[Autumn Love Songs] A selection of love songs that portray a bittersweet longing

ripplesArai Yumi

Sazanami — Yumi Arai “Ripples” — Studio Live Recording

This song is included on the album “The 14th Moon,” released in 1976 during Yuming’s “Yumi Arai” era.

It’s a song about a young woman who rows a boat out onto an October lake and reads a collection of short stories alone.

Both the sound and the lyrics have a wonderful sparkle.

It’s a heartbreak song, but it’s also a refreshing, hidden gem from Yuming.

Blue Sky BlueSaijō Hideki

Blue Sky Blue / Hideki Saijo

This is a song released in 1978 by Hideki Saijo, famous for “Y.M.C.A.” It was his 26th single, a masterpiece that conjures up a piercingly blue autumn sky before your eyes.

Thanks to this hit, Saijo won the Gold Prize at the Japan Record Awards and appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen on the very same day.

There are also cover versions by Diamond☆Yukai and Ryuichi Kawamura.

swingNogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 “Blanco” Short Ver.

A bittersweet autumn love song by the national idol group Nogizaka46.

Set against a poignant autumn twilight, it’s a pure love song that conveys complex, shifting emotions so vividly.

Starting off with a rap is unusual for Nogizaka, isn’t it?

autumn rainSonar Pocket

Sonar Pocket “Autumn Rain” [Lyric Video]

Released by Sonar Pocket in 2022, “Akisame” is a ballad that depicts the heartbreak of a painful breakup.

One of Sonar Pocket’s appeals is their lyrics that resonate with listeners, and in this song too, many will likely find the words overlapping with their own experiences and be moved.

The autumn rain mentioned in the title is portrayed vividly in the lyrics, further emphasizing the story’s poignancy and sense of helplessness.

The reflections on their time together filled with regret, and the depiction that the loved one is no longer by their side, make your chest tighten almost involuntarily.

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Hane Keisuke

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Only you felt like autumn.AKB48

[MV] Only You Felt Like Autumn Short ver. / AKB48 [Official]

AKB48’s “Only You Felt Like Autumn” is a song that will undoubtedly make you empathize with a protagonist who longs for someone out of reach.

Have you ever experienced that rush of panic when the person you secretly liked looks more mature after some time apart? It’s like that sudden jolt you feel seeing classmates after summer break.

This song also conveys the bittersweet feeling of being left behind as your crush keeps moving ahead.

Highly recommended for anyone with an unrequited love!

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Yoimachi Jēn

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Night on the Galactic RailroadGOING STEADY

GOING STEADY – Night on the Galactic Railroad

The days you spend with someone you love are so fun that the world seems to shine, aren’t they? That straightforward joy is what “Night on the Galactic Railroad” sings about.

It’s a song released in 2001 by GOING STEADY, known as Goisute, legends of the indie punk rock scene.

While it’s a bold track filled with thunderous band sound, its lyrics feel somewhat fantastical and cute.

Time with someone important is wonderful and makes everything look beautiful, yet somewhere in there, it’s a sentimental song that makes you feel that this moment will never come back again.

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Yoimachi Jēn

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IrisORIGINAL LOVE

ORIGINAL LOVE Iris

Original Love is Takao Tajima’s solo project.

It’s known for its musical style shifting dramatically with each album.

This song was released in 1997.

There’s a hint of loneliness drifting through the sensual lyrics.

It’s almost suffocating with the mood of an intense, mature romance.