[Bereavement Song] To you whom I can no longer meet... Tear-jerking songs about death
I thought it was only natural for you to be by my side, but one day you suddenly disappeared…
If you’ve experienced the death of someone dear, you probably can’t help but feel, “No matter how much time passes, I can’t forget,” and “I wish I could see them once more.”
At the same time, you might be trying to move forward by putting a lid on your grief and forcing yourself to face ahead.
In this article, we introduce songs themed around “death,” told from a variety of perspectives.
Surely there will be a song that stays close to your sorrow.
When times are hard, please give them a listen.
- [Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing a loved one. Tracks to listen to while thinking of someone dear
- [Memorial Song] A moving classic and love song dedicated to a beloved person embarking on a journey to heaven
- A song I want people who have lost a beloved partner to listen to
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Songs to Play at My Own Funeral: Timeless Gems to Make Farewells Uniquely My Own
- A song about losing a friend: bereavement, betrayal, and separation.
- [Music Funeral] BGM to Remember the Deceased | Spotlight on Requiems and Dirges Praying for Peace
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- “I Want to See You”: A love song that makes you cry when you listen to it while you can’t meet
- Love, bonds, parting, cheers… songs so moving they pierce the heart and make you cry uncontrollably
- [Thank You] A classic song expressing gratitude to one’s parents. A number loved across generations.
- Farewell Song: A goodbye song. A tearful parting song.
[Bereavement Songs] To You Whom I Can No Longer Meet... Tear-Jerking Songs About Death (41–50)
empty windowNEW!RADWIMPS
This is a RADWIMPS song created based on words submitted by high school students in Fukushima who faced school closures after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Even seven years after the disaster, the lingering sense of loss and the parting with cherished everyday life are woven together with a quiet soundscape.
Their delicate expression, akin to a prayer, will resonate deep within your heart.
Released in April 2018, the song was later included on the album “2+0+2+1+3+1+1 = 10 years 10 songs,” released in March 2021.
With a background of being voluntarily shared as an effort to prevent memories from fading, this work gently stands beside those who have lost beloved people or places and continue living with unhealed wounds.
[Bereavement Songs] To you whom I can no longer see... Tear-jerking songs about death (51–60)
I long to see you now.MISIA
This is a classic song by MISIA, released in 2009.
From the day we met, all the days we spent together come rushing back.
Starting gently and gradually building into a grand sound, MISIA’s soaring vocals overflow with a heartfelt longing to see someone again.
No matter how much we lament, those days will never return.
We end up regretting that we didn’t face things more honestly.
I believe this song gently embraces both that painful feeling and the irreplaceable days that undeniably existed.
May these enduring feelings continue to reach the one they’re meant for.
I want to see you.yuzu
Released in 2009, this song was used as the theme for a TV drama.
It was written about the time when Kitagawa, a member of Yuzu, lost his father.
“I want to see you.” I felt the same way.
It’s different from saying you want to see someone who’s still alive; saying “I want to see you” to someone you can never meet again carries a completely different weight.
This song powerfully conveys the determination to live strongly, believing that even if you can’t meet, your hearts are still connected.
If someone is crushed by something and feels like they’re about to fall, I recommend this song.
Because you are hereUru
The song “Anata ga Iru Koto de,” which also drew attention as the theme song for the drama ‘Theseus no Fune,’ expresses the desire to finally convey long-held feelings to a loved one and to walk into the future together.
It gently accompanies those going through tough times, and the music video’s comment section has many messages from people who have lost someone dear.
It’s a song that doesn’t ask you to forget a loved one, but helps you feel you can continue cherishing them as you move forward into the future.
Prayer FlowerHirai Dai
In 2011, Dai Hirai’s first single, which began with activities centered in Hawaii, was this song “Ori-bana.” At first listen it might sound like ordinary hip-hop, but the depth of the lyrics—and the fact that he doesn’t sing it with unbridled cheerfulness—reflects something more.
Having experienced the loss of someone truly important, each line of the lyrics pierces me.
You can clearly hear how Hirai’s singing style has changed since then, which only makes his feelings poured into this “Inori-bana” all the more palpable.
It’s a song I recommend not only for those who have passed away, but also for anyone grieving the loss of someone dear.
It’s painful, but I want to be grateful for the fact that we are alive.
I miss youHayashibe Satoshi
Triggered by an appearance on a music program, Satoshi Hayashibe made his major-label debut.
His first single is “Aitai.” It’s a song that depicts the feeling of yearning for someone who has passed away and is also known as the theme song for “Sabu to Ichi Torimonohikae.” The quiet melody and his delicate vocals are sure to pierce your heart.
However, it doesn’t just dwell on longing; the story ultimately turns toward facing forward.
It might even give you the push you need to feel more positive.
A song dedicated to my belovedKuwata Keisuke
This work by Keisuke Kuwata, a song about the sorrow of losing someone dear, is a track that, along with its aching sadness, gives you the courage to face forward.
The grief expressed through images of the sea and waves, the unfailing tears, and the scene of lying alone amid the cries of cicadas and the sea wind are especially striking.
Included on the album “I LOVE YOU -now & forever-,” released in July 2012, it sold 432,000 copies in its first week on the Oricon Weekly Album Chart.
As a piece that speaks for the emotions felt after the earthquake disaster, it has comforted many people.
Give it a listen when you want to think of someone important and let your tears flow.