面临着巨大的挑战,因为原曲歌词紧密贴合日语的音节韵律与叙事节奏。为了在保留Ayase标志性编曲张力的同时,让英语歌词能够完美承载原著中那个关于生命、牺牲与救赎的沉重故事,填词者进行了极具巧思的再创作,确保每一个英文单词都能精准对应旋律的起伏,让全球听众即便不懂日语,也能通过英语歌词直观地触碰到故事的核心脉络。
歌曲的表达含义构建在一个凄美而宏大的奇幻寓言之上,深刻探讨了生命的重量与存在的意义。故事的主角是一位生活在贫困中的少年,母亲为了维持生计放弃了绘画梦想,而少年则在母亲的关爱下通过素描寻找慰藉。然而,残酷的现实接连夺走了他珍视的一切,在极度的绝望中,他试图结束自己的生命。在一个满月高悬的夜晚,当他从高处坠落却未如愿赴死时,月光化作神秘的声音与他对话,赋予了他一种不可思议的能力:可以将自己的生命时间注入画作,让枯萎的草木复苏,甚至让逝去的事物重获新生。这种能力看似是神明的恩赐,实则是以消耗自身寿命为代价的残酷交换。少年最初在赋予画中生命的过程中找到了活着的实感,直到他遇见了一位深爱着背叛者的少女。看着少女因爱人生命流逝而痛哭失声,少年做出了最终的抉择。他将剩余的灵魂全部倾注于笔端,画出了少女爱人的模样,用奇迹般的画笔修复了那个破碎的生命。当少女破涕为笑的那一刻,少年完成了最后的救赎,他在脑海中浮现出母亲的身影,带着对爱的释然与满足,在漫长的旅途终点缓缓闭上了双眼。整首歌通过“以命换命”的极端设定,剥离了日常生活的琐碎,将生命具象化为可以分割、可以传递的颜料,传达出一种超越生死的温柔:生命的意义不在于长度的延续,而在于是否曾为了守护他人的笑容,毫无保留地燃烧过自己。
