Thank you, Teacher: A Song of Gratitude for Teachers and Mentors — An Emotional Farewell Song for the Journey Ahead
On graduation day, you’ll want to make sure you don’t forget to express your gratitude not only to your friends and parents, but also to your homeroom teacher and the mentors who guided you! Many of you might be thinking about surprising your teacher with a class-wide song performance, but are you having trouble choosing the right song? In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of songs that can convey your thanks to the teachers who have supported you in so many ways and steered you in the right direction when you went astray.
These are all heartwarming classics that not only express gratitude but also make you feel the bonds you’ve built up until now, so be sure to use them as a reference!
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[Thank You, Teacher] Songs of gratitude for teachers and mentors. Moving graduation/farewell songs (21–30)
Graduation, goodbye.haji→
While melancholic ballads are the norm for graduation season, a single released by Hajime in March 2014 offers an empowering, forward-looking boost.
Chosen as the opening theme for Nippon TV’s “Music Dragon,” the song drew attention as a track that accompanies moments of parting, such as graduation ceremonies and farewell gatherings.
Its lyrics carefully spell out the reluctance to part and the resolve to take a new step forward, naturally bringing to mind the faces of teachers and mentors who supported us.
The contrast between the conversational rap verses and the soaring melody of the chorus is pleasing, making it a perfect cheer song that gives you a gentle push.
It’s also highly recommended as a surprise song for the whole class to express their gratitude!
I’m glad I met you.Inoue Sonoko
For those of you who have a mentor you can truly say, “I’m so glad I met this teacher!” this song is highly recommended.
I hope you’ll dedicate it to the mentor who supported and guided you so much.
It’s perfect for expressing your gratitude to the teacher who receives this song!
On the day of departure…Kawashima Ai
A classic graduation song! It’s Ai Kawashima’s “Tabidachi no Hi ni…”.
The lyrics capture the ordinary scenes of school life, and as you listen, the memories of school come flooding back.
They also clearly express gratitude, making it a perfect choice to dedicate to a teacher.
Song of BeginningsGReeeeN
The end is a new beginning.
Listening to this song will likely bring that phrase to mind.
This is “Hajimari no Uta,” released by Greeeen in 2016.
After graduation, most people start a new life in a new place—whether moving on to further education or starting a job.
This is a song that gently gives those people a push forward.
Around the same time, the promotional video that documented the final month of an elementary school in Fukushima Prefecture that was being closed also drew attention.
budKobukuro
The years from enrollment to graduation seem to fly by, don’t they? Even if we don’t feel we’ve changed much ourselves, I think to teachers the students look like they’ve grown tremendously.
Kobukuro’s “Tsubomi” really makes you feel anew how quickly time passes.
I bet there are many big Kobukuro fans among the teachers, too.
It’s a song guaranteed to bring you to tears!
A bouquet of flowers with loveSuperfly
Between us and the teachers we saw every day at school, there’s that subtle distance—neither friends nor family, right? Precisely because of that kind of relationship, it can feel a bit embarrassing to express gratitude honestly, don’t you think? Superfly’s “Ai wo Komete Hanataba wo” is a song that conveys those feelings that are a little embarrassing to say out loud.
March 9Remioromen
A new staple for graduation ceremonies: Remioromen’s “March 9.” It was featured in a choral scene in the drama One Liter of Tears and moved many people to tears at the time.
The timing implied by “March 9” and the graduation-themed lyrics resonate with many across generations.
It’s a perfect song for those who aren’t fond of overly direct lyrics or find them a bit embarrassing.