Yesterday Once More – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Ai Ninomiya

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the beauty of the Japanese language through Ai Ninomiya's rendition of 'Yesterday Once More.' This song is perfect for learners to practice listening to clear, emotive Japanese phrasing and to experience how classic global melodies are adapted into the Japanese musical landscape.

[English]

When I was young, I used to wait by the radio for my favorite songs to play

Whenever one came on, I'd hum along and it always made me smile

Those were such happy times—it really feels like it was just yesterday

I used to wonder where those moments had all gone

But they've come back to me, like old friends I haven't seen in ages; every single one is a song I loved

"Sha-la-la-la," "Woah-woah"—every single voice still shines today

"Sing-a-ling-a-ling"—every song that starts to play is just so wonderful

And when it gets to the part where he breaks her heart, I can't help but cry

Just like back then, the days gone by come rushing back

When I look back at how many years have passed, those happy times make me feel sad today

Because so many things have truly changed

I memorized every single lyric of the love songs I sang back then

Those nostalgic melodies still soak into my heart, melting away the time that's passed

"Sha-la-la-la," "Woah-woah"—every single voice still shines today

"Sing-a-ling-a-ling"—every song that starts to play is just so wonderful

Only the beautiful memories come back vividly, though there are some that make me cry

Just like back then, I want to live those days gone by once more

[Japanese]

若かった頃は、ラジオから 好きな曲が流れるのを待ちわびてた

その曲が流れると、一緒に口ずさんで 笑顔になれた

それはとても幸せな時間 本当についこの間の事みたい。

そんな時間は、 どこへいってのしまったのだろうと思っていたけれど

戻ってきたの、まるで長い間会えなかった友達のように。 どれもが、私が大好きだった曲

「シャラララ」「ウォウ・ウォウ」 歌声の一つ一つが今も輝いて

「シンガ・リンガ・リン」 歌い出す曲すべてが、すごく素敵

そして彼が彼女の心を傷つけるパートになると 思わず泣いてしまう

あの頃のように 過ぎし日々がよみがえる

どれだけの年月が流れたかなって振り返ると あの楽しかった時間が今日のわたしを悲しくさせるの

本当に多くの事が変わってしまったから　　

あの頃に歌ったラブ・ソング 歌詞の一つ一つを覚えた

あの懐かしいメロディが、今も私の心に染みわたり 過ぎた時間を溶かしてくれる

「シャラララ」「ウォウ・ウォウ」 歌声の一つ一つが今も輝いて

「シンガ・リンガ・リン」 歌い出す曲すべてが、とても素敵なの

素晴らしい思い出だけが、はっきり甦る 泣いてしまう思い出もあるけれど

あの頃のようにね 過ぎし日々を、もう一度

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
待ちわびる machiwabiru N1	verb - to wait impatiently
口ずさむ kuchizusamu N1	verb - to hum/to sing softly
輝く kagayaku N3	verb - to shine/to sparkle
素敵 suteki N3	adjective - lovely/wonderful
傷つける kizutsukeru N3	verb - to hurt/to wound
過ぎし sugishi N1	adjective - past/gone by
日々 hibi N3	noun - days/daily life
よみがえる yomigaeru N1	verb - to be resurrected/to come back to life
年月 toshitsuki N2	noun - years and months/time
振り返る furikaeru N3	verb - to look back/to reflect
懐かしい natsukashii N3	adjective - nostalgic/dear
染みわたる shimiwataru N1	verb - to soak in/to permeate
溶かす tokasu N3	verb - to melt/to dissolve
思い出 omoide N4	noun - memory/recollection
蘇る yomigaeru N1	verb - to revive/to come to mind

Key Grammar Structures

• ラジオから好きな曲が流れるのを待ちわびてた

  ➔ Verb + のを (Nominalizer)

  ➔ Adding "の" to "流れる" turns the verb phrase into a noun, allowing it to be the object of "待ちわびてた".

• どこへいってのしまったのだろうと思っていたけれど

  ➔ ~てしまった (Regret/Completion) + ~のだろう (Speculation)

  ➔ Used to express the feeling of something being lost and wondering where it went.

• 戻ってきたの、まるで長い間会えなかった友達のように。

  ➔ Simile with よう (Like/As if)

  ➔ Compares the return of the music to meeting a long-lost friend.

• どれもが、私が大好きだった曲

  ➔ Emphasis with が (Subject marker)

  ➔ The particle "が" highlights that these specific songs were the ones the singer loved.

• 彼が彼女の心を傷つけるパートになると

  ➔ Conditional "~になると" (Whenever/When it becomes)

  ➔ Used to describe a predictable emotional reaction that happens every time the song reaches a certain part.

• どれだけの年月が流れたかなって振り返ると

  ➔ Embedded question "~かな" + ~って (Colloquial quotation)

  ➔ Reflects the singer's internal monologue about the passage of time.

• 本当に多くの事が変わってしまったから

  ➔ Causal "~から" (Because/Since)

  ➔ Explains the reason for the sadness, connecting the current state to the past.

• 過ぎた時間を溶かしてくれる

  ➔ Benefactive "~てくれる" (Someone does for me)

  ➔ Suggests that the melody helps the singer (it does the favor of melting away the past).