A song of forbidden love. A heartrending, sorrowful love song.

LOVE AFFAIRSazan Ōrusutāzu

LOVE AFFAIR ~Secret Date~ – Southern All Stars (Cover)

Isn’t this song told from a male perspective? It feels like a piece that conveys the unique anguish of a man who abandons his family yet cannot be with the one he loves.

It’s a song about an unattainable love, and I recommend it to women as well.

Perhaps it’s a song that can help you feel even a little more positive.

short-sleevedImai Miki

Short Sleeves – Miki Imai

Anyone who is having an affair will understand all too well the pain of seeing the everyday life, the home, and the family of the person they’ve fallen in love with.

The words, “You’re not someone I mustn’t love—you’re someone who will never love me,” are unbearably heartbreaking.

Stop this nightJUJU

JUJU “Stop This Night for Me”

It’s a hit song that was used as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Guilty: The Woman Who Made a Deal with the Devil.” It’s a bittersweet track about a forbidden love—where, despite telling yourself you shouldn’t fall for someone, your feelings only grow stronger, and you can’t picture a happy future together.

Wanting to escape the pain, you find yourself wishing the moments you can meet would last forever.

Give me a gentle kiss.DREAMS COME TRUE

Yasashii Kiss Wo Shite

“Yasashii Kiss o Shite” by Dreams Come True—also well known for being featured in the drama Sand no Utsuwa (The Sand Vessel).

Many people might relate to the lyrics, “Even if it’s not rewarded, even if we’re not bound together, you are my one and only destined person,” don’t you think?

Crime and PunishmentShiina Ringo

Shiina Ringo – Crime and Punishment

A song by Sheena Ringo whose heartrending cry—wanting nothing more than to hear her own name—pierces the chest.

The figure who seeks only the certain “now,” even at the cost of abandoning the future, seems to portray the agony of a heart falling into a love it knows is forbidden.

This work was released as a single in January 2000 and was also included on the classic album Shōso Strip.

It apparently wasn’t originally slated to be a single, but there’s an anecdote that its release was decided due to strong demand from fans.

When you listen to it at times when your heart feels like it’s about to break between the pure desire to be with someone and the reality that such desire is a “sin,” you may feel as if the song affirms your pain along with everything else.

tragic heroineMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Tragic Heroine

Told from the perspective of a woman visiting her ex, My Hair is Bad’s song vividly portrays a heart caught between lingering attachment and the bravado of not wanting to admit weakness.

It depicts someone masking unresolved feelings with a smile, while lyrics that lay bare tangled emotions will resonate with anyone who’s experienced heartbreak.

Blending energetic band instrumentation with an impassioned vocal performance, the track was released in February 2024 and later included on the July album “ghosts.” As a song that captures the delicate nuances of the pain of a breakup and longing for an ex, it’s a perfect listen when you want to confront your own feelings.

Fake loveSTUPID GUYS

Fake Love / Stupid Guys

A melodious love song by STUPID GUYS that portrays the ache of a bittersweet romance.

The complex emotions of a man and woman wavering between a physical relationship and pure affection are expressed through mellow vocals and rap, weaving delicate words to depict a heart drowning in desire while harboring self-denial.

Included on the album “False Love,” released in July 2019, the track has garnered over 4 million views on YouTube.

It’s a song that resonates with those troubled by a love they can’t tell anyone about, or suffering from a love built on pretense.